The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-06-01
EriightfuI
RESULTS OR The Big STORMS
In PennSyIyania-TOwns OF Thou
sands OF Inhabitants
Nearly Wiped Out.
A RCscryOlrat JOhnstOwn Bursts
and Terrible Destruction
Of Life Follows.
HUNDREDS OF LIVES LOST,
The Waters Come With Such
SuddcnneSs That Escape
Is Impossible
And Entire Families are Swept
Away by the Ringing Torrent
And Entire Families are Swept
Away by the Ringing Torrent.
COMMUNICATION is CUT OFF
With the Outside World and-De'
tails Of the Calamity are
Very Meagre.
Great Floods at Other Points Clear.
Held Under Watcr"IIallrOad Bridges
Swept Away-T'he Damage Can'
mol bC Estimated ut Present.

PIrrspuRGH, Pa, May 3l.-The aoot
at Johnstown has resulted in IN awiu
catastrophe. II iSSaid that the reservoir
above tho town broke about 8 O'Clock
this evening aud tho immense volume
OF water rushed down to tho city carry.
ing with it death and destruction.
Houses with their occupants were swept
away and scores, probably hundreds OF
people were drowned. There Is no con-
neclion with Johnstown, but a telegraph
operator in the Pennsylvania rail
road tower at Sang Hollow, twelve
miles this side Of Johnstown, says at
least seycnty.Gve bodies have iloated
past. The wires arc all down and no
trains are running east OF Blairsville,
which is about twenty-five miles west oi
Johnstown There Is no way to get to
the scene OF the disaster and fullparticu-
lars can hardly be obtained tonight,
although every effort is being made to
doso. There will be no trains through
before tomorrow.
A LATER DISPATCH.
Latest reliable information received
from Jollnstown comes from Ponnsyl-
yania railroad men, who aver that over 200
dead bodies have been counted floating
down stream at Johnstown alone, while
along tho line many additional lives
have been lost. 1t is asserted that there
are but two houses in Johnstown entire
ly above tho water line Aspecial train
bearing the Pennsylvania Railroad
officials and n large number Of news
paper men, has left this city for the
scene. Telegraph communication Is en-
tirCly cut OH and until telegraph repair.
men and operators with necessary In
struments reach tho nearest point, but
little reliable information can be OBJ
tanned.
CONFIRMED AT GREESsDuRG.
A dispatch from Greensburg, Pa,
Says n report has Just reached here that
the greater portion Of Johnstown has
been Hooded and hundreds OF lives lost.
Houses are floating about and the peo-
plCwlo are free are panic stricken, and
are fleeing to the mountain. Atapoint
near New Florence Cighty.lve persons
has been seen floating down the river
on dlitt wood. One report comes that
but two roofs Of the houses in Johnstown
can he seen. Tho Coketown and New
Florence bridges have been washed
away and all the buildings along the
Conemaugh between New Florence and
JohnstOwn have been carried away,
The railroad towers have been abandon
edby the operators.
MEAGRE DETAILS.
The Associated Press train, from pres
ent appearances, will not bc able to rur
nearer than six or eight miles Of that
part OF JohnStown where the flood wai
worst, Consequently dispatches fol
some timO will be in the form Of Concen
trated bulletins.
Superintendent Pitcairn promptly tool
charge Of the railroad end OF tho worl
and began tho double duty Of cleaning
tracks, and sending all possible aid L
Those IN danger Ills prompt work and
intelligent comprehension OF tho danger
anu Ills strenuous efforts 10 spread the
alarm no doubt saved many lives. In or
ger TO understand tho nature OF this ca
lAmlty 1t Is necessary TO describe the 70,
sprcIiye locations Of tho reservoir
and JohnItOwn. The reservoir llel
ABOUT over eighteen miles northeast O
1OhhSlown and is tho site OF the oil
reservoir. which was ono OF the feeder
Ol the Pennsylvania canal II ID thu
property Of u number Of wealthy gentle
men IN Pittsburgh, who formed them
selves into the corporation, thC titlo o
N, Mu!Vn Is ihe South Fork Fishing an,
Hunting Club, This sheet Of water wa
Formerly known as ConCmauph lake. !
AZ IRON EVO to 'OO feet above the leve
9i JonhNowh, being In the mountAinI
Nls about three and onu.hali miles Ion
anu IRON a mile TO one and onn.iourt1
miles IN width, nnd In some nlacca
is lUO lcelin depth. lthOldsm6ro waite
tn4h any other reservoir, natural or art
nclal III the United States, The lax
h@ been quadrupled In size by aFtiHCiI
means, aud was held In check by a (lRi
from I0Oto ! 900 feet wide, Ills 20 70,
IN li6 6Shlcknrss at the base, Tho height
aiV @ igel and the top las . breadth [
MiOltTY POWER,
Recognizing the menace Of the lake
The region below, the South Fork Olu
had the dam inspected once a month
lhC pennsylvania railroad engineer
mH Their, investigation Hhowed III
nulhlhg lcEs than some ConyulBlon
nature would tear tho barrier away al
iogseh tho water Of death,
lho very steady rains Of I
iNt loiiy'eighl hours increased I
volume ol water In ali the ANAL mot
Ml Streams which were already swell
py lhe lesser rains. Early III Che WeI
from iho best Information obtAihable
hls Time, II Ia evident that Botnethi
IN 'he nature Of q cloud burst must III