Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-02
DEADLY WATERS.
APPALLING DISASTER TO THE
CITY OF QUEENSTOWN.
Eight Thousand Lives Lost in the
Fiood-SeveraI Hundred Perish
in the Flames.
ESPECIAL DlsPATcHRs TO THE EsooRD-Usos.l

ESPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE RECORD UNIos.l
PITTsBURG. June 1st.-Ir this CITY to-day
there was but one topic Of conversation,
and that was the Joanstown deluge.
Crowds Of eager watchers all day long be-
sieged the newspaper bziletin- boards, and
rendered the streets impossible. Many OF
them had friends or relatives in the stricken
district, and Names, names !" was their
cry. But there were no names. The
storm which had perhaps swept away the
lives of their loved ones had also carried
away all means of communication, and
their vigil was unrewarded.
Te show the state to which the telegraph
is reduced ii is sufficient to state that it is
not known whether she operator at Johns
town is dead or alive.
ORDERS FOR CoFfINs.
The nearest point to that city which can
be reached tonight is New Florence, and
one wire there is used almost constantly by
orders fo- collins, embalming fluid, and
preparing special cars to carry the recov.
cred dead to their homes. Along the banks
of the now turbulent Allegheny were
placed watchers for dead bodies, and all
wreckage was carefully scanned for dead
The result of this vigilance was the re-
coverv of one body, that of woman
Seven other bodies have been seen, bu
could not be reached owing to the swift
moving wreckage by which they were sur
rounded. Measures for relief were promptly
taken. The Mayors of both Pittsburg anC
Allegheny issued calls for mass meetings
which were responded to by throngs O
PittsbUr2's wealthiest men, and at P. NJ
$4,000 was in the committees hands, anC
at the sum was swelled to 100000.
New FLORENCE, June 1st-Sang Hollow
is the nearest point to Johnstown that can
be reached this morning. 1t is impossible
10 secure any definite information, but
there seems to be no doubt that Johnstown
is inundated, and that fully 1000 lives were
lost there.
The water is now receding here as rap
idly as it rose last night. As the banks I'M
cover the dead are showing up. Already
nine dead bodies, among them five women,
have been picked up within the limits OF
this borough since daylight. None as yet
have been recognized.
MOTHER AND INFANT.
One beautiful woman about % years
old, had clasped in her arms babe six
months old.
The dead body of young man was dis
covered in the branches of huge tree
which had been carried down stream.
All the orchard crops and shrubberv
along the banks of the river are destroyed
The body of another woman has just
been discovered in the river here. Her foot
was found above the surface of the water
a rope was fastened about it, and is now
tied to tree waiting assistance to land the
body.
RESCUED FROM THE ROOF.
-
were rescued near here this morning by
Mike MetZger and John Forney. They
had been carried from their home in Cam
tria City on the roof of their house.
Seven others were on the roof of the
louise when it was carried off, but they were
all drowned. They are unknown to Web
ber they having drifted on to the roof from
floating debris. Weber and wife were
thoroughly drenched, and almost helpless
from exposure. They were unable to walk
when taken from the roof
There does not seem to be any mitigation
OF the awful fears of last night.
HARD.woRKED REPORTERS.
Weary and overworked newspaper men,
who have heen without rest and food since
yesterday afternoon, and telegraphers who
handled the messages, even now are pre-
pairing for the work of another day.
Even here, so far from the washed-out
towns, we have horror in our midst
Seven bodies have been found on the
shore near this town, men and women,
where the tide carried them.
Country people are coming in in large
numbers, telling stories of disaster along
the river banks.
sTREwN WITH DEAD.
New FLORENCE (Pa.), June 1st-John
Mccartney, who lives in Johnstown,
reached here at o'clock. He left Johns
town at 4:30 yesterday, and says the scene
was indescribable.
The people had been warned early in the
morning to move to the highlands, but did
not heed the warning, although repeated g
number of times up 10 l o'clock, when the
water poured into Cinder street several feet
deep.
Then the houses began rocking to and
fro, and finally the force of the current car
ried buildings across the streets into vacant
lots, and dashed them against each other,
breaking them into fragments.
THEY LAUGHED AT DANGER.
These buildings were freighted with poor
wretches who so shortly before laughed at
the cry of danger.
Mccartney saws in some cases he counted
fifteen persons clingipg to buildings
1t was impossible to get to Johnstown
proper to-day in any manner except by
rowboat, and the only hope is to get within
about three miles of Johnstown by special
train or by handcar, This will he done by
an Associated Press agent within the next
hour.
HoRRIFYING DISCOVERIES.
The banks on both sides of the river are
crowded with anxious watchers and with
hnrrify~incY fraanappyr thair y-ic-i1C
warded by the discovery of dead body.
Within the last half hour three floating
bodies have been recovered at this point.
Hundreds of people from Johnstown and
upriver towns are hurrying here in search
of friends and relatives who were swept
away in last nights food.
Intense excitement prevails. The street
corners are crowded with pale and anxious
people, who tell of the awful calamity with
stilled breath.
PREPARATIONS FOR BURIAL.
Bodies are being prepared for burial, but
will be held for identification.
-Four boys have just come from the river
bank above here. They say that on the
opposite side anumber of bodies can be seen
lying in the mud. They found the body
of woman on this side.
X. B. Rogers, Justice of the Peace at
NlneNa0, WlTeu the coroner at GEeellSDurg
that 100 dead bodies were found at that
place. From this one can estimate that
the loss oflite will reach over ,000-perhaps
more.
No one knows, no one can guess the sick
ening sight that is expected to be met by
the correspondents when they arrive at
the scene.
A report has just been received that
twenty persons are on an island near Nine
yah. and q man and woman are on a
partly submerged tree.
DEATH IN THE FLAMES.
NEw FLORENCE (Pa.), June lst-Report
has just reached here that at least 100 pee
pie were consumed in the flames at Johns
town last night. It is said to have been an
awful horror, but definite information can
not be obtained here. The air is filled with
thrilling and almost incredible stories, but
none of them as yet have been confirmed.
The fire was the elimination of the horror.
The roasted will fully reach 100, and they
died in the midst OF the flood.
The first authentic news comes from w.
n. Hays of the Pennsylvania COMPANY,
who reached New Florence at . O'Clock.
Ruins of houses, outbuildings and other
structures were swept against the railroad
bridge at Johnstown, and from an over
turned stove or some such cause, the upper
part OF the wreckage caught fire.
HORRORS OF FIRE AND FLOOD.
There were crowds of men, women and
~, 10 nd fhas-