The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-06-08
)NROE LOUISIANA, SATURDAY, JUNE s, 1885,

flood the spectators were startled b.
the sound of two locomotive whistle
from the very midst OF the waters.
Two engineers with characteristi
courage had remained at their post
and while there was destruction on ev
cry hand and apparently no escap'
for them they sounded their whistles
This they repeated at intervals, tht
last time with triumphant vigor ~ tn.
waters receded from the stdes of theil
locomotives. BY $3.50 the force of the
reservoirs waters had been spent on
the village of Conem augh, and the
Pullman cars aud locomotives of the
second section. remained unmoved.
This was because OF being on the high
est and hardest ground. The destruc~
tive current Of the reservoir dood had
passed between that aud the mountain,
while the current Of tho river did not
eat it away. But the other trains had
been destroyed. A solitary locomotive
was seen imbedded In the mud where
the roundhouse had stood.
As the greatest danger had passed,
tho people Of Conemaugh gave their
thoughts to their ueighbors OF the city
Johnstown. Here were centered the
great steel aud iron industries, the
pride of Western Pennsylvania, the
Cambria Ironworks being known sv>
erywhere. Here were churches, daily
newspapers, banks, dry goods houses,
warehouses and comfortable and we'll
built homes of 1900 people. What
was their fate? In the contemplation
of the irresistible force OF the awful
flood, gathering additional momentum
as il swept on toward the Gulf, It. be-
came clear that the city must be de-
stroyed, and that unless the inhabI-
tants were telegraphed notice of the
breaking of the reservoir they must
perish.
A cry Of horror went up from the
hundreds on the mountain side, and a
few instinctively turned their steps to-
ward Johnstown. The city was de ]
s'royed, all the mills, furnaces, manu-
factories, the banks, the residences
all, all were swallowed up before the
shadows OF night settled upon the
earth. What Of the Inhabitants? Who
can tell with any certainty: Those
" no came back by daybreak said that
from 5000 to 5000 had been drowned.
Our hope is that this is exaggerated
audwhen the roll Is called more will
respond.
In the light of this calamity the de.
struction of Conemaugh sinks into
In this latter place they were bring.
ing In the dead on stretchers. How
many had been lost here, at Mineral
Point and at South Fork could not be
told aud may never be known. There
were some passengers and possibly
forty or fifty inhabitants. The loss OF
property is enormous. The track of
tho railroad company il certainly de-
stroyed for at least ten miles below
South Fork.
The destruction OF Johnstown's in
will alone reach into the mill
lions. Then to this great sum add the
value OF the houses and public build
ings in that city, OF the villages above
and below it, and some idea can be
formed OF the wealth obliterated by
the flood created by the breaking OF
the reservoir. And'this reservoir was
for
PLEASURE OF A PIpT5BURG CLUB.
Upon the mountain was suspended q |
mile wide and seventy feat deep, for
tho recreation OF a few pleasure seek
ers. What would happen II there !
should be break must have been i'm !
perfectly apprehended since 1t is said |
that a bond of only 90, 900, 900 had been
exacted from the club.
What are these millions 10 the gross
sum for the destruction OF property ?
Can they restore the dead to life or as
suage the grief of the bereaved? The |
question OF moral responsibility swal-
lows up the financial as completely As
the augry waters did the city of Johns
town.
Many exaggerated stories are current
and these grow as often as they are
repeated. 1t will be many days before
the real facts can be approximated.
w. HENRY SMITH.
James Gordon Bennett, while at Mo-
naco just before his late departure for
Egypt, had a quarrel with the princeiy
ruler Of that famous gambling resort
and the princeiing gave orders that tn e