Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-05-23
THE RIVERS AGAIN.
More About the Cause of Their Overflow
aud the Remedy.

10 IN, Editor ar the Johnstotoa Democrat.
In an article in the Tribune recently,
headed "Our City and its Rivers" the
writer very keenly calls t" notice our
dreadful disaster, loss of life and
property caused by waters. The les
son was indeed one veey dearly pur-
chased. But would it net be we'll for us,
in all sincerity, to look the causes OF our
disaster and troubles from water squarely
in the face, and in doing so we find, in
the first place, 1t is an undenied fact that
the nrime cause for the loss of so many
lives and thousands of dollars worth of
property was the giving way of the South
Fork reservoir on May 31st last. OF the
reservoir, can only be said there did exist
some fourteen miles from our city death
trap longing an opportunity to sweep
down and rob us of thousands Ut inhab-
itants and millions of dollars worth of
property. But did we not know the res
ervor was in existence? Were we not
fully aware of its unsafcty? Was 1t not
known fact that unfit material was an
nually used in the breast of that very res
ervoir, which possessed not the required
resisting power for so enormous BODY oil
water? And, lastly, were we not fully
familiar with the correspondence on the
subject that took place between John
Fulton, now General Manager OF the
Cambria Iron Company, then Chief En-
pineer of same institution, and the officers
of the South Fork Sportsmen and Fishing
ClubP We were told as plain as language
could make it by our townsman that the
resisting power was insufficient, taking
character of material and manner OF con-
struction as basis for our protection.
Certainly no one can deny these facts;
they were well founded, and we have the
evidence-a ruined city. This is our dis
aster and cause in nutshell.
Now as for our rivers. 1t is undoubt-
edly true that our channels in their rpreseo'
condition are insufficient to carry off the
water should large amount OF rain fall.
But why are they insufficient to discharge
all the waters now Were they not also
insufficient for several years before the
flood? 1t is true that a portion OF our
present trouble must be attributed to de-
posits in our channels as result from the
flood. but does the cause solely rest there
ss we are lead to believe? Certainly not,
4or we have had overaows for several
wears before the flood. We older citizens
who have lived in this valley from 30 to
80 wears have no recollection of troubles
from high water. No other solution can
therefore be given than as we know and
see them, and that is a practical game of
scientific taking that which does not be-
long, has been indulged in on the banks
of our stream to such an extent that our
channels have, within the last few years,
been so narrowed that the space left now
has been and is unable to discharge all
the water and overflows are natural re.
suits. The Stonycreek, which now seems
TO so sincerely attract the atttntion OF our
would-be phrlanthropists, urging City
Council to grant privileges TO change the
stream, was in former times no source OF
trouble, and why Because it then had
the average width of 225 feet.
This width our borough fathers in all
there wisdom thought was extravae ant
by fifty feet, and assumed the questioned
responsibility to reduce the width to 175
feet and grant permits to fill to that width.
A corporation determined to see the town
Council with their reduction of fifty fee
in width and go fifty better. So that in
place of leaving channel of 225 feet as
formerly We now have a channel to con-
vey off same amount Of rain fall at 1875
feet at some points. The same ratio will
hold good with all our streams in the City
limits, and yet the question is daily asked
why have we trouble from water sources
now The time has arrived when
prompt and decided action for our relief
is necessary, our City Council to whom
is intrusted the task, should at once take
the position that private individuals
though ever so poor have equal rights
with corporations that both are amen
able on the same basis, and to that end
should negotiate and not allow, as in
former years that schemes of various
kinds shall form the basis of legislation.
The change of Stonycreek would not
doubt be profitable at least to the proiec-
tors, who with tears ask to be recognized.
That our streams have been encroached
on is now beyond doubt That the bed
of a stream is a highway is equally true,
If therefore a highway is encroached
upon, there is remedy. The law of
Johnstown borough Council without
authority narrowed our streams or
allowed it to bedone then there is
remedy for restoration, and my word |
for it, restore to our channels that which
was without any well founded authority, |
taken from it from Coopersdale to the
extreme limits of the City. Remove
the most scrions deposits from the flood, |
as we'll as the stone railroad bridge, and
ARRANGE at nroner ANGLES the confluence