Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-12-27
THE WIND STORM.
Diberfs UncoInpleted Four-story Building
Knocked Out of PluInb-The Old Mer.
chants Hotel Fenced OF AS Danger.
ous-YesterGay Breezy Day.

Hhoekeu Gut oil PluInb-Ihe Old Mer.
chants Hotel Fenced on as Danger.
ous-YesterGay Breezy Day.
The weather master was trying his old.
est capers Sunday. The predicted rise
in temperature and rainfall came carly in
the morning. Later the sun appeared,
and soon came the wind in gales, guests,
whirls, blasts, or in whatever shape you
may wish to call it. Early church goers
caught the first breeze. Loose boards,
shingles that have seen too many Christ
masses to be of much use, sign. boards,
shutters, unlatehed doors-in fact almost
any light article not nailed or locked
swung, slammed or clattered in manner
that would have done honor to western
town. Those living in some of the light
frame houses on the hillsides began to
wonder which would be the worse to
live in the valley and be washed away or
to be rolled down the slope. Even the
more heavy and substantial buildings
rocked at times. People talked wind to
each other, and many windy" adven-
lures, almost equalling flood sufferer "
stories of certain kind, were told as the
crowds assembled in various places or
went too and from church.
Some of the tall walls of the many nm
finished buildings about the city early
began to arouse apprehensions of danger.
The noise occasioned by the shifting of
loose boards in scaffolding or by falling
chips or blocks as the wind swept them
off their resting places, made some people
shy to the opposite side of the street in
many places, as they went past.
In the forenoon between half-past ten
and eleven o'clock some person standing
on Grffith's corner observed the new
Dibert building, across Main street from
them, swaying. Postmaster Banner and
some others who were in the possoffice
were notified, and they made speedy
exit. The police were sent for and the
sidewalk near was fenced off as a warn,
ing to passersby. A little later the mid
die part of the building from the second
story up swayed about a foot out of
plumb towards Parks Opera House, and
stayed in that position. There was high
excitement, as the large crowd that had
assembled expected every minute to see
the building fall but it rested there as if
securely fastened Crowds of people
kept viewing it all day. The police put
a guard to keep people at a safe distance.
L he occupants of the different parts of the
Opera House rooms were notified of the
danger, and most Of them went to places
of safety. Early in the afternoon two
ropes were stretched from the fourth
story to the curb on the opposite side of
Franklin street and securely anchored
there.
Whether the building will have to be
taken down and rebuilt or whether means
can be employed TO bring it back to its
place till the floors are laid and the roof
put on, was question much discussed
by those who were the on.lookers yester-
day. 1t is understood that the building
will be lett as it isuntil the architect who
is Pittsburgh man, comes. The con-
tractor is Mr. Theodore f. Seigh of the
South Side, and the owners Mr. David
Dibert's heirs, Of this city.
The old Merchants Hotel, having been
adjugded unsafe by the Johnstown Coun-
Gil, was avoided yesterday. Most people did
not have to be told to avoid that side of
the street, but the police fenced it off too,
that no one might be near should the gale
prove too much for its strength.
a great nuisance at times of high winds
are the various awnings when left over
the sidewalks, as many are here, and the
pendulous slgn-boards. Both should be
abolished. They are source of danger.
Some will always be getting loose, and
every now and then one is blown down.
In many of the large cities they are not
permitted. Then the creaking and clat-
tering of sign-boards above the sidewalks
is anything else but pleasant to those who
have to pass under them. No one feels
safe in such places.