Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-03
A RELIEF TRAIN.
Contributions OF Supplies Received from
Towns all Along the Route.

JoHSsrowS, Pa, June S.-The relief train
from Pittsburg over the Baltimore and Ohio
road reached here at O'Clock this morning
after an exciting ride mp the mountain.
All along the road at each town contribu-
tions were made 10 the already well-flled cars
OF provisions. McKeesport added two to the
three laden from Pittsburg; two more were
added at Braddock; three at West Newton and
so on all the way 10 Johnstovn until. when the
latter was reached. the train had ten loaded
cars.
When Johnston was reached every one was
anxious to get 70 work 10 assist in the work OF
Rescue. party was made up and started for
the lower part Of the town. The path
was covered with trees, rocks. fences
parts of houses and every imaginable
thing. Bureaus, beds, sideboards and
furniture of ell kinds were strewn from
hill 10 hill. The whole valley OF Stony creek
for miles up from Johnstown is filed with de-
bris of all kinds. The line of the Baltimore
and Ohio has been cleared OF debris and il is
piled up on each side as high as the top of the
cars. When the lower part Of the town was
reached the scene presented was beyond de-
scription.
Half has not been told. nor never will be, as
10 the extent OF the awful wreck. From the
Pennsylvania railroad to Main street there is
nothing standing bat the stone church
and the large brick school-house. The
Aanslon house is gone and over
one hundred people were lost there.
From the Baltimore and Ohio depot
between the depot and the point there is
standing only part of the Monrell block and
two small brick offices that were protected by
the Morrell building. The town was at rest
early IN the morning.
EVERY ONE WAS THOROUGHLY EXHAUSTED
with the terrible strain and the work Of the
last two days and nights The town is under
martial law and every one who goes about the
place is challenged and required to give an
account OF himself. The water has sub
sided TO great extent, and the streets
IN the main part Of the town are
free from water. The falling water has laid
bare the terrible work of the food. and the full
extent OF the disaster is only being ascertained
now. The streets are one sickeniug. foul
smelling mass of wood and debris and the
work OF searching for bodies has only fairly
begun.
The latest estimates put the loss Of life at
from 10000 to $4,000. II is impossible to get
any account OF the number lost. Every one Is
50 thoroughly tired out and overcome by the
weight OF the disaster as to be utterly unable
to give any accurate details or figures.
coNDUcToR's STORY
Frank Mcdonald conductor on the Somer-
set branch OF the Baltimore and Ohio was
at the Pennsylvania railroad depot when
tho Hood came. He said when he first
saw the food it was 80 feet high
and gradually rose to at least 40 feet
There Is no doubt that the South Fork dam
broke" said Mr.. Mcdonald Fifteen minutes
before the hood came. The. Decker, the
Pennsylvania railroad agent, read me a tele-
gram he had just received. saying the South
Fork had broken. As soon as he heard
this the people in the station, number
ing CO., made a rush for the hill
/ certainly think saw 1000 bodies 60 over the
bridge. The first house that came down struck
the bridge and at once took fire. and as fast as
the Others came down they were consumed. L
believe am safe il saving 1 saw a thousand
bodies burn. 1t reminded me of lot Of flies
on fly paper struggling TO get away. with no
hope and no chance TO save them. / have no
idea that had the bridge been blown up the
loss Of life would have been any less. They
would have hoated a little further with
the same certain death. Then. again, il was i'm
possible for any one 10 have reached the
bridge in order to blow it up. for the waters
came so fast that no one could have done it.
L saw 10 to Is bodies go over the bridge at the
same time. l offered a man $50 TO row me
across the river, but could get no one TO CO."