New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-02
be passed, there is supposed to be wide nn
at present, impossible for the railroad people II
cross.
4 SCENE OF DISSOLUTION.
WHAT DAWN REVEALED AT NEw-FIoREScR
BODIES OF THE DROWNED SCATTERED Down
THE vALLEY-AccoUETs FROM THosx
WHO SAW THE FLOODS. -

Il
WHO SAW THE FLOODS. -
New-Florence. Penn, June THE gray morning
light does not seem TO show hope or mitigation Of
the awful fears Of the night Hew-Florence is four-
teen miles from the scene of desolation at Johns
| town. 1t has been a hard night TO everybody
The weary, overworked newspaper men, who have
been without rest food since yesterday afernoons
and the operators who have handled the messages
sre even now preparing for the work OF the dayj
There has been long wrangle over the possession
OF special train for the press between rival morn4
Ing newspaper men. and II has delayed the work.
of the Others, who are anxious to get further eass
Even here. so far from the washed-out town. the
ruin is seen on all sides. Seven bodies have been
found on the shore near this town: two. those
OF a man and woman, being in a tree, where the
rushing waters had carried them.
The country people came into the news centres In
large numbers telling stories Of dissster along tho
river banks in sequestered places John McCaYthy3
a carpenter. who lives in Johnstown. reached here
about o'clock. lie left Johnstown at $50
yesterday, and says the scene was indescnbabiel
The people had been warned carly in the morning
10 move TO the highlands; but they did not heed
the warning, althou Oh 1t was repeated number Of
times up to 1 o'clock, when the water poured ipta
the streets several feet deep. Then the houses
began rocking to and fro and finally the force ot
the current carried buildings across streets and
vacant lots, and dashed them against each others
breaking them into fragments. These buildings
were freighted with the people who so shortly be-
fore had laughed at the cry Of danger. Mccarthy
says that in some cases he counted as many as
fifteen persons clinging to buildings. McCarthy's
wife was with him. She had three sisters. who
lived near her. They saw the house in which
these girls lived carried away, and then they
could stand it no longer, and hurried away. The
husband feared his wife would go crazy before ha
could drag her away. They left the flooded dis
trict and went inland along the country roads
until they reached here. 1t is said TO be next to
impossible to get TO Johnstown proper to-day In any
manner except by row-boat The roads are cut
up so that even the countrymen refuse to trsvea
over them in their toughest vehicles. The only
hope is to get within about three miles by special
train or by hand-car.
The waters soon began to recede hem as rapidly
as they rose last night and as the
hanks uncover the dead are seen. One
woman, probably twenty-five years old
with rather handsome features, had cbsped IN
her arms a babe about six months cid. The dead
pody OF a young man found In the branches
Of a huge tree, which had been carried down the
stream. The body of another woman has iuss
been discovered in the river here. Only her foou
WIS visible above the water. A rope was fastened
about it and tied to o tree, and assistance Is nova
awaited to bring the body 10 the shora. ~
John L. Weber and his wife. an old couplss
mike Metzgsr, and John Forney were rescued
near here early this morning. They had been
Carried from their home, Cambria City, On tho
roof of the house. There were seven others on
the roof when It was carried OF by the angry
but ,ba oil Their
are not known by Weber, as they drifted on "a
the roof from floating fragments. Weber and his
wife were thoroughly drenched and were almost
helpless from exposure. They were unable "a
walk upon being taken of the roof at this placcl
The bank on each side Of the river at this
place is crowded with anxious watchers, and
with horrifying frequency their vgis are rewarded
by the discovery OF dead body. Within half
an hour three floating bodies were recovered, and
hundreds Of people from Johnstown and up-river
towns hurried here in search of their friends and
relatives who were swept away in the food. Tha
streets were crowded with pale and anxious peo.
pie. Squire Bennett took charge Of the bodies
and is having them properly cared for. They
are being prepared for burial, but win be held
here for Identification.
Four boys, who came from above here say that
on the opposite side OF the river Q number Of
the body Of woman on this side. She was GOV.
cred with drift but they pulled the body out Shs
had only few tatters of clothes aud
the body was badly bruised. No news can be
received from Johnstown, and It may be many
hours before we can get any.
r. B. Rogers, Justice OF the peace at Nineveh,
has wired the coroner at Greensburg that 90 dead
bodies have been found at that place. and he asks
what TO do with them. From this one can estis
mate that the loss of life will reach over 1000;
perhaps more.
report was received that twenty persons werd
10 be an island near Nineveh- and that u ~
number Of men and women were on a partly subj ]
merged tree. Another report received that
at least 90 persons were burned IN ths flames al
Johnstown last night J.
At Bolivar q man. woman and chiN were seen
floating down on lot OF drift The drift began
TO part, and by desperate efforts the husI
band and father succeeded in getting his wife snd
little one on q floating tree. Just then the tree
washed under the bridge. and rope was thrown
out. It fell upon the mans shoulders. He saw
at glance that he could not save his dear onea 90
he threw the means of safety TO one side. and
gripped in his arms those who were with him. A
moment later and the tree struck aoating house!
1t turned over, and in a second the three persona
sank in the food.
Another instance of a mothers love is told as
Bolivar. woman and two children were doatine
down. The mother caught q rope and tried to hohd
it and her babe. 1t was impossible, and with
look of anguish she relinquished the hold and
Sank her two little ones clasped in an embraces
that soon proved one OF death
ESTIMATING THE NUMBER OF DEAD