The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-06-13
AN EDITORS EXPERIENCE.
FRANK HATToNs THRILLING DE-
soRIPTloN oFlTHE FLOOD,

The limited Train siandiaH en bridge
When tho Dam iifeaks-'fha Engines
Move Slowly Aleng-iilanehed PAGES
AT tho windews-r reopie Running faI
tho moautain slde-''fhank God, We
Are 6ayedl"
WARHmdToH, June iO-Brank Hat
ton, editor OF the Washington Post, who
was One Of the passengers on the Chicago
limited train at lOhnhtOWn contributes
10 The Post graphic description Of the
mannerOf his escape from death, When
tho limited pulled into Johnatown II
was found tliat the place was Hooded
Only few minutes were wasted there,
then tho train moved cautiously on,
Mineral Point was passed, From
this spot 0n the speed OF the train do
creased, Tho fury Of tho torrent the
roar Of tho waters seemed 10 intlmldate
tho two great iron monsters that were
dragging the train Faces blanQhed
with fear pressed against tho windows
Of tho cars, A great bodies OF water
rolled down tho gorgea and over the
track, covering tho cars with spray
terrified passengers would jump back
expecting tho cars 10 DO overturned,
Tho speed OF tho train gradually do,
creased, and then o. " tho engines had
given up la despair, tho train stopped,
Passengers alighted 70 ascertain our
location, II was found that we were 40
the south end Of tho bridge which
fpanned tho CGnamaugh ~ tho little
town Of South Fork, and M tho point
where South and North Fork come TO-
Feihrr, and near % telegraph tower,
nut no orders came 10 move forward
Au Avalanche Of Water
Tho WAier cnmG down the two forks
with terrible force, tulllng Of tho ruin
that was being wrought above, f0r
lions Of hIldgea, Oulhpusea, logs. pieces
Of furniture aud nlI linlaof debris went
tearing hy md ON down Ia the rapidly
swelling river lpn ilitoon, twenty
minute passed and there was no move
mcut Of the train, Tho rain came down
from the henyenH above, while the Hoods
of tho two forks rUired and dashed ~
they Joined together mlkng ono mighty
and HnHy river, People from the town
Of South Fork crossed tho bridge and
mixed with tho puH1rgcm Then tho
lHltpr did not know Of the reservoir two
miles above them which was gcttIng
ready tO lrt loose tho vast body OF water
which 10 held within I4 confines,
"What it tho no ppry0r should breah"
said o CItIlFn,
"Gul help ua " II does" responded an
old woman, the mother Of three boys
who had iuat como out Of the mines,
with their faces black with tho grim OF
honest toll.
"Whrrp h tho rtGoryolri' asked tho
writer Of an old man.
"Iwo miles and half up the South
Branch ~ responded hc, pointing In the
direction,
ltnccdcd but glOnco at tho topog.
pphy Of tho country 10 show that it the
reservoir which was described Ns thren
miles long, ono and half miles wide
and sixty feet deep, cmplIed NJ mountain
Of watcr down tho Sides Of the gorge
through which South Fork flowed the
limited express would bO destroyed and
oil ON board swept into eternity,
Tho Train Moves Again,
Mr. ll0ttOn auggcElod that the train bo
moved across the bridge, Tho conduc-
tor NJ first said that ho had orders 10
stay whore ho was, hut no finally con-
scntcd 20 take tho train across, "About
fifteen minutes after tho limited had
reached the north side, says Mr., llntton,
"tho engine of the freight train, which
had remained on the south side, gave
fierce ahrolS and the truin started for
the bridge, lntuitlycly oycry ono knew
the dam had broken and tho wator was
coming,
The Inhabitants, shrlcl,lng and crying
ran for the mountain side, Tho two on
gnos on the limited blew their whistles
and started up the track, followed by u
freight train. The wrilCr was In the
rear Of the next 10 the last car on tho
limited The roar Of the wator was al.
most dcafening. In less time than ithas
taken 10 writo this paragraph, II had
struck the houses nearest the bridge aud
they were lifted high into tho air and
tumblod over
fgssq In tho surglng stream.
Tho engine Of tho escaping freight
train, which had given the alarm, had
hardly reached the north sldo when the
bridge went down and the freight cars
were boino oil by the rushing waters.
Aa the passenger train fled up tho track
the back water up the north branch car.
ricd by Il articles Of furniture from tho
houses which few seconds before were
standing by the side Of the train,
There was great excitement among
the passengers ON the train, but II was
soon discovered that the danger was
past, and q "Thnnk God, we are savod'
went up from the hearts and lips Of all
ON board The limited train lay at vii.
moro all night and until late Saturday
afternoon when IL pocccded slowly east,
reaching Altoona about seven o'clock
that evening,