Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-06-13
A VIEW or THE RUIN.

JoHEsrowN, June ga site on the side
Of the mountain, forming the upper side OF
the triangular plain In which JOhnstown
was located, Is the point from which the
full extent OF the calamity that has de-
stroyed the town can best be realized BY
sight. The mountain Is sc steep that tho
view can almost be called a bird's'eye one.
The first thing that impresses the eye 10 the
fact that the proportion OF the town that
remains uninjured is much sm aller than u
II seems to DO from lower down points OF
view. Besides the part OF the town that is
utterly wiped out, there are two great
swaths cut through that portion which
from lower down seems almost uniniured.
Beginning at Oonemaugh, TWO miles above
the railroad bridge, along the right Side OF
the valley looking down. there Is = strip OF
an eighth by quarter OF mile wide,
which constituted the heart OF q chain OF
continuous towns, and which was thickly
built over for the whole distance, upon
which now not u soil tary building stands
except the Quilted walls OF the Wood,
gohnstown and of the Gaurier, wire
mill aud. woodvale -four mill at
Woodvale. Except for these buildings the
= whole two-mile strip is swept clean, NOT
only OF buildings, but OF everything. 1t is a
raot Of mud. rocks and such other mlscel-
laneous debris as might follow the work
ings OF huge hydraulic placer mining sys-
GEM In the gold regions. In Johnstown
stself, beeIdes the total destruction upon
his strip, extending at the end to cover
she whole lower end OF the city, there is
swath branching of from the main strip
above the general store and running
straight to the bluff. II is three blocks
wide and makes huge "Y, /" with the gap
through which the food came for the base
and main strip and the swaths fol- branches.
Between the branches there is triangular
block Of buildings that are still standing,
nil fIfpA anat ~ han N 40 lad
point exactly opposite the corner where
the branches of the "Y" meet, and distant
from 1t by about so yards Is one of the
freaks Of the food. The Baltimore OHIO
railroad station, O square, two-story brick
building, with a little cupoia at the apex
OF Its slanting roof, Is apparently unlnIured,
but really one corner is Knocked In aud the
whole interior Ia total wreck. How u
stood when everything anywhere near 1t
was swept away Is mystery. Above the
"Y"-shaped tract OF ruin there Is another
still wider swath, bending around in Stony
Greek, save on the left, where the food
serged when It was checked and thrown
bacK by the railroad bridge. 1t swept
things clean before 1t through Johnstown
and made a track Of ruin among the light
frame houses for nearly two miles up the
gap. The Roman Catholic church was Just
at its upper edge. 1t is still standing, and
from Its tower the bell strikes the hours
regularly as before, although everybody
now is noticing that 1t always sounds like
funeral. Nobody ever noticed 1t before,
but from the upper eide # can be seen that
--a hugo hole has beer kpaekad through ths
side of the building, A rain OF cars could
ue run through g. Inside. the church Is
iiiieI with ali surts Vi rubbish and ruin. A
little further on is another church, which
curiously illustrates the manner In which
fire and hood seemed determined TO unite
In completing the ruin OF the city. Just
before the hood came down the valley there
was terrific explosion III this church, sup
posed to have been caused by natural gas.
Amid all the tefrors OF the flood, With the
water surging 80 feet deep all around and
through 1t, the flames blHzed through the
roof and tower, and Its 1re-stained walls
arise from the debris OF the food, which
covers its foundations. It's ruins are one
OF the most conspicuous and picturesque
sights in the city.
Next to Adams street, the road most
travelled In Johnetown now IL the Pennsyl.
Vania railroad track, or rather bed, across
the Stony Greek, and at a culvert erosstn {
lust west OF the creek. More people have
been injured here since the calamity thar
at any other place. The RAILROAD ties which
hold the track across the culvert are bis
ones, and their strength has not been weak
ened by the food, but between the ties GnC
between the freight and passenger trgck
there is Wide space. The Pennsylvania
trains from Johnstown have to stop. o
course, at the eastern end OF the bridge
and the thousands OF people whom thel
deily bring to Jamestown from Pittsburl
have to get into Johpetown by walkini
across the track 70 the Pennsylvania rail
road depot, and then crossing the pontUol
foot bridge that has been built acros
the Stony Greek. All day long there IL
black line oil people going back and fort
across this course. Every now aud thei
there is yell. a plunge, rush OF paopl
to the culvert, q call for Doctor, ami erie
OF "Help" from underneath this culverI
Some one, OF course, has fall between tn
freight and passenger tracks or betwee
the ties Of the tracks themselves. Ia %
night II Is particularly dangerous travelin
to the Pennsylvania depot this way an
people falllnR then have little chance o.
rescue. 80 far at least 30 persons hav
fallen down the cnlvert, and DOZEN
them who have descended entirely TO Ii
ground, have escaped IN some ularveliol
manner with thelI lives. Several Pits
burgers have had their legs and arm
broken and ono mRu cracked MS COLI
bona. 1t ls to ba hoped that theaeGcclden
will keep OF the ilocx Of curiosity seeker
in some degree at least. The presence
these crowds seriouely interferes with q
work OF clearing ~ the town and sHsc
the residents here In even gray
manner, for though many OF those ccmiI
to Johnstown TO spend u day and sea u
ruins bring something TO eat with thei
many do not do 80, and invade the fell
stands, taking tne food which Is lavish
dealt out to the suffering. Uh9uga L
Pennsylvania railroad bridge Is as 5trOl
as ever apparently beyond the bridge. I
embankment on which the track Is built
washed away, and people therefore DO {
cross the bridge, but leave the TRACK on I
western sld5 and clamoripg down
Abutments, cross tho creek or q rude Z,
bridge hastily erected, and then thr0u
the yard OF tho open hearth works and
ha rut1r ~ fn Fha -
altogether is about thrBa.qlarters OF a To
long, but so deceptive Rrs distances In
valley that 1t does NOT look ons.third m
The bed OF this yard, three quarters 0
mile long and about the snms di5tAl
wide, Ia the most des1late place hare. Z
yard itse.i Is frluged with Ia cr1mbll
ruins OF the iron works and OF the ratlr'
shops. The iron works wero great b
DriGR buildings, with steep iron roots.
ends Of these cuildlngs are smashed In q
tbs roofs bond over where the lood STR
them, 10 n curve.
But It is the bed Of the yard Itself tina
dasolste. In appearances II Ia 3 mass
stones and rocks and huge bouldars,
that 1t seems vast quarry hewn ard
covered by the wind. There ls comps
lively little debris here, all this hAy
been washed away over to the sldes Of
buildings, In ono or two instances oil
the buildings completely, There i9 no
earth or mud on the rocks az all, this I
OF Johnstown being much In contrast "
the great stretch OF sand along the r.
In some Instances the dirt Is washed a.
to such depth that the bedrock Is unC
cred.
The fury OF the waters here may
gathered from this feet; piled up out,
taa w1rES OF the Open Hearth Comp