St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-06-05
SHALE AND CLAY.
A Mine Owner Who Protested
Against the Construction of the

"A Mine owner w no TrOIcSCcu
Against the Construction of the
Reservoir.
JoHNsTowN, Pa, June Al notice
that the secretary of the South Fork
Fishing club said yesterday that the
club had not fled an indemnity bond.
as claimed by citizen of Ebensburg,
and that no complaints had ever been
made about the safety of the dam by
any of the JohnstOwn citizens. He is
undoubtedly correct as to the bond, but
is misleading as to the second part OF
his statement. There is not a shadow
of doubt but that citizens of Cambria
county frequently complained, and
that at the time the dam was con-
structed a veryovigorous effort was
made to put stop to the work. 1t is
true that the leader in this movement
was not a citizen Of JOhnStOWn. but he
was and is large mine owner in Cam
bria county. His mine adjoins the re-
servOir property. He related to me on
Saturday the story of his labOrs in an
effort to protect the lives and property
of the people in that valley. He was
frequently on the spot and his own en-
gineer Inspected the work. He says
the embankment was principally of
shale and clay, and that straw was used
to stop the leaking of water while the
work was going on. He called on the
sheriff of Cambria county and told him
it was his duty to apply to the court for
an injunction. The sheriff promised to
give the matter his attention,
but instead OF going before the
court, went to the Cambria
Iron company for consultation. An en-
ploye was sent up to make an inspec-
tion, and, as his report was favorable to
further. But the gentleman referred to
said he had not failed to make public
his protest at the time, and to renew it
frequently. This recommendation for
an Injunction and protest were spoken
Of by citizens of Altoona as hackneyed
subject Confirmation was certainly
had at South Fork. Conemaugh, Mill
vale and JOhnstown on that fatal Fri
day. The rumor of an expected break
was prevalent at these places early in
the day, but citizens remarked that the
rumor was familiar incident of the alt
nual freshets. 1t was the old classic
story of "woIf, wolf" They gave up
the first floors to the water and retired
I'D stairs to wait until the river should
recede, as they had done often before.
scouting the Oft-told story of the break
ing of the reservoir The reader will
note the remarkable conflict between
that
sHALE AND CLAY
story of the mine owner, referred to
above, and the published statement OF
Gen. Morehead, who had charge of the
construction, that the masonry was of
solid granite and lime stone, and was
believed to be as enduring as the pyra-
mids of Egypt. Tle awful disaster
would seem to confirm the allegation of
the use of unfit material in the COLI
struction. The number of passengers
Oh the day express known to have been
lost is six. Besides these there are two
ladies missing and unaccOunted for, but
who may yet be alive. A conductor,
who was at Conemaugh on the fateful
day, claims to have run through the
cars and told the passengers to run to
the mountains. The passengers who
survive are anxious to make
the acquaintance of that con-
ductor. They certainly neither saw
him nor heard him on Friday. His in
tention may have been good, but the
good deed was omitted. When the pas
sengers reached the mountain side they
found there two conductors in beautiful
White caps. lll6lI IldIillCl was Cdllu
and their clothing was unspotted.
asked one of them why he did not tnOtify
the passengers of the breaking of the
dam. He replied in some confusion
that he had not time. His companion
made report to his superior, which re-
port was carried over the mountain by
a passenger that night, but there was
nothing in it to indicate that any of the
passengers were any of his concern. He
reported the loss of Two trains. In strik-
ing contrast to the neglect Of duty
of these conductors, it is pleas
ant to note the manly con-
duct of others. First-always first
mention would be made of the locOmo-
tive engineer and tiremen, whose bra
very and devotion were conspicuous.
They never neglected to give such
warning as they could in the face Of
danger, and in some cases of certain
death. A brakeman riding deadhead,
whose name cannot be recalled, rem
dered splendid service in reScuing
women and children at the risk of his
own life. b. S. Aber, Pullman con-
ductor, was efficient and coOl-headed.
w. II. Woodyer, cook of the car Ara
gon, and John II. Waugh, porter of the
parlor car Chloris, stood manfully by
G. F. Griffiths. of the Norwich line, in
the rescue of passengers. 1t was Wood
yer who stood upon the top of the car
AragOn, with axe in hand, ready to cut
the roof to prevent the smOthering of
those within. We think better of our
race with such examples before us.
WILLIAM HENRY SMITH.