The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-06-04
THE STORY on TIIE FLOOD.

The Manner OF Described by nn Eye Wit.
nsss-The Course Of the Current-lIow
Thousands Were Hurled TO Death In n
Few Minutes.
JonNsrowN, Pa, June 3.-Tho world
outside Of Johnstown is not yet in
possession Of the story Of tho calamity
as it actually occurred. Tho MOST ex;
aggerated Imagination cannot loo strong.
" picture tho awful harvest OF death,
the wreck which accompanied that ter
rible deluge Of last Friday afternoon.
d. Tenny Graft, Private Secretary OF
John Fullerton, General Manager OF the
Cambria Iron Company, now acting in
the capacity Of sedrGtaFy' 10 4djutant
General Hastings, and who, by the way,
Is q man OF considerable nerve and
possessed OF good head, related the
following story:
Fhnrsd9y night at 12 o'clock a water
cloud burst, and ORtRe logn in torrents
all night and next day until evening,
when 1t abated. On Friday the
river commenced 10 rise rapidly, and by
IL o'clock the current had overilowed It's
banks, covering the town from Market
street, the principal thoroughiare Of the
city which FEas once Iollnstown, but is
no more, to the loot 81 tic mountains,
with about five feet Of water,
TnE CRASH COMBS.
Suddenly crash was heard, which
at TIP time was supposed ut the time 10
be some iriitvoQd coming down the
river current, but proved to he the giy-
ing away OF the dam at South Fork,
Almost instantaneously wave OF from
II to 20 feet In height swept over the
city, carrying a whole train OF Pennsyl.
yania railroad cars loaded with pig metal
down the middle OF Market street,
sweeping everything before II on TO
DESTRUCTION. Telegraph poles Crumblel
like so much hay, RouEes rocked apd
tumbled from their foundations, render.
ing all manner OF escape impossible;
dwellings began 10 float about like sail.
boats, tho occupants OF which by this
line bad commenced to climb to the
hopsetoPs and every available place Of
safety. Some yerb SucGessilE while
Others we're swept into tho surglng
waters TO be carried on to death,
CROWDS wHlRLRp ON TO DEATH.
Screams rent tho air, prayers were
sent up by Christian men, women and
children, and even persons who were
never known To pray beiarc, while some
men actually cursed their Creator in the
yllcst Language possible, Others became
perfect lhaniacs while floating III the
current, Men rode by on large tele.
graph poles until tho bend In the river
was reached, wien suddenly, rs though
by magic, they were precIPitated into
the water never 10 ise'agaln,
Tho flood, as has been told, wns the
direct result Of the bursting Of tho South
Fork Dam. All the streams were swollen
10 the tops Of their banks, but there was
no expectation Of more than simply
severe flood, and consequently tho peo.
ple bad not prepared 10 got out OF thcll
hoqsoS,
COURSE oR THE TORMENT,
At OonemauEh the warning was given
but Giteen minutes before tho utmost
! height Of the waters was reached. The
most Of tho flow, as seen by those wllc
, escaped 10 the mountain side, was seem
ingly thirty feet high, and moved Will
Irresistible force,
When Woodville was reached, though
The wayO crest had been lowered In IL
rush, Il Yag still high enough 10 tgkt
t every building from 10 Foundations. y
: he immense uautler iron plant tlil
+ foundation walls alone inBrk rs iOrmo
place,
With the accumulation Of drift taket
2 up In these places the flood came oil Il
! J0lnStown. The curve III the river q
!. that point projected the mass dirCCtl!
u upon the point" or lOw.lylhg gtotht
7 between tho two streams. Here wer
!. lnany Of the best structures In tho city
o Ihe Immense club house and Offices 0
lhe Cambria Company, huBIlpsS blocks
the Baltimore aud Ohio station, anI
n lurlhef down many smaller dwelling
q Every stick added 10 tile floods force
! and when its height reached the hton
pFlvge tue mass was BGvHnty.llye ieg
q hlgh and a quarter Of tnile Ii lengtl
u TiiE PLUNGE,
I The approach 10 the enormous btldg,
4 weakened by the pressure Of tho mi
10 lions o. tons Of water, gave way and a
\. attl lcial channel 100 yards Wide Nj
. ma9e. Then pane. The plunge and
le many lh6lsahlg, DEATH Conceive
W curve almost reaching a. figlit angle. III
g hill above thg bridge tltiel tho lidOj
e'lFeo'IY through ihe breach, AbOyo "