Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-06-12
A Train in the Flood.

Johnstown was such a hive OF industry
and hsd such great interests clustering about
it ,s,hat evory phase of civilized life is repre-
sent-d in the wreckage of the food. In the
Wild rush of water that followed the break
ing of the dam was a railroad train. Tue
Philadelphia Inquirer, in speaking of the
washing away of the train SAYS:
w. II, Colby, of this city, who WAS one
of the passengers on the second section of
the iIl-fated day express at Johnstosn at the
time Of the disaster, arrived here and briefly
related some interesting incidents. Mr..
I Colby, who is still suffering from the shook
I said
81 was standing on the rear platform
talking to Ro.s Rutbford of Vermont, whe
the brakeman of the train came rushing
through the car shouting The dam has
/ burst - The conductor and brakeman, three
or four other passengers, Mr. Ruthford and
myself got Off the car As quickly IS possible
and started on a run for the top OF the hill.
Before we reached the top, however, the
water was upon US, but fortunately - had
I got beyond danger
SCENE BErosp DEsCRIrrIoN.
when we stopped TO look around We
beheld 4 terrible sight. The cars. the track
and every thing were swept away. In thsiT
stead We saw 8 mad rush OF bubbling, seeth-
ing waters filed with dead bodie. and de-
bris, sweeping everything in its course I
cannot begin 10 explain it. Il cannot be
described. 1t was siinply terrible to look
at. We remained where We were for some
time. We couldn't do anything. We were
helpless, but Just as soon as the water be-
/ gan to sub.ide We determined TO help the
I passengers who remained in the cars. We
reached the eastern end OF the bridge,
against which the tram had lodged, and
found 1t was utterly impossible TO get to
she csr,.
"The train was not forced backward, il
vas swept of the track and carried diagon =
ally out TO the third pier Of the brid &c " here
it loiged on top of the accumulated debris
VS. tried to save the live, of soms OF those
who we're struggling in the waters.
| a PATHETIC STORY
eskmong the party standing where W,
wers was a man fully sir feet .hrse inchei
in h=ight- He was covered with mud snC
was somewhat bruised, he having previous
ly escaped The fury OF the waters, and ha,
managed TO reach shore We ali saw .
dossing roof moving town the current, oi
which were a worea and two children
THIS man l speak oS, with one look towz,s
it, said: My God, soys, it's my wife .sC
ckaldren - and in less time than il takes t
ten it he WAS lighting his way through tn
soaiing debris as succeeded in reachin
, the roof, which vas fortunately being car
ried inland, aat With one child in his arm
he struck out sor shore, which be rssche
, IN safety. Hs repeated the performanc
a and got on ,hs other child. BY this tim
he vss nearly exhausted and only hi, pow
q erful frame sustained him, and the roc
!. meanwhile WAS slowly going on. The ma
; ran dOwn the bank about thirty feet shea
1 of the roof, when he plunged IN and alter
e great deal of trouble managed to got on th
/ roof with his wife, who was almost helplei
u with fear and fright He induced his vii
s to leave the roof and with her in bis sru