The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-02
TIE PEOPLE sTARyINn.
TEN THOUSAND SOULS LOST.


TEN THOUSAND SOULS LOST.
The Number WIN Certainly Reach This
Awful Figure.
SANG Hollow, Pa, June 9, am
The first accounts sent out are far below the
widest estimates placed upon the extent
OF the calamity, and instead OF 1000 or
5000, II is probable tho death list will
reach s,0O0-many say 10000. II is now
known that two passenger trains, two
sections OF the day express on the Penn
sylvania Railroad, have been thrown into
the maddened current and the passengers
drowned. These trains were held at
Johnstown from Friday at IL o'clock a. m,
and were on a siding between the Johns
town and Conemaugh stations. The aw-
ful torrent came down the narrow deille
between the mountains. distance OF nine
miles, and fall Of 300 feet In that dis
lance, sweeping away the villages OF South
Fork, Mineral Point, Woodvale and Conc
maugh, leaving but one building standing,
WOODEN mill, where but an hour before
had stood hundreds, and dashing ON with
the roar OF n cataract and the speed OF the
wind upon the fair city ut Tho foothills,
The plane In which yesterday stood Johns
town il strcwn with wreck. The great
Gautier steel works sat in this plane. and
the city below IT, the railroad tracks
bounding It at the base OF the mountains
on tho north. Here the trains were stand
ing when the tide OF water, like catl.
nnll lAtKa m Nls.Fsa stftN1s ats.sl. n
rcsistless force that the trains, locomo-
tiyes, Pullmans and all were over
turned and swept down tho torrent, and
worc lodged against the great stone yiaduct
along with fOrty-one locomotives from the
Johnstown round-house, the heavy ma.
chinory and ponderous framework Of the
Gautior mill. the accumulated debris OF
more than thousand houses, furniture,
bridges, lumber DRIFT aud human beings
Tho low arches OF the stone viaduct choked
up Immediately and the water backed back
over the entire level OF the valley upon
which the city stood, to the depth OF what
from tho watcr-works, indicate about
lhirty-oight feet. In thus great sea thus
formed, hundreds, perhaps thousands Of
PEorLK WE'RE STRUGGLING ron LirE.
Tho scene today Ia one OF the mos, h -
rowing possible for the Imagination Of man
10 conceive. The accumulated drift gorgcd
up nj the viaduct TO a hight OF forty feet
ana then took fire from the upsctting Of
stoves or lamps. As the flames cracked
and roarcd among tho dry finder OF the
floating houses human bodies wore seen
pinioncd between tho house roofs, loco.
motives, iron beams, freight, passenger,
Pullman, baggage ears and heavy iron
beams, the greedy flames licking with
haste their diet OF human flesh. The
scene was horrible beyond description.
From infancy few days old TO
the wasted figures Of age were burned
before the eyes OF the beholderA, aud no
rescue from such fate was possible.
Strong men turned away with agoniIing
expressions, aud women shriekcd at the
horror Of the scene The dead has been
computed nc not lees than 5000, and the
number may exceed that estimate. This
seems Incredible, butuntil the waters have
abatcd and the work OF removing the dead
from this tremendous mass, Il will be i'm.
possible TO tell how many lives have been
lost The Associated Pres correspondent
was the first man 20 cross 20 Johnstown
proper by means Of a basket suspended
from a cable M passengers arc removed
from wrecked ships. Here the scenes
were magnilcd In their horror. Here
were the residences Of tho little
city's most wealthy and intelligent people.
Here were found the body Of John Dibcrt,
the banker, and his entire family, consist.
ing " daughter aud two grandchildren.
VIM. Ovcrbcck, John Dorsey, Of Dopcw 4
Co, tohacconist, Philadelphia, and one oI
s...s.fsIUN
road DR. J. q. Cooper aud wife, ]. q
Bcnschon, bookseller Mr.. VIM. Gilmore
vito aud family; James Howard, Noi
| family Of three, Mrs. Cyrus Elder, wife o.
the general superintendent Of the Cambrii
Iron Company.
When the continued rise OF the watci
made their danger apparent. the frightened
passengers He'd from the two trains 10 Oh,
bills near by. Many, In their excitement
ruHgw THEMSELVES iSro rnE CURRENT
and we're drowned. II IL supposed tina
about fifteen persons lost their lives IL
this way. When Superintendent TumI
reached Concmaugh he Immediately gath
cred together the rcmaing passengers o
| the two trains and had them conveyed I,
i ha"a'AaNNAh ~ WANhAAf - aAHAAAAiN W NNNM
ten miles. These survivors arc now Al
that place. Tho conductors Of the train,
went with the passengers 10 Elcnsburg
and the Pullman conductor, who n sup
posed 10 have list Of those under hii
chargc, u there also. II Is impossible {,
give the names Of any Of thosc who los
their lives but u IL known that Mr.. T.
Mccullough. OF the Wcsimopland Goa
Company, aud his whole family, wor,
saved Mr.. Trump stated that II hh
passengers had only remained where the,
we're. instead oi jumping into tho water
the terrible loss Of lie would have beer
avoided. After the people had dcscric,
lho cans the railroad officials state the tw,
Pullman ears attached 10 the day expires
wefo set on fire and entirely consumed.
Superintendent Trump fully confirm.
the reports already sent out about the tor
riblc disaster In aud near Johnatown. M,
says Il will never be- known exactly how
many lives wcrc lost, but the number vii
reach among the thousands. After pro
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