The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-06-03

NSihR WIG WWA " AhWSutSp - w
own way. General Hastings headquar
ters are at the Pennsylvania RAILROAD
depot, A supply depot is established a
this point, and many needy people arr
being relieved, Bodies that are dug out
Of the flat lie In the station until q
coffin can be obtained. They are
buried unidentified on Prospect bill,
James Mcmillan, Vice President Of the
Cambria Iron Works was met this alter
noon, He Is completely unneryed by
the terrible disaster. In conversation
he said: ~ do not know what our loss
Is. lean not even estimate, as have
not the iaintest idea what II may be.
The upper mill Is a total wreck, dam
aged beyond all repairs, The lower
mill Is damaged To such an extent
that all machinery and buildings are
useless. The mills will be rebuilt i'm
mediately. l have sent out orders that
all men that can muster report at the
mill tomorrow to commence cleaning
up. l do not think that the building Is
insured against a flood. The greatest
thing l want Is to get that mill in opera
ton again."
The Gautier wire works, which was
completely destroyed, will be rebuiltim-
mediately. The works are owned and
operated by the Cambria Iron company.
The buildings will be rebuilt and put In
operation as soon as possible.
COMPLETE LOSS.
The loss AZ this point Is complete. The
land on which 1t stood Is to-day as bar.
rem OF and desolate as II stood in tho
midst OF the Sahara desert. The
Cambria Iron company loses It's
great supply stores at this point.
The damage to the stock alone will
amount to $4,000. The building was
valued at S25O,00 and Is a total loss.
The company office which adjoins the
store is q handsome structure. II was
protected by the first building but never
theless Is almost totally destroyed. The
Dartmouth ClEb, at which employees Of
the works boarded, was carried away in
the flood. II contained many oCcu-
pants at the time, none Of whom were
saved.
O Estimates Of the losses OF the Cambria
Iron Company is given from g, 100000
TO S2,500, 600. But little OF this can be
recovered. A slide, a series OF frightful
losses from side TO side, run and you
had crossed the narrow rope bridge
which spanned the chaam dug by the
waters between the stone bridge and
Johnstown. Crossing the bridge was
an exciting task, yet many women. &C.
complished ii rather than remain In
Johnstown. The bridge pitched like a
ship In storm.
A SCENE OF MISERY.
Within two inches Of your feet rushed
the muddy waters Of the Conemaugh.
There were no ropes to easily guide and
creeping was more convenient than walk.
ing. One had to cross the Conemaugh
at a second point in order to get across to
Johnstown proper. This was accom-
plished by a skif' ferry. The ierrymau
clung to a rope and pulled the load over.
After landing one walks across desc.
late sea OF mud, IN which there is
inferred the remains oil many human
bodies. 1t was once the handsomest
norton OF the town. The cellars are
iilled up with mud so that a person who
has never seen the city can hardly i'm.
agine that houses ever stood where they
did. -Four streets solidly built up with
houses have been swept away, Nothing
but a small two.story frame house
remains. 1t was near the edge
OF the wave and thus escaped,
One side was taken up, and II
hangs to one side making a picture Of
misery. The walk up 10 wrecks Of
houses was interrupted in many places
by small branch streams. Occasionally
across the flats could be seen the re.
mains Of victim. Tho stencil arising
from the mud 10 sickening 10 an ex-
treme degree. Along the route was
strewn tin utensils, pieces Of ma
Chinery, iron pipes, the wares Of
every conceivable kind Of a store. In
the midst Of the wreck n clothing store
dummy with o band in the position Of
beckoning TO 0 person, stsnls erect and
uninjured. Tie artist had succeeded In
outlining q distorted grin, but II now
had a smile OF fendish inockefy. Ills
impossible 10 describe the appearance Of
Main street. Whole houses have been
swept down this one street and become
lodfed. The wreck is piled rs high aa
The second story windows. The reporter
could step from tho wreck into the audi.
torium OF the Opera House, The rulnl
consist OF parts OF houses, trees, logs and
reels from the wire factory. Many houses
have their side walls and roofs torn Up
aad you can walk directly into what had
been a second story bedroom or 60 In by
way OF the top. Further up town a raft
OF logs lodged In the street and did great
damage The best description that can
be given OF the general appearance ol
the wreck Is TO imagine o number ol
children'b blocks placed closely together
and thon draw your hand through them
10 almost every direction. Atthe conf
nencement Of the wreckage, which 10 a,
The opening Of the valley Of the Cone
maugh, one can look up the valley iol
miles and not SOC o house, Eothint
stands but an old woolen mill.
Yn4TA goY SAW.
Charles Luther 10 the nSpe oi Tie DO,
who stood pp an adjacent elevation AMI
saw the whole flood, He said 10 hcart
a grinding noise far up tho valley, ami
looking up he could sec a dark lin
moving slowly toward him, On
cane like tho hand Of gian
clearing OF bis table, High Ia III
tue alr would DO tossed log or bean
| which fell back with 0 crash. Down ID
valley II moyed steadily, and across lh
little mountain city lof top minute
nothing but moving houses were seer
and then The water Datne With 0 roat an
a rush, This lasted Ior two hours, tho
Il began 10 flow steadily,
RonHtNo TitR DBAp.
The pillAglng otth houses In John
town Is something awful 10 cOntemplAI
and describe. II makes one feel almc
ashamed 10 call himself q man and kno
that others who bear The satr
name heVe converted thenaelyes ln
humah ,yulluIeo, pfeylng on Il
dead, Men afc carrying shot Rt,pa o.
/. Eeyolyefs and Voc bellde tho stFAng
who looks Byep spsplClously AZ any af
Gle. Goods Of great yalpo we're bell
b l60ld III inWE tb.dhy f0fA drink oil WhIBk