The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-07-17
THREE EDAMS WASHED. AWAY
A DISASTROUS FLOOD IN NEW YORK.
The Town of Johnstown Under Water
Many Buildings Swept Away-serious
Loss of Life Feared-Telegraph
Wires Destroyed-DRmnge.

TROY, ". Y, July 9.-There are reports here
that three big dams were washed away near
Johnstown, and that crowds of people got on
bridge to watch the flood and it was carried
away and several people we're drowned.
Johnstown, n. Y, is on the Johnstown &
Cloversvle railroad, four miles north Of
Fonda.
complete prostration Of wires makes it
impossible to communicate with Johnstown at
the present hour (1O:S0). Every effort is being
made hereabouts to get definite information.
LATRR-A telephone from Johnstown says:
'The town is in total darkness and nine bridges
were washed away. The electric light plant
has been washed away, also three skin mills at
Gloversville. One body has been recovered.
The water is three feet deep in the town of
Fonda"
At II O'Clock rain is falling in torrents in
Johnstown and the flood is assuming terrible
aspect. Mills and sheds are being carried
rapidly away. 1t is beginning to rain here
(TrOyl, and looks like heavy storm.
1880 a. ma reporter who started out on
the IL p. m. train from Albany to get all obtain
able facts about the storm round about Fonda
and Johnstown, has not been heard from since.
Amsterdam. however, telephones that there are
no trains west Of that point on account of the
washout. The telephone is our only reliance
for news of the effect of the storm, it has
been thus far tonight.
JoHNsTowN, \. Y. July 10.-The water
which came up over this village last night has
subsided greatly this morning, but has left
scenes of desolation in every direction. The
water rose fifteen feet and overlowed every
thing. II has now fallen about eight feet be-
low the highest point. Ten people are thus far
reported missing. The bodies of four have
/ been recovered. These four are all Johnstown
people. Those whose bodies are recovered are
Charles Frear and two others named Cokley
and Yost and fourteen-yesr-old boy named
| Steadwen
The drowned and missing people were
among crowd of from thirty TO fifty people
who stood on the stone bridge cross ing the
river at Perry-st watching the rising water.
! They seemed regardless of danger until the
] bridge gave way and they were pTecipitated.
! The bridge was about twenty feet high and
| about tW enty-five wide. II was single-arch
structure and crossed by a street-car track.
| The bridge was swept away about o'clock.
The two iron bridges of the Johnstown, Fonda
! & Gloucester railway were wrecked and seven
or eight other bridges were carried away. Two
tanneries, owned by Simon Schriber. were swept
1
were broken. The water in the Cayudetta
creek began to rise at 1880 o'clock and the
stream was soon converted into a raging
torrent. OF the men, women and chIl-
dren who were thrown into the water
bv the breaking of the stone bridge,
the larger number were saved by means Of
ropes thrown to them from the shore. The
final and fatal rise of the creek was very sud
den. and is ascribed to the effects of a cloud
burst. The electric Light plant was washed
81, IaFf in fnfo1 dorl
the night.
Among the missing are the following: R. D.
Simons, of the firm of r. ID. Simons Il Co.,
painters; Willie Myers, nine years old, and a
son OF Widow Myers; Miss Ada Miller, twenty
| two years old. The number lost cannot yet
be determined, the estimates vary from six
to thirty.
The creek is being dragged, but it is thought
some bodies have ioated into the Mohawk at
/ Fonda The bodies recovered were taken
charge Of by DR.. J. Letter, the coroner. The
bodies were removed to the police station and
identified, and were then taken by friends.
The loss in money at Johnstown will reach
many thousands of dollars. Thousands of skins
that were being dressed floating down the
Cayudetta. Among the bridges carried away
was an iron bridge at Stewards leather
MILL the iron railroad bridge al
Fonda. The Cayudetta creek was never
before so high. The creek rose from
twelve to fifteen feet in thirty minutes BY the
Johustown & Gloversville railway, both north
and south of Johnstown, that place is com
pletely shut of from railroad communication
The last train from Gloversville reached Johns
town at o'clock last night.
The Cayudetta empties into the Mohawk al
Fonda and Fonda is flooded. Two bridges or
the Mohawk turnpike were carried away
Travel is stopped The Central railroad and
JOhnstown railway bridges were both de
stroyed. Passengers are transferred. 6. F
Mills & Co.'S plaster mill was wrecked. The
damage is great.
At Simmons, four miles below Johnstown,
big mill-wheel was carried away. At Berry
Vile mile below Simmonsville, the dam al
Clappers shoddy-milll was washed out.
The general belief is that the food was caused
by clOud-burst near Johnstown, the theory
being confirmed by the fact that at Hale's mills
three and one-half miles up the creek, no dam
age was done, and the dam at that place is al
right.
There is as yet no certainty of the loss o
more than four lives. These victims were on
bridge viewing the food after the storm. They
had been warned to keep off the structure, a
it was considered dangerous
The damage in the valley of the Cayudetta Il
mills, roads, bridges and crops will reacl
$500 600.