The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-06-06
A TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE.
Over 1000 Lives Lost


OTHER Towns SEEIoGsiY DAMAGED.
The storm which las been doing so
much damage in the west. reached the
line of western Pennsylvania the Last o
last week and there resulted in the most
appalling disaster that has occurred in
Christendon during the year Johns
town is large m .nufacturiug town
among the M 'nntains Of Southwestern
Pennsylvania, situated at the junction %
Stony creek and ronemsugh river |
appears that the volume Of a natural LAX,
up the river had been increased by dam
80 as to form body of water five mile,
long by two wide, with a depth Of scv
enty feet IN places. The normyl pressur,
Of this great body was suddenly in
creased by the enormous rainfall that
prevailed throughout the mountain region
on Thurs lay, the dam broke and the val
/ ley was swept as by the Bosom of de
| struction. IL was result that might
have been expected and indeed was
/ feared, ;s shown by the frequent am
careful inspections of the dam that had
been mace.
/ Jphnstown, Conemaugh NJ lrrellvllr
and other suburban towns have been
washed from the face of the earth The
I region ABOVE JphnstOwn Is vet to BE-
heard from, but in the mountains the
same scenes of desolation are reported
! In an hours time thousands met with
death, esther by Hood, by falling timbers
or by IRE, the land is shrouded in mourn.
ing aud the people stand aghast ut tn,
fearful story th'.. survivors relate.
Eye witnesses state that the loss of liz
will be greater than yet has been report,
ed.
Relief trains are being hurried to til,
scenes of the disaster and provisions
tents, medicines and surgeons are all be
ing sent u the relief of the sufferer.
The ore thought at the present time, is u
care for the living and recover the dead,
The dead lie piled In heaps at p ace.
and TIE poor, bruisee and mangled bodit
tell story of suffering aud horror nevei
equalled on this continent
II Is estimated that between : 600 an
| 10000 lives have been lost, and that til.
loss of property is sll 600 900.
The ravages of the storm were moi
confined to this particular section, but (
extended over all the states of the ATTAIN
tic >eaDoard and Mississippi valley.
The business portion of Coburg. ont,
is Hooded. Loss estimated at $500 900.
I
Loss estimated at $500, 900. Railroad
suffer, and crops throughout the Che
mure valley almost wholly destroyed
| Is lives lost.
Two hundred and fifty lives were los
at Wiililmsport
he hood damages Carlisle, Pa, abon
| 5000 600
Washington, d. G., had taste of tn,
Hood. Bridges in tho vicinity have beer
carried away
Considerable loss in Maryland Har
pers Ferry people were driven to tn,
hills. Between that place and knoxville
1 the loss will be $500, 900.
Evsryday's dispatches increases til,
! number of victims. Wiilamsport wa,
the scene of another disaster Monday.
From 30 to so persons were standing
on bridge at Market street which span.
| the Susquehanna river, when with a sud
den and mighty surge the angry waters
choked with logs ruins of houses and al
sorts of driftwood, swept the bridge ava,
on its bosom. The sight-seers were
| thrown into the rushing river, and few
any were saved.
over 1900 men are employed in differ.
ent parts of the Conncmaugh valley clear.
ing up the ruins and prosecuting search
Tor the undiscovered dead, Their loves
legations are not without fruitful r, suits
for the hodies of dead and charred vic.
tins of flood and fife are discovered with
updiminisLed frequency.
The sickness among tine surviving is
incoming alarming. Pneumonia has
broken out and more than 2OOo are on the
sick list.
Thieves began their work of plumber
almost Immediately after the accident but
the prompt measures taken by officials
and citizens soon put stop to their tiend
ish lawlessness.
SO far as reported through the Assoc
ciated Press, nearly If not quite quarter
of a million dollars have been subscribed
for the YOUNGSTOWN people. Even far OF
Berlin Is moved and relief fund has
been started in the German capital.