Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-07-11
WORK OF THE FLOOD
Miles of Railroad Washed 0ut
 and Bridges Destroyed.
EIGHT PERSONS ARE DROWNED.
The Damage Will Mount Up Into Many
 Thousands

The Damage Will Mount up Into ManJ
 Thousands Rotten Dam Which Cru mblsd Before ! the Forces of the water-Four Bodice | Recovered from the W reck-Sea rchlne l for the Dead-The Flood at Glovers
 vills-Heavy Damages ut Amaterdam.
 Nxter Tarss Feet Deep in Fonda
 JoHNsTowN, N. Y., July 1.-The rain storm which burst upon JohnstoWn and tho neighboriug country Tuesday afternoon was one of the most severe ever known In this county. The ground having been saturated by previous rains could absorb no moro, aud from every fold and hill'slde floods of water poured into the valleys causing the brooks to overflow their ban ks, and making of the Cayadutta, which TO- ceives several branches at this point, a mighty torrent
 It's resistless waves swept toward tho Mohawk, breaking down all barriers to its impetuous course.
 At about o'clock the railroad bridge near the depot was swept away, and tmno- diately afJerward the State street bridge. over which passes one of tho trunks by which the city Is supplied with water, was also carried down. Tho trunk, however, not being anchored to the bridge, was left unin1ured, though 1t was subjected to Q SC were strain from the pressure of water and debris.
 Crowds of people stood upon the banks oi the strenm and upon the Main Market and D., hy}1 tch Tn ho Vsynrlx nf destruction from o'clock until dark, and many, notwithstanding the warnings of the officers who guarded the bridges, put theiI lives In peril by standing upon the bridges over the madiy rushing waters.
 At o'clock tho dam at Stewards mill in the southwestern part of the town gave way, carrying with 1t part of the fouDdo- tion walls of the building and one span of the iron bridge just below. Fortunately those on the bridges were warned ln time to make good thef escape.
 Soon after this the saw mill of Peter Get man, below Main street. was carried out with a part of its dam which also furniehed power for the large leather dressing mill of J. Lebanheim 6 Co. and lumber yard, ma chinery and other wreokage went whirling down the torrent
 At about 8 o'clock the crowd of speota- | tors on Perry street, and number who were standing upon the stone arch brid ge | under which the united waters of the north | and west branches of tho Cayadutaa wore | rushing, saw the Walls of Schriver's largo | leather dressing mill sway and fall. Inc | wreck was immediately swept down the | stream, carrying with 1t the foundation | walls of the mill and soon the wreck of the building was lying in O mass upoa the | sward of the cemetery which lies upo n tho | opposite side of the creek.
 l The storm centre, 1t appears, was along the west branch of the Cayadutta which rises 1n tho town of Mayfeld, about six miles east of this city. Whom the nill wreckage reached the Perry street bridge, l its easterly wall was soon undermined and 1t fell, with score of people standing upon 1t into the rushing waters.
 The scene that followed beggars desorip- tion. Many fled for thoir lives, others needed the cries of the unfortunate victiAs and took measures for their rescue. Ropes and poles were procured and thrown across the stream below the bridge, but 1t had 11 this time grown so dark that the people floating among tho wreckaGe could not be seen from the banks.
 1 Adam Putnam, a tanner, and Peter Davis, 0 mason, saved their lives by swim. ming ashore below the bridge on Marho, street Benton Nollis, a tanner, about
 forty years of age, bravely attempted to
 save a boy named John Vosburg who fel
 with him from the bridge He held the lad
 with ono hand while battling in the flood with the other until both were rescued by Capt. P. ?. Case and Dr. Mason, who, witt
 great difficulty, brought them to shore. Tho first body recovered was that oi Burt Speedwell, l5 years of age, whicl was taken from the debris at this place ) An hour later Albert Cokely was pulled ou , from under the driftwood that had lodged back of Evans Mills. Soon after the bod. } of a man named Treadwell was found In th' . same place. The body of Charles Frear, s - yeays of age, a carpenter, was uncovere' 3 frofh under the wreck at Evans Mille } The bodies arc badly bruised. They wer 0 removed to Police Heaquarters where the, t will be held pending coroner's inquest C Charles Abbott was carried down fror
 the Ferry street bridge to the dam wher
 he went over, going down a distance o
 sixteen feet but miraculously succeeded 1
 swimming ashore and escaping withoU .. injury.
 Peter Evin, 0 stone mason, says he wer v down with fifteen others and was carrie
 under the Ferry street bridge but sucoeede
 in getting out below. He was bruise " about the face.
 THOSE WHOM DEATH CLAIMED. Tho people who lost their lives wex , O~SAAeNyS ~As'~~~~f ~oO~ 10 five; Charles Freer, carpenter, aged lift. William Meyers, 1ged sixteen; R. D. Sir
 mons, aged sixty, painter and member of @, U. A. M. Burt Steadwell, aged seventeel ,e unknown man, body found near Fond
 unknown woman swept away with chi ,k- in her arms.
 90 Tho loss Johnstown will sustain by t
 flood will amount, perhaps, to sl0o, 900, b s- all tho people arc thanking their stars th V 1t was no more.
 At Aiken, three miles west of Amste n. dam, 400 feet Of tho New York Centra ,d tracks have been washed away.
 The Central Railroad bridge adjacent .. the village of Fonda has been swept aws sh The water stood three feet doep In t ' streets of Fonda. Cellars wore flooded a thcreis much surface damage. oA No connection has been made from t IF. East with the Central road Thore wore s' passengers or baggage on tho East trs
 and there is not likely to be any on the trs
 on the Fonda, Johnstown and 0loversvi
 Railroad inside of three or four days, a ', those who want to get back and ferth ny tween Gloversville and Fonda must empl u