Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-06-04
The JohnstoWn Horror.

!
more and more apparent that the exact
number of lives lost in the Jamestown catas-
trophe will never be known. All estimates
that have been made up to this lime are
conservative. and when all is known will
doubtless be found to have been too small.
Over 600 bodies have been found since sun
rise Yesterday, and the most sceptical con-
cede that the remains OF thousands more
rest beneath the debris OF the Youngstown
bridge. Three hundred bodies have been
found living on the sand ct kernvil'e. vi
the thousands who were devoured by the
flames and whore ashes rest beneath the
smoking debris above Johnstown bridge, no
definite information can ever be obtained.
AS little will be learned OF the hundreds
that sank beneath the current and were
borne swiftly down the Conemaugh only to
be deposited hundreds of miles below on the
banks and in the diiftwood of the raging
Ohio. Probably one-third OF the dead Will
never be recovered, and it will take a list oil
the missing, weeks hence, to enable even q
close estimate to be made OF the number oil
bodies that were seen floating in the river in
the brief hour. That this estimate can never
be accurate is understood when it is remem.
bered that in many instances whole families
and their relatives were swept away ana
found common grave beneath the wild
waste OF waters. The total destruction OF
the city leaves no data TO even demonstrate
that the names of these unfortunates ever
found place on the pages Of LIES history.
The scene at the lower end of the city is
beyond description. The half has not been
tod, and never can be, as to the extent OF
the awful wreck. Where Woodvale once
stood there is now o sea OF mud, broken but
rarely by q pile of wreckaee. the two
towns are now under martial law, and every
one who goes about the place is challenged
and required to give an account OF himself
and ali idlers have been notified to leave.
May devotions were in progress on Fri
day night when the water descended on
Cambria City. The church was filled with
ueople at the time and when the noise of the
! flood was heard the congregation FASTENED
| to get out of the way. They succeeded as
far as escaping from the interior is con
cerned, and in q few minutes the church
was partially submerged, the water reach
ing fifteen feet up the sides and swirling
around the corners furiously. One object
alone escaped the waters wrath. The statue
of he blessed Virgin that had been decora-
ted and adorned because of the May devo-
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The flowers, the wreaths, the lace veil. were
undisturbed and uosOiled.
An unknown hero lies somewhere among
TIE pameless dead Who he ia may never
he known, but his ride will be famous in
! local history. Mounted on a grand big bay
horse. he came riding down the pike, which
passes through Conemsugh to lohnstOWn,
! Ike some angel Of wrath of old, shouting his
| far IN
( the hill,l' Run to the hills" People
crowded cut of their houses along the thick
ly settled street awe struck and wondering.
| Nobody knew the man. Some thought he
was maniac and laughed. On at quick
pace he rode, and shrily rang out his aw-
| full cry. In few moments, however, there
came cloud OF ruin down the broad
streets, down the narrow alleys, grind.
| ing, twisting, hurting, overturning, crush
ing, apnihilating the weak and the strong
It was the charge of the flood wearing its
coronet of ruin and devastation, which grew
a. every instant OF its progress. Forty feet
high-some say thirty, according to others
was this sea, and it travelled with swift
ness like that which lay hiddsn in the heels
| of Mercury. On and on raced the rider,
and on aud on rushed the wave. Dozens OF
people took heed of the warning and ran up
to the hills. Poor, faithful rider, it was an
unequal contest. Just as he turned across
the railroad bridge tho mighty wave fell
upon him, and horse, rider aud bridge all
went away into chaos together.
The population of Jchnstown, the sur
rounding towns. and the part Of the valley
affected by the flood was from $4,000 to
SIS 600. Il is thought that fully thirty per
cent. ofthc residents Of Johnsown and Cam
bria have been victims ofthe disasters of fire
and water. The property destroyed will
reach S25 100000 Contributions are pour
ing in rapidly from every section of the
country and every effort Is being made to
relieve the existing distress, 100000 having
been raised at Philadelphia, 500 000a at New
York, over $4,000 at Baltimore, over 81 600
at Washington, $4,000 appriaed by the
Connecticut Legislature, SO 600 appropriate
ed by the Massachusetts House of Represen-
tatives, and numerous smaller amounts in
various Cities The President has author
lied General Schofeld to furnish tents
and provisions to the Johnstown sufferers.
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