New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-08
THE ESCAPE OF A DRAMATIC COMPANY.
MRS. z. A. EBERLE's STORY OF THE FLOOD,
BRAVE CONDUCT oF 4 CONDUCTOR.

MRS. Z. A. EBBRLE'S STORY OF THE FLOOD
BRAVE CONDUCT OF A CONDUCTOR.
The first passengers that have come from Altoona
by the Pennsylvania Railroad since the foods Of a
week ago reached this city carly yesterday morning
Among them were hve members Of the Might on
Company, which played in Johnstown on Thursday
night, about whom considerable anxiety felt for
some time, TIL r. A. Eberlo received kilograms nom
his wife, the contents of which he al gave To
the press. Mrs, Eberlo was among the Ave who
rived yesterday. When in tho afternoon she
had been able 70 gain rest but sl evidently
in highly nervous condition. No words can tell
the horrors Of the Witnessed she said in
answer 10 request for account Of her experiences
and nothing that has been published can convoy any
idea of the awful havoc wrought in those few but
apparently ncver-ending minutes in which the worst
| OF the nood passed us.
"our company left Johnstown Friday morning.
| We only got two miles away as far as Conemaugh,
| when VIC were stopped by landslide a little way
ahead. About noon went TO dinner, and after
came back some Of our company noticed that the
| food had extended and washing away the en-.
bankment on which train stood. They called the
engineers attention 20 the fact and no took the train
few hundred feet further. II was fortunate he did
So for little while after the embankment cayed I'm.
| "Thcn we could not move forward or backward, a.
| ahead was the landslide and behind there nc
| track Even then not frightened aud It wa
| not all about O'Clock, whom We saw q heavy Iron
bridge go down as II II were made OF paper, that VIC
began 10 be seriously alarmed. Just before the dan
b1oLe q gravel train camo tearing down, with the
engine giving out the most awful shrek ever heard
| Every one recognized that this vsS n note OF warn
fnr We fed as hard could run down the en-
| bankment across a ditch ard fnr dlstRnes equal u
about tmo blocks up the hffibide. Once turned Il
look ~ The vast van OF wutsr but wRs hurried on b.
| ny friends. whon had gone about tho distance o
| another block the head Of the food had passed fa
away. and with II went houses, cars, locomotives
evcrythlp that few minutes before had mado up
busy scene The wall OF water looked to be fit
feet high. II Of doop yellow color, but the eros
was white with foam. . ,,,,,,,
Three OF us reached the honse OF Mrs william
Wright who took us IN and treated us most kindly
did not take any account Of time, but imagine
was about an hour before the water ceased TO RUS
nast the house. The conductor Of our train, Charlie
A, Wartham, behaved with the greatest bravery. III
took crippled passenger on his back IN the rush u
the hill < floating house struck the cripple. carrie
Tim away and tore some OF the clothes on "arlhani
back and he managed 10 struggle on and save him
self Our ride TO Ebcnsburg, sixteen miles IN rm
| Der wagon without springs, was trying, but no on
Thought OF complaining. Later In tho day NO wsf
sent 10 Crosson and thence 10 Altoona, whefo "o ia
| all yesterday afternoon about o'clock