Bismarck weekly tribune., 1889-06-07

formation obtained at this time, it is evil
dent something in the nature of cloud
burst must have been the elimination of
the struggle of water against the embank-
ment.
ANOTHER REPORT.
GREENsBURG, May 3l.-JOhnstown is
completely submerged and the loss of life
is inestimable. Houses are going down the
river by the dozens, and people can be seen
clinging to the roofs. At Cokeville, viii
lage OF several hundred inhabitants, the
houses are almost entirely covered, and q
great many dwellings at Blarsville are
submerged. Scarcely a dwelling in the
vicinity of Saug Hollow can be seen. The
bridges at Bolivar and Ninevah, it is re-
ported, have given way, and that at Sotts-
burg, it is feared, will he carried away also.
People here who have friends in the flood
ed district are eagerly waiting for news at
the telegraph Office. Great uneasiness
prevails. The river at Livermore is rising
and great destruction will follow.
ON THE SPECIAL TRAIN.
BRADDocK, Pa, May 3l.-En route to
the scene of disaster:-Telegraph wires
are down absolutely for six or seven miles
below the immediate scene OF disaster and
being in unworkable shape for three or
four miles distant. 1t was at least half
past seven o'clock before an accurate out
line of the effect of the tidal wave could be
learned. The chief officials of the Pitts
burg end of the main line of the Pennsyl-
yanla railroad received most of their first
information from the signal tower at Saug
Hollow, SIX miles west OF Johnstown. At
quarter of O'clock boy was rescued by
the men in the signal tower of the railroad
company. His name is unknown, but he
said that with his father, mother, brother
and two sisters. he was swept over the
breast of the new railroad bridge at Johns
town. That it capsized a few moments
later and they were all drownec. so far as
he could tell. The railroad operator Off
cially reports that before dark they were
able to count I19 persons clinging to
buildings and wreckage or drowned ard
floating in the current. If this informa-
tion is to be credited the damage in the
town proper must be in the nature of
clean sweep. AS early as o'clock an
alarm was sent to Johnstown that there
was danger from the dam. The railroad
officials were notified and in very short
time began to carry people from the town
to places of safety on regular trains and
hasty improvised rescuing trains.
The special train pulled in at Bolivar at
11:3O and the train men were then notified
that further progress was impossible. The
greatest excitement prevailed at this place
and parties of citizens are out all the time
endeavoring to save the poor unfortunates
that are being hurled te eternity in the
rushing torrents. The tidal wave struck
Bolivar just after dark and in five minutes
the Conemaugh rose from six to forty feet
and the water spread out over the whole
country. Soon the houses began floating
down, and clinging to the debris were men,
women and children shrieking for
aid. A large number Of citizens at once
gathered on the county bridge and were
reinforced by number from Garfield,
town on the Opposite side. They brought
number Of ropes, and these were thrown
over into the boiling water as persons
drifted by, in the efforts to save some poor
being. For half an hour all efforts were
fruitless, until at last when the rescuers
were about giving up all hope, little boy
astride shingle roof managed to catch
hold of one of the ropes. He caught it un-
der his left arm, and was thrown violently
against an abutment, but managed to keep
hold, and was pulled on the bridge amid
the cheers of the onlookers.
THE LATEST REPORT.
PITTsBURG, May S1.-A courier to Boli-
var from the scene OF the flood at Johns
town reports fifteen hundred lives lost.
THE FLOOD AT TYRONE,
TYRONE, Pa, May S1.-The Junlatta river
overiowed its banks at this place and
flooded the entire southern portion of the
city, causing great destruction to property
and streets. People living in the flooded
districts had to be moved from their houses
ko, -