The Delta independent., 1889-06-11

tion can portray. Probably 1900 houses
have been swept from the face Of the earth
a. completely - II they had never been
erected. May Street from end TO end is
piled fifteen TO twenty feet high with de-
bris, and in some instances 1t Is as high a.
the roofs Of the houses. This great mass
Of wrecksse nlls tho street from curb to
curb and frequently has crushed the fronts
Of buildings in and filed the space with
reminders Of tho terrible calamity. From
the woolen mill above the island to the
bridge, distance probably Of two miles,
strip Of territory nearly half mile in
width has been swept clean, not stick Of
timber or one brick ON top of another being
left TO tell the story. All day long men,
women and children were plodding about
the desOlate waste toying in vain to locate
the boundaries Of former homes. Nothing
but wide expanse Of mud, 'ornamented
here and there with heaps of driftwood,
remains, however, for their contemplation.
These losses, however, are as nothing COM
pared to the frightful sacrifices Of pre-.
cious human lives TO be seen on every
hand. During all this solemn Sunday
Johnstown has been drenched VI tn the tears
Of stricken mortals, and the air Is filled
with sobs and sighs that come from break
ing hearts.
Six hundred bodies are now lying in
Johnstown and q large number have al
ready been buried. Four immense relief
trains arrived last night and the survivors
are being cared for. A portion ofthe police
force of Pittsburg and Allegheny are on
duty and better order is maintained than
prevailed yesterday. Communication has
been restored between Cambria City and
Johnstown by foot bridge. The work OF
repairing the tracks between Sang Hollow
and Johnstown is going on rapidly and
trains viii probably be running b. to-ruor-
row morning. Not less than Is 5,OO strang-
ers are hero.
Now that the waters have recedsd there
Is great danger from falling walls. All day
long the cracking Of walls could b. heard
across the river. Before daybrsak this
morning the sounds could not but make one
shudder at the very thoughts of the hord
BILE deaths that awaited many who had es-
capped the devastating floods. Library Hall
was another ofiice building Of the many in
the city that were destroyed. OF the Epis-
copal Church not vestige remains. The
parsonage was swept away and the rector
OF the church, Rev. T. Dillon, wAs
drowned.
Tho Gautier wire works which was com
pletely destroyed is owned and operated
by the Cambria Iron Company. The build
ings will be Immediately rebuilt and put
in operation as soon as possible. The loss
at this point Is complete The land on
which II stood Is to day - barren and az
dcsolate rs II it stood in the midst Of the
Sahara Desert
The Cambria Iron Company's losses are
great and included the supply stores at
this point Tho Dartmouth Club, At which
the employees Of the works boarded, was
carried away in tho hocd. It contained
many occupants at the time. Mono wers
saved. The estimates Of the losses Of the
Cambria Iron Company given il from a.
oo0,0 900 TO e, SOC, ,oo0. But little Of this can
bo recovered.
Mr.. Grouse, proprietor Of the South Fork
Fishing Club Hotel, came to Johnstown,
this afternoon. He says th.t when Cone
maugh Lake broke the watar seemed TO lean
without touching the ground. It bounded
down tho valley, crashing and roaring
carrying everything before It For mile
its front seemed like = solid wall twenty
feet high. The warning given the stricken
city was sent from South Fork village BY
Freight Agent Dccchert When the great
wall that held the body of water began To-
tumble at the top ho sent message beg
ging the people Of Johnstown for Gods
sake to take to tho hills. He reports NO ser.
Ilous sccident at South Fork.
Richard Davis ran to Prospect Hill when
tho water raised. As to Deechert's mes.
sage, he says Just such . message had been
sent down at each food since the lake was
made. Tho warning so often proved use
less that little attention was paid to 1t this
time. 81 cannot describe the mad rush,
he said. "At nrst 1t looked like dust, that
must have been spray. could soc houses
going down before Il like children's play
blocks set on edge In Q row. As 1t camel
near could SEQ houses totter for . mo-
ment, then rise and the next moment b
crushed like egg shells against each
other."
As the roads 70 lands round about ar}
opened tales Of almost indescribable horroj
come to light and deeds Of the vilest natur
In tho darkness Of night an
brought 70 light Just Is the shadows bs
gan to fall upon the earth last eveuin
thirteen Hung arians were noticed stealth
" picking their way along the b~nks Of th
toward Sang Hollow. SUI
pecting their purpose, several farmel
armed themselves and started In pursui
Soon their most horrible fears were res
sed. The Hungarians werc out for rlu
der. Lying upon the shore they car
ipon tho dead and mangied body Of . wo
IN. Upon her person were . number
1ewelry and two diamond ring
In their easerncss TO secure the plundS
Iho Hungarians eotinto squabble, durir
which ono Of their number severed u
lnger upon which wcre tho rings ID
Itarsod 70 run with his fearful priso. II
nature Of the deed 20 wroue
,pon tho pursuing farmers, who By u
ime wero close at hand, that thsy gave i
Mediate chase. Some Of the Hunsaxid
bowed hsht but being outnumhsrss
hay were compelled 10 hes for their live
Vine Of the brutss escaped, but feur NJ,
itsrally driven into the surEine river, a
o their death. Tho tnhuman nons&