Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1889-07-18
JoHNsFowN, NEW YORK.
A DOZEN LIVES LOST. IN A FLOOD
IN THE EMPIRE STATE.

A Bridge Loaded with Human Beings
swept Into the Torrent and Many Fail
to Reach the shorc-The Loss 10 Lives
and Property Detailed.
A Johnstown, N. Y, special of the 10th
inst says:
Heavy rains last night choked the
streams and flooded the districts Shriver's
large mill at this place was carried away.
Twenty persons were on the Ferry street
bridge when the arch fell into the rushing
torrent. Cries for help alarmed the resi-
dents, and Chief Mcdonald, President
Northup, Police Justice Anderson, and
others organized a searching expedition.
Lanterns were procured and parties went
along the stream with ropes to assist in
the rescue Cne person was seen splashing
and plunging in the water near the Johns
town, Fonda & Gloversville railroad
bridge, quarter of milo down the
stream. AS he fioated past those ON the
shore he cried: "For Gods sake, help me- !"
He was swept so close to the shore that a
man who was in boat seized him, but
owing to the swift current was unable to
maintain his hold and the unfortunate was
swept under the floating driftwood Two
other persons came down moment ter,
clinGing to plank and shouting for help.
They were swept out of sight below the
railroad bridge.
At a. IN. the body of Burt Speed well,
10 years of age, was recovered from the
debris in this place An hour later Albert
Cokely was pulled cut from under the
driftwood that had lodged back Of Evans
mills. Soon after, the body Cf man
named Treadwell was found in the same
place At 8 a. m. the body Of Charles
Frear, 80 years of age, was recovered from
the wreck at Evans mill
Chief Corbett was carried to the dam,
down which he went for distance of six
teen feet He succeeded in swimming
ashore and escaped without injury. Peter
Evans, a stone-mason, says that he went
down with fifteen others and was carried
Easrs,-
ceeded in getting out below. He was
bruised about the face. Purdy Case res
cued two men named Nellis and Vosburg
by means of ropes
Citizens are now engaged in removing
the wreckage of Schriver's mill, under
which they think other bodies have been
lodged. 1t is believed that the two men
who went down on plank lost their lives
at the dam, and that their bodies were
carried down the stream and are now in
the Mohawk river,
No one knows how many were drowned
VI WuO diO AhiooihBs AhO HOOu was %
great and the current so swift that little
help could be rendered. The State street
iron bridge and the railroad bridge were
swept away. They were large structures.
During the heaviest part of the storm,
Main and Blocker streets in Gloversvile
were flooded with water The new pave
ment in Blocker street was torn up for
several blocks. A number of resdenc, 5 in
the upper part of the town are entirely
surrounded by water The foundation
walls of new stone building now in
course of construction on North Maine
street. Gloversville. were -nnrfly cnrriad-
away. The two iron bridges on the Cen
trail and the Fonda, Johnstown 81 Glove-s-
Vile railroads are gone The railroal
and State street bridges in Johnstown
were large, first class structures. The
Ferry street bridge consisted of an arch
spanning the entire WIDTH of the stream.
1t was upon one of the plank walks that
the people were standing when the arch
was carried away. Shriver's large mill Is
entirely wrecked, the loss being atout
$4,000. Several small buildings are
partially ruined, their foundations being
undermined Many of the bridges on
country roads along the valley are gone,
and some fields of grain are partially
covered with water. The loss to property
at Groversvil,e will probably be covered
by SO, 900. 1t is quite likely that $50, O0)
will cover all the damage wrought by the
storm.