Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-06-08

dam at the foot CT tbe lake to Johnstown is
almost eighteen miles, and with the eXccp-
ton OF one point the water passed through a
narrow V shaped valley, four miles below the
dam, nearly down TO South Fork, where the
South Fork itself empties into the CohSE2augh
river. The town contains about 2,oO0 lDhaD'
itants. -Four miles further down on the Con
emaugh river, which runs parallel with the
main line OF the Pennsylvania railroad, Was
the town Of Mineral Point. 1t has 500 inhab-
itaute, 90 per cent. of the houses being atoat
ana lose TO the river. Six miles further
down was the town OF Conemaugh, and here
alone was there
TYPOGRAPHICAL POSSIBILITY
OF the spreading Of the food and the break
ing OF IT'S force. 1t contained 2 500 inhabi-
tants and was almost wholly devastated.
Woodvale, with 2,Oo0, lay q mile below Cone
maugh in a fat, and one mile further down
wereJobnstown and its cluster Of sister towns,
Cambria City, Conemaughborough, with a
total population OF 30, 900. On made ground
and stretched along the right at the river
verge were the immense works OF the Cam
bria Iron and Steel company, who have 3d.
000, 900 invested In their plant. Besides this
there are many other large industrial estab-
lishments on the bank OF the river, how badly
damaged cannot be estimated.
1t is now thought the property loss In the
vicinity OF Johnstown will be about $l,lO0,-
600.
BRAVE POSTAL AGENT.
c. w. Hoppenstal, Of Lincoln avenue, east
end, Pittsburg, distinguished himself by his
bravery yesterday afternoon. lie was mes
senger on the mail train which had TO turn
back at Sang Hollow. AS the train passed a
point where the water was full Of struggling
people, a woman and child foated In near the
shore. The train was stopped and Hop
p~enstall jumped into the water and in two
minutes saved both the mother and child.
The men In the signal towers saw many
awful sights. One fellow ea'h that
BEAUTIFUL GIRL CAME DOWN
on the roof Of a building which swung in near
the tower. She screamed to the operators TO
save her and one brave fellow walked as far
into the river as he could and shouted to her
10 guide herself into the shore with a bit OF
plank. She was a plucky girl, and stood
upon her frail support In evident obedience
to the command OF the operator. She made
two or three bold strokes and actually
stopped the course Of the raft for an instant.
Then il sweryed and went out from under
her. She tried to swim ashore, but IN a few
seconds she was lost In the swlrlihg water.
Something hit her, for she lay quietly on her
back, with face pallid and expressionless.
Men and women In dozens, In pairs and
single, children, boys big and iittfe, and wee
babies were there In among the awful con-
fusion, drowning, gasping,
s~TRUGGLINS X FIGHTING DESPERATELY
for lie. Two men on a tiny raft shot into
the swiftest part Of the river. They crouched
stolidly, looking at the shores, while be-
tween them, dressed In white and kneeling
with her face turned h~eavenward was IA girl
6 or Z years old. When she came opposite
the tower she turned her face to the operator.
She was so close they could see tears ON her
n h aAly anl hnr nI1Ar won nc dnnfh Thn
helpless men on shore shouted TO her to
keep up her courage and she resumed her
devout attitude and disappeared under the
trees Of a projecting point d short distance
below. ave could not see her come out
again." said the operator, "and that was all
OF IT.
"Do you see that fringe Of %treesln said the
operator, pointing TO the place where the
little girl had gone out OF sight. "Well, we
saw scores Of children swept In there. ! be
lieve that when the time comes they VIII find
almost a hundred bodies of children In there
among the bushes.
"Just above New Florence is the little
own Of Ninevah. 1t was here that | found
TIE FIRST CuARNEL HOUSE.
One hundred and nine bodies were there, a
larger proportion Of whom were women.
Here II was that the awful work Of the frcshet
could be realized. What had been fertile
farms looks like WORKOUT brick yards. Great
trees have been twisted and torn Ike weeds,
and the broken household goods OF hundreds
Of houses lirr the shores for miles. Thieves,
who steal from the dead and unfortunate,
have been busily at work robbing trunks,
boxes and articles Of furniture, and there is
nothing worth taking left except lumber.
Now and then the CHASTITY outlines could be
seen In the water being swept down stream.
Two miles from IS O. tower is g " tower Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad company, and
here II Is that the greatest railroad In the
world ends suddenly In the river. For more
than 900 feet the entire track is wiped out,
rails, ties and even ballast. The north track
is entirely washed away"