The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-07-06
A New Cause Assigned.

A special to the Chronicle Telegraph
of Pittsburg. assigns a new cause for
the terrible disaster at JohnstoWn
and the Conemaugh Valley. 1t says:
There seems to be a growing i'm
preston that perhaps too much
blame has been placed upon the
Conemaugh Lake dam break.
In the course of conversation this
morning with that very.competent
civil engineer. Assistant Superinten-
dent Trump. of the Pennsylvania
Railroad, he gave me some facts
which indicate that many things are
to be considered in connection with
this accident.
The gentleman alluded to is ad-
mittedly a most competent and
thorough engineer. He said: IL
haye been studying the course of the
flood for three weeks, and during
that time have satisfied myself that
very great part of the damage done
in the Conemaugh Valley was done
by a mountain. That may seem
strange. perhaps, but it is a fact
when the great waye came down to
rSouth Fork it was not more than 30
or 35 feet high. This is clearly shown
by the water line on the hills and
buildings. 1t had acquired so much
velocity when it reached the noun
tain on the lower side of which the
old viaduct stood, that it fairly back.
ed against it. At this Loint the river
makes very sharp curve around the
foot of tall mountain, forming a
bend shaped like the letter U. Most
OF the water refused to follow the
course of the stream and rushed up
the mountain side until it reached a
depth of 105 feet by actual measure.
ment. The force of the blow of this
flood is clearly shown among trees
and rocks. Of course in II very short
time the water fell back from the
mountain side into the bed of the
stream. The valley around the
mountain is V shaped and in short
time it was filled with the big wave,
which had trebled its previous
height. 1t gained strength and force
as it swept around the big curve, and
then it struck the viaduct, built so
years ago for the old Portage road.
IA workman who saw the water
strike the bridge says it came in
three waves. like terrace. The first
wave was about Is feet high, the Sec
ond about so, and the grand top was
over 100 feet. The first wave was
checked by the viaduct, which was
80 feet high. The second wave also
rushed against the huge stone struc.
,ture without surmounting it, and
then the third wave, with its burden
,f6f timber and rubbish, fell upon the
bridge and swept over its surface 20
Fleet above the top of it. This force
/ of water soon swept the viaduct
away, and with renewed yigor, be-
i cause of the second check to its force,
Il the wave went on down the stream.
j As it passed down the valley the
height of the wave rapidly fell. and
when it reached bridge No. 6, which
i is six miles below the viaduct, it was
not more than so to 60 feet high. 1t
carried off this bridge, and then
! rushed on the Conemaugh, where it
] was about 45 feet high. Just above
4 Woodvale the wave struck against
the point of the hill which extends
down to Johnstown, and is called
4 Prospect Hill proper, which threw it
4 across Johnstown in three streams
l and backed up Stony creek for more
j than a mile. 1t then rushed back
against the stone bridge, carrying its
!, load of houses and people. There is
no doubt that the stone bridge saved
4 hundreds of lives. The people crawl
ed out of the ruins upon the bridge
i like ants from a hill. Some people
have said that the bridge damaged
the town by backing up the water.