West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-06-13
dire DEVASTATION.
A VALLEY OF DESTRUCTION.
THE SOUTH FORK LAKE.
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DAM
Tho Waste Gates Were BIZ ckcd TO
Save the sportsmen's Fish.


Save the sportsmen's Fish.
The first accounts Of the flood in tho
Conemaugh seemed like the widest ex>
aggeration to those accustomed to hear
ing tales of disaster, but when sober aud
intelligent eye,witn sses described the
scenes at the time the mad waters dash.
ed upon the helpless villages and
cities in the ill,fated valley, and
from the facts now ob.ainable as
to the extent of the destruction
TO property aud the awful fatality of the
watery avalanche, they are found to be
far below the truth.
1t is now certain that the South Fork
dam gave way about o'clock Friday
afternoon from the erosion of the waters
which overnowed it, aud that the con-
tents OF that lake which covered an aera
OF three square miles with an average
depth OF 30 to 40 feet, rushed down the
valley OF the South Fork and the Cone
maugh which were alrea W above
high water mark. The fall
of these streams both being very great,
the swiftness of the flood exceeded the
speed OF the fastest express trains. A
solid mass of water, diiltwood, rocks,
trees and everything that lay in its path,
to the height of forty or ftty feet dashed
down the narrow valley sweeping houses,
railroad cars and locomotives down to
the dam formed by the stone bridge of
the p. r. II. 1T the lower end OF the city
OF Johnstown.
Warning that the dam was likely TO
break at any moment was sent out. an 4
all the re.idenls Ia the valley might have
escaped, but many did not hear the
alarm and many who did made no effort
to escape. That any of the thousands
who had not fel before the deluee
struck the city should have escaped was
miraculous.
The work OF removing the debris and
caring for the dead, whose bodies are TO
be found everywhere along the banks or
this modern Styx, goes on every day.
Thousands of men are at work, but it
will be many days before their task is
completed.
The Investigations of New York Sun re-.
pcr.er show clearly that the major part of
whatever Responsibilities may b,loio To
human agencies for the calamity that HIS
desolatel the Conemaugh Valley must be
PLACID upon the South Fork Fishing and
Hutting Club, the ass claiion OF wealthy
Pittsburg gentlemen that has for four or five
years past been ondeavoring to es.ab ish a
sportsmen's paradise at Conemlugh Lake.
When they LEASED the lake they closed the
waste gates through VIII ca all the water that
had ever before Accumulated in Conemau m
Lake had found safe aud spe dy exis.
When tho Pennsylvania Canal was abau-
coled the dam became u,eless aud was ne>
gec;ed. The tower in which tho machinery
for managi 'g the waste gates was located Il
said to have fallen into ruins few years
ago the lake was leos by the Pittsburgh
kportsmen's Association. Engineer Fuller.
OF the Cambii, Iron Co npany, made an inS
tp ction OF 10 and pronounc,i its condition
dangerous The Associ ition set out, ttey dc.
clared TO improve an strength, n 4. They
did cut of two feet from tiet p Of the dam
nnd IN y have strengthened IL i s,me re-
spects, but either because the was.c-gates
re so damaged that TO repair them would
have been an expensive JOB, or the other rea-
son mentioned-!he fear that the fish woul 1
escaps-the wa5te-gi ties, 50 ever one who
lives near says, were permanently stopped
W.
The present. appearance Of the wreck Of the
dan Indicates the trushfulness If the story.
There are remnents OF the wasts.qate ma
sonary, but there is no indication thit they
have been OF any pr4ciical use for
lo.g time. Whatever may have 10 n tho in
direct cause q tie giving away Of the heap
q irt that damned the upper Conomauzh.
the fearful power Of the mss OF water wLic
wss The erect use its Yielding Is evi lent
ell about the place nov. All the water in
That area Of three miles iolr by a mile and
a gu or wide, pas el out through IN gap
IN the dam a I'd pours 10 sol upon the valley
blow IN torrent 75 felt do8p AMI 200 feet
wide. Ru hing through with a velocity
almon icon ,eivabls for 50 va mass. it
took IN hour toex aust th5 r,ssrvoir nnI
the iremef deus pressure behind that urged
ths IDOL on TO th' ms disastrous work.
sfoNs OF THE TORRENTS POWER
Something OF the awful forss o. the cur.
rent can bss On in the la1d bsfore the dam
Form rly it was douseiy wooded little val.
ley early straight away for baif m ls.
where 10 turned 50 abruptly 70 the right rs
i. p make a'mass right angle The creek
yea milg down through thu sluco Wy, and
p exTn The moantiia side wtld rsd a
"A c1urss through the bottom OF the
Jam just before the turl it swept out a
'ssHji way toward the left, and nade on The
right bank long point OF "a d. This point
was partioultriy holvily woodsd On the
opposite balk wis a high bluT covsrs with
forest down 10 the waters lge. For thre,
fourths of The disian from tts dam 10 the
cnrve 20 formerly wooioi nts are now
cogerel With gravel, coarss solsa1l big
rscks % feet dep 40 tio upper end, aud not
les tian 10 at any point. Tho creek runs
through the i0.foJt p. VIII re the wlste
gdes uso ttte. and throug a desp gully in