Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-10
FRANK HATToNs NARROW ESCAPE.
He Tells How Near Passenger Train
Came to Destruction.

He Tells How Near Passenger Train
Came to Destruction.
WASHINGTON CITY, June 10.-Frank Hat
ton, editor of The Washington Post, who was
one of the passengers on the Chicago limited
train at Johnstown, contributes to The Post
a graphic description of the manner of his
escape from death When the limited pulled
into Johnstown 1t was found that the place
was flooded Only few minutes were wasted
there. Then the train moved cautiously on
Editor Hatton then proceeds:
Perilous DELAY.
Mineral Point was passed. From this spot
on the speed of the train decreased The fury
o. the torrent, the roar of the waters, seemed
t. intimidate the two great iron monsters
that were dragging the train Faces blanched
with fear pressed against the windows of the
car. As great bodies of water rolled down
the gorges and over the track, covering the
cars with spray, terrified passengers would
jump back, expecting the cars to be over
turned
The Train Stops.
The speed of the train gradually decreased,
and then, as if the engines had given up in
despair, the train stopped. The passengers
alighted to ascertain our location. 1t was
found that we were at the south end of the
bridge which spanned the Conemaugh at the
little town of South Fork, and at the point
where the South and North Forks come to-
gether, and near telegraph tower. But no
orders came to move forward.
The Flood from the Forks.
The water came down the two forks wi tn
terrible force, telling of the ruin that had
been wrought above. Portions of bridg es.
olIthouses, logs, pieces of furniture and all
kinds of debris went tearing by and on down
In the rapidly swelling river. Ten, fifteen,
twenty minutes passed, and there was no
movement of the train. The rain came down
rom the heavens above, while the floods of
the two forks rolled and dashed as the v
joined together, making one mighty and
al cry river. People from the town of South
Fork crossed the bridge and mixed with the
pc ssengers. Until then the latter did not
know of the reservoir two miles above them
which was getting ready to let loose the vast
body of water which it held within its con-
fines.
Timely Suggestion.
1t needed but a glance at the topography
of the country to show that should the re-
Sc rvoir which was described as three miles
long, one and half miles wide and sixty
feet deep, empty its mou n tain of water down
thu sides of the gorge tn rough which South
Fork flowed, the limited express would be
destroyed and all on board swept into
eternity. Mr.. Hatton suggested that the train
be moved across the bridge. The cond uctor
at first said that he had orders to stay where
he was, but he finally consented to take the
trJrin across.
Safe by Marrow Margin.
About fifteen minutes after the Iimi ted
had reached the north side," says Mr.. Hat
ton, "the engine of the freight train, which
had remained on the south side gave a fierce
sh lex and the train started for the bridge
In suitively everybody knew the dam had
br oxen and the water was coming The in
he bitants, shrieking and crying, ran for the
mountain side. The two engines on the linn
lie blew their whistles and started with the
trim up the track, followed by the freight
train.
The Rush of the Destroyer.
"The writer was in the rear of the next to
the last car on the limited The roar of the
writer's was almost deafening. In less time
tn an it has taken to write this paragraph it
had struck the houses nearest the bridge and
tn ~ were lifted high into the air and tumbled
ov or into the surging stream. The engine of
thu escaping freight train, which had given
tn alarm, had hardly reached the north side
when the bridge went down and the freight
cars were borne off by the rushing waters
Al the passenger train fed up the track the
be ck-water up the north branch carried by
it articles of furniture from the houses which
a few seconds before were standing by the
sitle of the train
The Danger Past.
There was great excl tement among the
pc ssengers on the train, but it was soon dis
covered that the danger was past, and a
Thank God we are safe,'' went up from the
he arts and lips of all on board. The limited
tr iin lay at Wilmore all night and until late
Saturday afternoon, when itproceededs slowly
ca It, reaching Altoona about z o'clock that
evening"