Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-11
oouNorLMAN SANDER RETURN $.
He Relates His Experience in the
Conemaugh Valley.

Councilman Sander arrived home from
New York last evening, accompanied by his
son Albert, who has been attending school at
Stuttgast MIR. Sander was received with
open arms by his family, who were greatly
rejoiced at his escape from the Johnstown
disaster. His neighbors and friends as
sembled to welcome him and hear him relate
the details of his experience, and very
pleasant evening was passed.
Mr.. Sander was found to be very com.
municative, and the details observed by HIM
were vividly impressed upon his memory.
The train on which he was travelling, to-
gether with three other trains, was stopped
at Conemaugh, small town few miles up
the river from Johnstown. The trains stood
abreast upon four tracks, and few feet
ahead Of them train had been wrecked and
thrown across the tracks, forming barrier
against which round house, containing
eight engines, was carried by the water and
piled UP to a height of twenty feet This
mass of debris broke the force of the huge
wave caused by the breaking of the dam and
divided the waters, throwing the
greater part off in the direction of
the river. A sufficient quantity
flowed in the direction of tine trains, how
ever. to carry the tram nearest the river
bodily from the track, sweep the last coach
of the next train,: and twist the baggage car
from the center of the third train, leaving
track. Thefourth train wRs surrounded by
water, but was left on the track. When the
water was seen approaching the trains the
engineers turned on the steam and forced
their engines ahead to keep them from being
carried back by the water.
The great body of water did not follow the
channel of the river, but kept to the north
along the valley, tumbling locomotives over
and over like rubber ball.
The passengers were very deliberate in
getting out of the trans, ladies stopping to
put on their overshoes, rubber gossamers,
ETC., as though merely going out for walk.
One lady forgot her gossamer and went back
after it. AS Mr.. Sander tersely said, "She
stayed there" Those of the passengers who
got out safely fled to the hills, whore they
sought shelter in farm houses, barns. sheds,
ETC., remaining there until noon on Saturday
About two hours after. the huge wave
struck the trains Mr.. Sander returned to his
car after his satct1el and found everything
intact. and only the carpet in the car had
been wet. In his opinion the wave was only
about five or six feet high.
About noon, on Saturday, the Pennsylva-
mia railroad company transported all the sur
viving passengers to Ebensburg, in wagons,
and from thence to Altoona by rail At AL
toona they were cared for at the company's
expense at hotels.
Mr.. Sander thinks the fishing club, which
owned the artificial lake, were not entirely
to blame, as they took every precaution to
warn the inhabitants of the impending dan
ger, but the residents of the valley paid no
attention to the warnings, saying they had
heard the same story every year. The dam
was built by the state, but had been made
higher by the club. Before the dam broke
the Concmaugh river was seven feet higher
than was ever known before. The track,
where the trains stood, was only about three
feet above the river.