Evening journal., 1889-06-08
A SURVIVORS STORY.
Conrad r. LancaSter's Thrilling Expert
ence In the Johnstown Flood

ence in the Johnstown Flood
Conrad +. Lancaster of Johnstown,
Pa, arrived at his old home at New Gas
tie on Thursday night, accompanied by
his wife To an EVENING JOURNAL re.
porter he told the following graphic and
thrilling story of his experience in the
great Johnstown flood
The water began to rise early in the
morning Of Friday and continued until
within an hour of the breaking Of the
dam. In the hour mentioned il had re-
ceded one half an inch. The report that
has gained circulation about the courier
on horseback riding through the streets
is all fallacy, for II such a person had
left the South Fork dam early in the
morning as has been reported, ii would
have taken three hours of hard riding TO
nave reached Johnstown; and as all
bridges along the Conemaugh river were
swept away before 0 o'clock In the morn
ing, and the streets covered with water
from 5 to feet in depth, ID
would have been an impossbility
for him to have traversed the streets.
will vouch as a fact, that moi one per
son in every thousand knew Of the break
Ing Of the dam until the mighty rush Of
waters came upon them.
My residence was on the corner Of
Napoleon and Haynes streets, in the part
OF Johnstown known az Kernville. My
friends and were standing on the porch
Of the house at about o'clock. We
heard great rumbling noise and il
seemed as If the whole earth trembled
Then some one across the street cried
fire | ascended TO the roof Of the house
and looking up through the Conemaugh
valley, saw a great cloud Of smoke and
heard the crashing OF timbers. Turning
to my father in law said to
him The natural gas must haze
exploded he answered that it was not
that AS the smoke lifted, we saw the
| great building of the Gautier Steel
Works torn asnnder and as the great
seething mass Of water descended upon
us, the crashing of timbers was some
thing never to be forgotten. We lived
about I NO miles from the works, and as
we.stood for about two seconds watching
the destruction, no mind can picture, nor
tongue express the scenes we witnessed
in those seconds. Thousands of homes
crushed to pieces and the people clinging
to the wreck or fighting for life in the
rolling mass of water and debris.
I'VE descended at once to the lower floor
of our home, collected our families and
some neighbors who were with us and
started for the roof But before we
reached the second floor the water covered
it, and the buildings on the opposite side
Of the street came crashing against us
and split the house into pieces. My wife
father, mother and sister were in the
front part and it was carried of of its
foundations first and went away among
| > H., r. L..sI 4 ~
l was in contained ten persons. Another
building came against us and we started
down the current at terrific speed. The
gable end of the house arose straight in
the air. In breaking out a small win
dow in the attic, | got out and
/ took my friends on the roof How got
them there in such a short space of time
/ am unable to say. From there we pro
ceeded over number Of roofs and debris
of all descriptions until we came to
! brick house, occupied by family named
Bryan. We entered the attic and stayed
) there all of Friday night and until Sat
, urday morning at 10 o'clock, when W.
constructed a raft from floating timbe
fastened together with electric ligh
wires On this we started for the noun
r tain side, and landed our party about /
E o'clock. Until o'clock in the Afternoon
e we landed over 200 people, many OF whor
. | were badly hurt.
l. After reaching shore I went to th
stone bridge. The sight there was ind'
seribable. Boilers, iron girders, locomt
tives cars, portions Of buildings, TIMBER
4 and human beings we're jammed an
forced into one solid mass. The fiji
which had been started seemed as If try
: ing to complete the destruction of tn
: lives of those who had escaped the watei
. The heartrending cries of distress an
calls for help | shall never forget
+ Parents were on the hillside lamentin
= for their children and children for thei
: parents. 1t seemed as If the demon q
. destruction would never end its work.
CAS- proceeded up the mountain sid
gaEed back on what was the beautiful
city of Johnstown. / could not realiz
! that in such a short space of time il ha
! been almost entirely swept from the fac
9 of the earth. The scenes on the hillside
: after the food brought tears to the eye
of the strongest hearted. Women wer
in mems clothing and all looked as il the
came from watery grave. Their gar
s ments were covered with yellow ella
n washed from the mountain sides. Nun
y bers stood in the rain without home q
S friends Persons cannot fully understan
I the magnitude Of it all only those VIII
S went throught it.
= All of Mr.. Lancasters wife's famil
I were saved, but they lost all they Ina
e in the world
q Johnstovn Contributions