The Washington critic., 1889-06-07
STORIES OF THE FLOOD.
Tho washlnston survivors.

MIS-. Mary IL. Town, VINO Is cn-
ploycd In the Dead Letter Ofiice, aud
II. +. McGrath of. Charlotte, Mich.
who was on his way here on visit
when caught in the Jolnstown food,
arrived here last night nj the same
time Mrs and Miss Halford did Mrs
Towns experiences were horrible She
was on the day express and when the
cry run for your lives up the hill''
was raised the train was on the hill
side. Below stretched the doomed
valley, and on the uphill side of the
train a long line of vcstibule cars was
rtanding. Mrs. Town jumped from
her train and climbed up the steps 10
cross the other train and found the
vestibule doors locked. Tho roar of
the approaching wall Of water was
growing louder and louder. and there
was no time TO be lost. STOPPING low
and ncrved by her, danger, Mrs. Town
crawled under the train and ran up the
hill till she became exhausted. She
was unable to go farther alone, though
not yet far enough up the hillside TO
be out of the floods way, and then Mr..
McGrath helped her on The party
were all cared for by people who lived
on the hillside until Saturday, when
they were driven over the mountains to
Altoona.
Mr.. McGrath told o CRITrc reporter the
awful story of the flood last night.
I'VE had been running along slow with
| frequent stops, but apprehending no
particular danger, till the engines set
up their awful shrek. Then every
body got ont Of the cars and took 10
| the hills. That same night, Friday
| night, drove over the hill to Evans
| burg. i was anxious TO let my wife
and children know that was safe, but
could not send message, The West
ern Unions wires were all down, and
the Railroad Company only succeeded
in getting up one wire and that was
kept busy. The next day, Saturday,
the most of the party went 10 Evans.
burg, and thence we all went TO AL.
toona. Yesterday we drove over the
mountains from Altoona to Bedford,
and went from Bedford to Cumberland
over new track, that had never been
tested. We went AZ the rate of a mile a
minute some of the way. From Cum
berland we were rushed right through
TO this city with all possible dispatch
II has made me about sick, this awful
two days Of horror, and / shall go back
home as soon as can. Miss Halford
told her story of the flood to reporter
last night, but IL differed little from
Mr.. McGrath's.
Titles to Johnstown Property.
II will be a difficult matter for Johns.
town survivors who had property in
the ruined sections to find exactly the
sites of their homes A few large
buildings, such as the Catholic Church,
with its flame SCARED walls, the Balti-
more and Ohio Depot, the storehouse of
the Cambria Iron Company and the
works of that company, one or two
street corners and lines drawn from
prominent points on the surrounding
hills, will be about the only guides for
the surveyors. Records of deeds, paper
securities, bank books and money went
| out with the wreck. Some few OF them
may be recovered. but the bodies of
many of their owners may never be
| found.
| Scenes at tho Hotels.
Some people are besieging the con.
| tracted hotel dining room. in which
about fourteen persons by tight wedg-
ing can get meal. A plate. of bread
passed down the table Is emptied before
II gets to the person asking for it and
some grab two and three pieces at q
time, holding them upon their laps,
while the others impatiently storm about
IT, A man hardly lays down his knife
and fork before the chair Is snatched
from under him. aud he Is hustled out
to make room for another. At this
time q lady is pleading with tears in her
eyes for hotel room for tonight but
she is being informed that she cannot
get it.
| Mrs. Towns Thrilling Experience, +
Mrs. M. s. Town of the Dead Letter
Office of this city had thrilling escape
She was in the day express at Cone
maueh, and after trying to get through
the doors Of the Chicago limited found
them locked and so was obliged TO
crawl under the train. Mr.. ii. +. Nc
Grath, also of this city, was with her
and helped her across and then carried
her up the mountain side.
Two Trains Overtaken.
There were two trains of sleepers on
the track at Conemaugh at the time of
the flood. The Chicago limited was
nearest the mountain side, while the
day express was lying parallel with II
on the outside track. They had been
at the depot five or six hours, and the
passengers were tired. While they
waited two old ladies from Chicago,
who were off on pleasure trip, re-
marked that they expected to have a
| good trip, for they were going for
! pleasure, and pleasure only. 1t is
thought that they were lost, for they
were on the day express where so many
were killed.
Fatal Delay.
The train was held Mt Conemaugh at
about 10 o'clock by the news that a
landslide had occurred ahead. The
| railroad people could not move, rs they
didn't know when the track would be
| cleared. Two freight trains were ahead.
| At o'clock on Friday the break came
The engine shrieked, and thus gave
warning Then the passengers in the
cars began to leave and rush 10 the hill
| side. The trains were vestibule, and
the cars on the track nearest the noun.
tains had their doors locked, so that the
| passengers in the day express could not
open or get through them, but were
| obliged to crawl under the cars, and in
doing this lost so much time that they
| Ntic NuuSht ny tho ""N'ij uiiN thuo VIC
loss of life among the day express
people was so much greater than OF
those on the other train.
Johnstown's Motley Police.
Johnstown presents peculiar APP
pearance from its motley gang of police.
Almost all of the males wear tin stars
and carry baseball bats for batons The
work Is mostly done by out OF towners
the bossing is by the suddenly created
guardian, who is arrayed in garments
of many cuts, tears and patches. One
of these was found engaged in angry
dispute with an Irish woman. They are
beginning TO quarrel over rations The
lady claimed to De u "dacint woman,