Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-06
THE HISTORIC STORM.
Extraordinary Atmospheric Condi-
tions Which Preceded Il.
CONEMAUGH VALLEY DESOLATION.
The North and South Forks the Center Of
an Almost
UNPRECEDENTED WAR OF ELEMENTS
rvnrrrxN roH THE prsrArcH., !,


but few comprehend the extraordinary at
mospheric phenomena which eliminated in
the storm of May 80 and 81; the prodigious
rainfall accompanying it; and the wide area
of country devastated by its floods. Accord
ing to the observations of the best informed
meteorological observers, three areas of low
barometer or storm centers, one NOV
ing from the West, another from
the Southwest, and still another
from the Southeast. met in dire
embrace upon the submits of the Alle-
gheny Mountains. simultaneously an area
of high barometric pressure (30.20) extend
ed on the Atlantic Ocean, from the Bermu-
das to newfoundland, and thence westward
to the lakes and the Allegheny Mountains.
The three united storm centers, held in
check ON the east by this wall of high baro-
metric pressure, stood as II n. anchored s1,s
ghenies, and for 36 hours discharged
an amount of rainfall unprecedented in
the history of this region. From the re-
ports, which have slowly come to hand, 1t
is considered by experts as being now quite
clear that the headwaters of the north and
south forks of the Conemaugh were in the
center of this gigantic atmospheric dis
turbance, and that the phenomenal down.
pour of rain extended along the Alleghenies
for distance of 100 miles in either direc-
tion from this point.
If anyone will examine q good map he
will notice that, although the greater part
of the watershed of the 40 square miles,
contiguous to these two mountain streams,
drains toward the west into the Conemaugh
Valley, yet, within the same area, will be
found the mountain divide, from which the
waters flow north into the west branch of
the Susquehanna, east into the Juniats, and
south into the Potomac. It is an interest
ing fact, to be noted in this connection, that
all of these streams received foods from tine
storm now under consideration only less
disastrous than the portion which devas-
tated Johnstown and the Conemaugh VAL
ley.
ENTIRELY UNPRECEDENTED.
Dr.. c. B. Dudley, a reliable observer at
Altoona, on the eastern slope, reports the
rainfall at his station as 5.33 inches. 1t is q
meteorological rule that "the amount of con-
densation increases with altitude up to an
elevation OF about 8, 500 feet" According to
this rule low estimate of the rainfall along
the mountain SUBMITS would make it six
inches, and it may have greatly exceeded
that amount That this is highly probable
is to be inferred from the reported testimony
of farmers resident along Muddy run, and
|
the reservoir.
The civil engineer, Mr.. John G. Parke.
states that, alarmed by the loud reports and
roaring sounds which came from the head
of the lake, be went in a boat to the mouth
OF the South Fork stream and "found the
woods boiling full of water, and the stream
pouring out logs, trees and other drift"
Only eight miles across the country from
this point is Lilly's station, on the P. R.
R., where the first ''washout'' occurred
early on the morning of the 31st, which
orders" all the west-bound pas
senger trains at Altoona; the
east bound 'Limited" at South Fork
station and the two sections of the east
bound day express on the fatal sidipgs at
Conemaugh. At Lilly's, the swollen waters
of the North Fork, unable to find their
usual vent across the railroad, leaped over
the dump or fill, and piled up in q lake of
six or eight acres in extent at the railroad
culvert at Benns Creek station, two miles
further west, and some nine miles east of
the junction of the two forks at South Fork
station. simultaneously
THE EARLY MORNING FLOOD.
Stony creek, which, rising in the south
and flowing nokhwardly along the base of
the main range or the Alleghenies, empties
risen beyond all bounds, and was sweeping
logbooms, houses and everything movable
before its irresistible current. The combined
floods from these three mountain streams
submerged Johnstown in the morning of
that ill-fated Friday six feet deeper than
ever before known. At in the afternoon
the crowning calamity and event of the CEN
tufy came in the breaking of the South Fork
Reservoir.
Maap-h;1a frov,, ,,o<-oI
throne, Jupiter Pluvius was sending down
the mountain slopes watery ruin and devas-
tating floods toward the northeast, east and
southeast Along the west branch of the
Susquehanna and its headwaters, from near
Cresson, northeastwardly toward Lock
Haven, the rainfall was so sudden and
heavy that many lives were lost, especially
in the higher mountain tributaries, and an
immense destruction of property was caused
Jersey Shore, Northumberland, Sunbury
and Milton. At Little Trout. run, on Big
Hine creek, six men, who were en-
gagged in peeling hemlock bark, were
found drowned in their cabin. On another
little mountain stream, party of Eastern
trout fishermen report that the waters
rushed down SO suddenly upon them that
they with difficulty saved their lives BY q
precipitate flight up the mountain sides.
IN THE JUNIATA VALLEY.
Upon the Juniata, east Of Altoona. all of
the bridges, some 26 in number, belonging
to the Pennsylvania Railroad and the town
ships along that stream, were swept away in
rapid succession. From Tyrone to the
mouth of the Juniata, and thence along the
Susquehanna to Harrisburg, the destruc-
ton of property was very great. The i'm
mense value of the property carried out by
the Susquehanna NAV be inferred from the
fact that the shores of Kent Island, in the |
Chesapeake Bav, are piled up with mass
of logs, cut lumber and other property, esti-
mated to be worth double the assessed value
Of the island and its Improvements.
At Lemstown, with a clear sky and q
bright sunlight, the water came so sudden
ly, and almost without warning, that in the
lower part Of the town many OF the lnhab-
itants were surrounded in their houses by
the rapidly rising waters, and only by the |
prouptest assistance,' and with great diff
Guilty, were rescued from their perilous posi-
tion. A number of houses were swept
awsy. but all Of the inmates are thought to |
have been rescued farther down the stream.
As showing the extraordinary character
of the rainfall elewhere in the Allegheny
Mountains on that fateful day, a letter pub
lished in the New York Observer is of in
terest: No such continuous amount of rain
fall has occurred over the valley of the
Potomac within the memory of man. It is
generally conceded that the river rose six
feet above any former Hood, and the canal
with marginal property left general wreck.
Pennsylvania avenue, Washington City, D.
c., was submerged, also the navy yard.
Water street, in West Washington. was in
undated and left a wreck, etc.
FIGURES FOR IT.
The unprecedented fall of rain during
April and May, 1889, amounted in April to
eight inches, and in May to 16 inches, sg-
gregating "a inches, or Is cubic feet for
each square yard of territory drained by
Al.D Dosa ahorra kido 4l~ Ell