The Delta independent., 1889-06-04

and that was the JohnstOwn deluge. Crowds
OF eager WATCHERS all day leng besieged the
Newspaper bulletin boards and rendered the
streets impossible. Many Of them had friends
or rslatiyes in the stricken district and
"Names, names!" was their cry, but there
were NO names. The storm which had swept
away the lives Of their loved ones had also
carried away all means of communication
and their vigil was unrewarded.
A railroad conductor, who arrived in the
city this morning, said: "Therc is no telling
how many lives were lost. We got as far a.
Bolivar, and tell you It was terrible sight.
The body Of a boy was picked up by some Of
us there, and there were seven bodies re-
covered altogether. do not think anyone
got into Johnstown, and It is my opinion
that they will not get there very soon. No
one who was not on the ground has any idea
of the damage done. 1t will be at least
week before the extent of this food is known
and think many bodies will meyer be re-
covered"
NO COMMUNICATION WITH JoHNsrowN.
To show the state to which the telegraph is
reduced it 10 sufficient to state that is not
known whether the telegraph operator at
Johns.own is dead or alive. The nearest
point to that city which be reached tonight
is New Florence, and one wire there Is used
almost constantly by orders for cofins, en-
bslming huid and preparing special cars to
carry the recovered dead to their homes.
Along the banks of the now turbulent Allie.
gheny were placed watchers for dead bodies.
and all wreckage was carefully scanned for
the dead. The result Of this was the recovery
of body-that Of woman. Seven other
bodies were seen but could not be reached
owing to the swift moving wreckage by
which they were surrounded.
Nea.ures for relief were promptly taken.
The mayors of both Pittsburg aud Allegheny
issued calls for mass meetings which respond.
ed to by throngs of Pittsburg's wealthiest
men. At p. m. IS 900 was in hand and at
the sum was swelled to $4,000.
TIDINGs OF pIsARTER.
The country yeople are coming in in large
numbers, telling stories of disaster along the
river banks in sequestered places. John Nc
Cartnsy, who lives in Johnstown, reached
here at $3.50 o'clock. He left Johnstown at
4:3O yesterday. He says the scene was inde-
scribabie. The people had been warned carly
in the morning to move to high land but did
not heed the warning, although repeated a
number of times up to o'clock, when the
water poured into Onder street several feet
deep. The houses began rocking to and fro
and finally the force Of the current carried
buildings across the streets into vacant lots
and dashed them against each other, breaking
them into fragments. These buildings werc
freighted with the poor wretches who shortly
before laughed at the cry of danger. McCart.
ney says in some cases he counted fifteen per.
sons clinging to the buildings.
1t is impossible to tell what the loss Of life
will be, but at o'clock the corner of West
moreland county sent = message, saying.
"a hundred bodies are recovered At Min
eveh. Sober-minded people do not hetitats
to say that l 200 is moderate estimate"
"How can anybody tell how many ars
deadi" said railroad engineer this morning
II have been at Sang Hollow since II O'Clock
yesterday, and have seen fully 500 persons
Lost In the food"
PEOPLE ROASTED IN THE FLOOD.
The most awful culmination Of the awful
night was the roasting Of q hundred or NOR
persons in mid-food. The ruins Of houses
outbuildings and other structures sweep
against the new railroad bridge at Johnstowu
and from the overturned stoves; or some such
cause, the upper part Of the wrerkase caugh
FIRE. There were crowds Of men, women ant
children on the wreck. Their screams soou
a M
were literally roasted in the flood. Soon afieI
the fire burned out Others were thrown agains
the mass. There were Hfty people In sigh
when the ruins parted, broke up and swep
under bridges into pitchy darkness.
It Is estimated that fully 5000 people les
| their life.