Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-13
JOHNNIE STITT, HERO.
A Youth of ~ Who Died While Saving
Others-Using a Locomotive Head.
light for q Lantern He Guided
Many TO Places
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT ]

rFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
JoHSsrowN, June 12-Coming up on the
train this morning I met Mrs. ]. L. Shields
prominently connected with the Masonic order
mother of Harry Shields, formerly station
agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad at this
place, and wife of Mr.. J. L. Shields, Of the
West Penn Railroad, at Blairsville. Mrs
Shields was on her way to meet her son al
Johnstown. She had been attending the funeral
of her nephew, whose death was one thai
showed the selfsacrifcing heroism Of boy,
such as is seldom equaled. and to which older
martyrs will bow their heads.
The young man was johnnie" Shepherd
Stitt and lived at Blairsville. He was but II
years of age, and worked in the Pennsylvania
Railroad machine shop at that place. On that
awful Black Friday night, when hundreds of
souls were being rocked to an everlasting sleep
beneath the dark waters OF the Conemaugh,
Young Stitt was out on the abutment of the
Pennsylvania Railroad bridge, above where he
lived, and was trying to lend aid to those who
were struggling in the water, after being
washed down the river from their homes dis
tance of about Is miles.
The night was awfully dark and the rush of
waters as they dashed up against the bridge
did not finch. After pulling several people
out of the water at the risk of his own life, he
rushed up to railroad shops and there procured
a locomotive headlight.
A Life Saving Beacon,
He trudged down to the river with it, and
after lighting the lamp he carried 1t out on
the abutment of the bridge. where he flashed
the rays of light out upon the river. BY the
strong light and his words Of encouragement,
young Stitt guided over a dozen people to
places of safety on the shore. Had it not been
for his light, many of the people who were
struggling in the water would have had their
brains dashed out against the abutments.
A number of his companions warned young
Stitt to come away, as the bridge began to grow
shaky, and it was feared that the structure
would go down in the food. The boy replied
that there was no danger, and he was not
afraid of the bridge going down with him. He
said if he came away the people would have no
light to guide them. and he thought 1t was his
duty to stay. He had just answered an appeal
from one of his companions when, without
much warning, there was crash and the
abutment was torn away. The headlight was
seen to disappear; with IL went the boy. No
body present heard him say anything as he dis
appeared. but as he rose to the surface his
voice could be heard above the roar of the
waves to the fact that he was all right and
he would make a landing below. As he passed
the slaughter house owned by his brother, where
there were a number of people out looking at
the wreck, he called:
81 am Johnnie Stitt and am all right"
That Was the Last Heard From Him
until his body was found Sunday afternoon at
Salisbury He was buried in the little ceme-
terry at Blairsville yesterday afternoon, and
the word Hero" will be the inscription above
his grave.
The escape Of Johnnie's sister, Annie, was
most miraculous one. She was at Ebensburg
and was on her way to Gettysburg to attend
college commencement She was a passenger
on the train that was washed out below Cone
maugh and was saved by her knowledge of the
country. She got out of the coach in which
she was sitting and made her way to a small
plank bridge across mill-race owned by some
friends of hers. She had barely succeeded in
crossing the mill-race when the small bridge
gave way.
Several persons who came after her attempted
to cross but were swept away and probably
drowned. Miss Stitt made her way TO the
farmhouse, where she was received by her
friends. She was mourned for dead by her
family, who had searching parties out looking
for the body. They were surprised at her
return Tuesday afternoon just 20 minutes after
the Interment of her brother in the family plot.
MCSwIGAN.