Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-10
HORRORS OF THE FLOOD.
Graphic Account of scenes at Johnstown
by an Eyewitness.

Mr.. II. T. McGrath, Of Charlotte, Mich. one
OF the survivors Of the catastrophe at Johns
town, arrived here last week. In converse.
ton with a STAB reporter he told the following
story:
Il was q passenger on the first section Of the
day express which left Pittsburg at o'clock in
the morning bound for Washington. We
reached Johnstown a. 1890 Friday morning
and were detained two hours on account Of a
landslide which was reported to have taken
place IS miles east of us. The train left Johns
town at noon and ran up to Conemaugh, 2 miles
east. where we were sandwiched between a
vestibule train on the right and freight train
on the left. The passengers were interested in
watching the people in boats carrying their
wives and children to the high ground. In
many of the houses the second stories were
crowded with women and children who thought
that they were safe.
THREE BOYS SWEPT AWAY WITH BRIDGE
While we were thus side-tracked we saw an
iron bridge with three little boys break away
and disappear in the angry waters. This was
the first severe shock that we had had watch
ing the Hood, and were very near the bridge
when 1t gave wav, and the shrieks of those
boys, as they disappeared, is still ringing in my
ears. The passengers had no idea of the dan
ger they were In until We received a report
that the railroad company feared that the dam
OF large artificial lake above us would break
1t was nearly o'clock in the afternoon and
was looking out Of the window when heard a
loud roar. and looking up saw what appeared
to me to be huge hill rolling over and over
the mountains down toward US. Simultane-
ousiy heard cry through the train Of
run FOR YOUR LIVES"
and In q minute more was standing at the
foot Of mountain The scene that met my
II AL 80 L
where / had climbed ia indescribable and the
terrors of that day will be ever before me- As
i crossed a ditch at the base of the mountain
saw an old lady, about ffty-fve years of age
with her daughter, unable to gain the mountain
pIteously calling on US to save them. / re-
membered them as being passengers in the
same car with myself. but could do nothing for
them. One old crippled man, who must have
weighed over 200 pounds. was seized by q Young
man and carried as far he could until from
sheer exhaustion he was dropped. He never
gained the hillside and was drowned. The roar
of the torrent was awful, but above it all could
be heard
THE PIrEoCs CRIES OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN
As l looked back could see nothing of the
trains, but farther back noticed the vestibule
train. The engineer of the train had put on
full head Of steam and blowing his whistle ran
TO meet the mountain of water which came
pouring down upon him. All of the doors and
windows OF this train were closed The engine
met the water, and although 1t had on a full
head Of steam. could not withstand its terrible
force. and was driven back some 600 feet
Meanwhile the huge wave had passed over
them and they escaped. / remained in the
mountain until o'clock that afternoon when
the little party of US who had been saved were
taken 10 Altoona in an open wagon Iteu Won
no pen can ever describe and no artist can ever
picture the
SCENES OF DFSOI ALTON ASD lcOSy
that metm my eyes on that eventful day. Thieves
Iere busy at work pilfering the dead. These
thieves were mostly Hungarians of the most
brutal and depraved sort One man, appar-
entity about fOrty-twO years of age, was caught
with nineteen human fingers i'll his pockets
each one bearing ring. together with a mum
Der Of human ears containing earrings. This
man 4 afterwards learned was strung up by
each leg and completely torn to pieces and
thrown into the river by the angry crowd.
HUNGARIAN GHoUIs.
One incident of the ravages of these men was
that of the assault upon Miss Cora WAYNE. a
young lady who had been in Johnstown to at
tend wedding. She was found still living
floating on shutter. twenty three hours after
the water broke over the mountains. eight miles
below JOhnstOwn. Her brother hearing of her
whereabouts immediately set out to find her,
a4d was returning carrying her upon his back
"A'H 1T INT q gang Ol lucse ucpera0OeS who
were being chased out of ohnstown. In broken
English they demanded money. The party had
none. Seeing valuable bracelets on MissWayne's
wrists they Immediately seized them and tore
them from her arms lacerating the flesh in a
terrible manner. This is but one Of the many
acts of cruelty practiced by these foreigners.
heard Of many
ACTS OF BRAVERY,
particularly that of David Moser, a brakeman
on the Pennsylvania railroad. He grabbed two
little children from the raging waters, when
his own lite was in danger, and took them to a
place of safety. 1t is all over now and | have
teen saved. but can hardly realize the danger
through which passed"
Mr.. McGrath seemed greatly affected while
relating the above story, and looked haggard
and worn from the exposure and terrible ex-
perIence through which he had passed. He is
STAYING with his brother at 1913 f street north
east, and will remain him with for some time