The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-06-05

and as though alive with a wrath that
knew no mercy. -Four miles below
the dam was the town Of South Fork,
1000 inhabitants. Four.ffths of the
town was swept away. Four miles
farther on was Mineral Point, 500 in.
habitants. Ninety per cent. of it dis
appeared under the seething torrent.
Six miles below this the town of Cone.
maukh h lay, with population Of $500.
But little now remains to tell of the
once busy village. Here the valley
widened and gave the water a chance
to spread and break its force. One
mile farther down Woodvale, with
1000 people, was met and wrecked,
life and property we're swept away in
the embrace of the watery monster
A mile below Woodvale and Johns.
town, with its cluster of neighboring
boroughs was reached So closely had
the waters kept together that the ad-
vance wave of the deluge that swept
down on the doomed city was 80 feet
in height, its front shrcuded in a fine
spray thrown out from the seething
waters that rolled down with noise
like the believing of some hideous
monster, hoarse with rage-not one
but legion.
Conemaugh Lake is 800 feet higher
than Johnstown. The descent of the
avalanche was rapid. At a quarter
past three it entered Johnstown with
its horrid burden of death and destruc.
ton. Houses crumbled before it like
eggshells. Whole blocks melted away
as though made of sand. The water
did not rise. 1t came all at once, sub.
merging, overturuing, twisting, tearing,
crushing, destroying, adding to its own
momentum the weight of rubbish,
timber, lumber, trees, and houses it
drove before it or dragged after.
Rosewood pianos, reed organs, plush
chairs, sofas, marble-topped tables,
brussels carpets, silks, satins, laces,
paintings, whole libraries, the varied
produce of grocery stores, the elabo.
rate assortment of the furnishing
stores, the product of the factory, the
thousand and.on things that collect
in private and in public museums, all
useful, many valuable, some rich in
grand or touching associations, in fact
all those articles of home comfort, or
luxury; all these things that 60 TO FL
up stores; all the paraphernalia OF
business and trade and commerce, and
all they produce; all that gathers in a
city of 10000 people that could re.
main tangible when so engulfed and
yes, and dead bodies-the lifeless
forms Of men, and of women, and
of youth, and of maiden, and of chill.
dren, even of infants-by hundreds,
almost by thousands hoated on and
were hurled about by the enraged
waters as common driftwood.
Johnstown and the villages cluster.
ing around it contained not less than
$4,000 people. When the dam gave
way an alarm was telegraphed the
city. This il seems had been done at
previous times, for the dam had been
considered by some unsafe and false
rumor as TO the dams giving way had
been sent to the city at the occurrence
of food in the Conemaugh, so often
that it seemed like an idle story. And
50 but little attention was paid to the
signal, and even those who made an
effort to get away did not have time.
Men started from the shops to get
their families. This one or that one
was away and must be hunted up.
And when the rumor of the approach
ing evil grew into certainty all was
confusion and perplexity and thus
they were caught and their doom seal
ed. For no one caught in the grasp
of the water furies had hope of escape
Death reigued supreme on that fright,
full tidal wave.
The waters with their awful freight
swept on through that part of the city
first met and lying west of Conemaugh
creek, and into the Conemaugh Rivei
where they encountered the Stone
bridge of the Pa. r. r. The bridge
is n sfFnnu ona-unfor rtnnatalu co