Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-02
DEADLY WATERS.
APPALLING DISASTER TO THE
CITY OF QUEENSTOWN.
Eight Thousand Lives Lost in the
Flood-SeveraIH Hundred Perish
in the Flames.


lsPEc1AL DISPATCHES TO THE BsooRD-uNIosl
PITTsBURG, June 1st-In this city to-day
there was but one topic Of conversation,
and that was the Jamestown deluge.
Crowds Of eager watchers all day long be-
sieged the newspaper bElletin- boards, and
rendered the streets impossible. Many of
them had friends or relatives in the stricken
district, and Names, names !" was their
cry. But there were no names. The
storm which had perhaps swept away the
lives of their loved ones had also carried
away all means of communication, and
their vigil was unrewGrded.
To show the state to which the telegraph
is reduced il is sufficient to state that it is
not known whether the operator at Johns
town is dead or alive.
ORDERS FOR CoFfINs.
The nearest point to that city which can
be reached tonight is New Florence, and
one wire there is used almost constantly by
orders for collins, embalming fluid, and
preparing special cars to carry the recov-
cred dead to their homes. Along the banks
of the now turbulent Allegheny were
placed watchers for dead bodies, and all
wreckage was carefully scanned for dead
The result of this vigilance was the re-
covery of one body, that of a woman
Seven other bodies have been seen, but
could not be reached owing to the swift
moving wreckage by which they were sur
rounded. Measures for relief were promptly
taken. The Mayors of both Pittsburg and
Allegheny issued calls for mass meetings.
which were responded to by throngs of
PittsbUr2's wealthiest men, and at P. N.
$4,000 was in the committees hands, and
a X Tho IN W. Syx-allaH m SIM lOn
New FLORENCE, June 1st-Sang Hollow
is the nearest point to Johnstown that can
be reached this morning. 1t is impossible
TO secure any definite information, but
there seems to be no doubt that Johnstown
is inundated, and that fully 900 lives were
lost there.
The water is now receding here as rap
idly as it rose last night. AS the banks un-
cover the dead are showing up. Already
nine dead bodies, among them five women,
have been picked up within the limits of
this borough since daylight. None as yet
have been recognized.
MOTHER AND INFANT.
One beautiful woman about % years
old, had clasped in her arms babe six
months old.
The dead body of young man was dis
covered in the branches of huge tree
which had been carried down stream.
All the orchard crops and shrubbery
along the banks of the river are destroyed.
The body of another woman has Just
been discovered in the river here. Her foot
was found above the surface of the water
A rope was fastened about it, and is now
tied to tree waiting assistance to land the
body.
RESCUED FROM THE ROOF.
7 ITalhor o,,l ,,-;F, olJ oo,,lo
were rescued near here this morning by
Mike Metzger and John Forney. They
had been carried from their home in Cam
bria City on the roof of their house.
Seven others were on the roof of the
house when it was carried off, but they were
all drowned. They are unknown to Web
Der, they having drifted on to the roof from
floating debris. Weber and wife were
thoroughly drenched, and almost helpless
from exposure. They were unable to walk
when taken from the roof.
There does not seem to be any mitigation
of the awful fears of last night.
HARD. WORKED REPORTERS.
Weary and overworked newspaper men,
who have been without rest and food since
yesterday afternoon, and telegraphers who
handled the messages, even now are pre-
pairing for the work of another day.
Even here, so far from the washed-out
towns, We have horror in our midst.
Seven bodies have been found on the
shore near this town, men and women,
where the tide carried them.
Country people are coming in in large
numbers, telling stories of disaster along
the river banks.
sTREwN WITH DEAD.
New FLORENCE (Pa), June 1st-John
TO, II
reached here at 4 o'clock. He left Johns
was INDISPENSABLE.
The people had been warned early in the
morning to move to the highlands, but did
not heed the warning, although repeated
number of times up 10 O'Clock, when the
water poured into Cinder street several feet
deep.
Then the houses began rocking to and
fro, and finally the force of the current car
ried buildings across the streets into vacant
lots, and dashed them against each other,
breaking them into fragments.
THEY LAUGHED AT DANGER.
These buildings were freighted with poor
wretches who so shortly before laughed at
the cry of danger.
Mccartney saws in some cases he counted
fifteen persons clingiDg to buildings.
1t was impossible to get to Johnstown
proper to-day in any manner except by
row boat, and the only hope is to get within
about three miles of Johnstown BY special
train or by handcar This will he done by
an Associated Press agent within the next
hour.
HoRRIFYING DISCOVERIES.
The banks on both sides of the river are
crowded with anxious watchers, and with
horrifying frequency their vigils are re-
warded by the discovery of dead body.
Within the last half hour three floating
bodies have been recovered at this point
Hundreds of people from Johnstown and
upriyer towns are hurrying here in search
of friends and relatives who were swept
away in last nights food.
Intense excitement prevails. The street
corners are crowded with pale and anxious
people, who tell of the awful calamity with
stilled breath.
PREPARATIONS FOR BURIAL.
Bodies are being prepared for burial, but
will be held for identification.
Four boys have Just come from the river
bank above here. They say that on the
opposite side number of bodies can be seen
lying in the mud. They found the body
OF woman on this side.
L. 3. Rogers. a Justice of the Peace at
NlUtNaD, WlTtu lue NOIOUeI dl
that 100 dead bodies were found al that
place. From this one can estimate that
the loss ofliie will reach over l,000-perhaps
more
No one knows, no one can guess the sick
ening sight that is expected to be met by
the correspondents when they arrive at
the scene.
A report has Just been received that
twenty persons are on an island near Nine
yah. and man and woman are on a
partly submerged tree.
DEATH IN THE FLAMES.
NEW FLORENCE pa, June lst-Report
has just reached here that at least 100 PEG
pie were consumed in the flames at Johns
town last night. II is said TO have been an
awful horror, but definite information can
not be obtained here. The air is filled with
thrilling and almost incredible stories, but
none of them as yet have been confirmed.
The fire was the elimination of the horror
The roasted will fully reach 100, and they
died in the midst OF the food.
The first authentic news comes from w.
n. Hays of the Pennsylvania Company.
who reached New Florence at O'Clock.
Ruins of houses, outbuildings and other
structures were swept against the railroad
bridge at Jamestown, and from an over
turned stove or some such cause the upper
part of the wreckage caught fire.
HORRORS OF FIRE AND FLOOD.
There were crowds of men, women and
- /. flos-