Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-11-15
HIGH WATER.
Several Sections of t;,s CHmbrIa City Bridge
Gone-Other Damages.

Several Sections OF tie Cambria City Bridge
G0ne-Other Damages
Tho heavy rains chat fell or Friday and
Friday night were the cause of consid
erable rise in our rivers. The Cone
maugh ragged and dashed its muddy
waters like torrent, The Stonycreek
was more quiet, but great volume of
day. Much concern was felt about the
temporary bridges. Early on Saturday
some stones were placed on the Lincoln
street bridge, and the supports were
anchored by means of strong ropes.
More stones were placed on it, till there
was just about room left for the wagons
pass. The bridge was then left to fate.
All had been done that could be done TO
save it. Luckily it stood the muddy as
sault made by the water
How is Woodvale? was the prevailing
question again on Saturday, as it has
been at every high water since the great
flood. The bridge between that borough
and Conemaugh borough stood firm, but
the turbulent stream made a road through
the town as it has done ever since the
flood everytime there has been high
water. The embankment made at the
upper end safficed to keep out the water
for as far as it extended, but further
down the water poured all over the upper
part of the former town site. Part of il
soon found its way into the main atream
again, but the rest gathered into one
quite formidable stream on Maple avenue
above the woolen mills, and flowed across
to the Pennsylvania railroad Just above
the overhead bridge. There the stream
again divided into two forks, each taking
its own course toward the main stream,
the one flowing directly through under
an occupied Hughes house that stood on
props and across to the river some dis
tance above the Woodvae and Cone
maugh bridge, the other keeping along
the railroad till it reached the river about
the former site of the Barb Mill. The
water did not enter any of the houses,
but it came within eighteen inches of
flooding the lower floors of some OF them.
At bridge No. 6, the engines were all
flooded and tie work was stopped in
consequence. At many places on its way
down the mountain the Conemaugh
whirled aad roared with turbulence
that reminded one of the death dealing
torrent that swept down its valley little
over five months ago.
The temporary foot-bridge between
East Conemaugh and Franklin was dam
aged to the extent of having about one
third of it taken away on the Franklin
side. The low temporary railroad bridge
a short distance above was weighted with
cars laden with stones and coal.
The temporary Cambria City bridge
was early seen to be in danger. Floating
objects lodged against the supports, but
they were speedily d1slodgsd Shortly
before 2 o'clock on Saturday afternoon
Policeman Peter Cullton, with force
of men, was at work removing some drift
that had lodged against the bridge Sud-
DENY, as if the water had undermined its
supports, several sections gave way, max
ing a gap of about forty or fifty feet
This, Of course cut off Cambria City and
Morrellville by wagon communication
At the stone bridge the water filed the
channel of the river almost to overflow
ing. At o'clock On Saturday afternoon
the gauge there indicated rise of nine
feet of water. If there had been two
inches more of water it would have over
flowed Eron street at that point
Just above the Lincoln bridge the wa
ter was within a few inches of the top of
the stone wall. The gas pipe to the Cam
bria Iron Company's office, which was
across the river by wire
rope, was torn down by the water Some
damage was also done to the bridge
back of the Company store.