Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-19
WARNED IN SEASON.
Mounted Messengers, Fire Bells,
Steam Whistles and Shouts
DRIVE A POPULACE TO THE HILLS.
They Flee Just in Time to Escape From the
Ruin of Their Homes.
SEVERAL MINING VILLAGES WRECKED

company s dam last nlgnt, Is tounQ TO Of
not so great as at first reported. No live,
have been lost, although some narrow
escapes were made. The route of the food
was down the valley from Park Place to the
north of the town. In its course the valley
widens, and, besides, the food had to con-
tend with several large embankments, strik.
ing three railroad lines, and several natural
obstructions
Had it not been for these there would be
3 sad tale to tell of immense damage to
property and great loss of life. While the
water was breaking through the Lehigh
main line embankment, the first obstruc.
tion in its wav, the miners gave the alarm
in the old-fashioned way by lighting fires,
discharging firearms, ringing bells and
making noise in every possible way. The
colliery whistles for miles around soon took
G'P the signal, and then the Mahanoy City
bells and whistles added their clamor to the
tumult; but above all this the roar of the
wafer could be heard.
The Rush for Higher Ground.
With one accord the people ran for the
hills through the valley. Through the Lehigh
embankment the food rushed on carrying
everything before it, tearing up railway
tracks, demolishing houses and everything
in its way, and finally spending itself along
the route of the flood.
The Reading Railroad runs through
Mahanoy back of the principal thorough
fare, and Main street is arched BY it. This
embankment propably saved the town from
greater damage, and it turned the
force of the food to the west. The
water came down Main street, however,
in torrent, sweeping all lighter obstacles
before it and spread over three-fourths of
the town, flooding hundreds of cellars in
residences and business houses. The streets
are blocked with debris many feet high in
places and 200 men and scores of teams are
busy cleaning up the place.
The water supply of the city is cut of,
but arrangements will be completed by
afternoon to remedy this Only timely
warning prevented a large loss of life, as
the people all rushed for the hills, and the
loss Is confined to property and the rail-
roads. 1t will be Monday before the
Lehigh can run over its own lines again.
Points of Resemblance to Johnstown.
Ever since the Johnstown food, there
have been various speculations about the
safety of the water dam from which the
town obtains its water supply. of late the
company has had gang of men at work
raising the breast with view to increasing
its storage capacity, not unlike Johnstown
Last night it broke, and if it was not
another Johnstown in horror the people
here lived the terrors of 1t before the water
had spent its fury. The streets were hardly
cleared before the water came with deaf
ening roar The food lasted for about half
an hour and then began to subside.
John Moll, the gashouse man, had been
fixing his fires in the furnace for the night,
and retired to his house. When he entered
his house some one remarked that it was
raining. NO." be replied, sit cannot be-"
But he listened, and heard the sound of
rushing water. He ran out of the house,
heard the alarm, and, after looking to the
safety of his family, returned to the rail-
road. He had not been there long before
be was nearly caught by floating shed.
Only limited amount of water could
find its way through the culvert under the
large filling of the railroad, and as the tim
bers were rushed down the mountain it ac-
cumulsted at the culvert, which formed
another dam. Meanwhile on the bank
stood young John Fry, who, with gun in
hand, fired heavily loaded blank cartridges
and yelled at the top of his voice. This
was re-echoed along the valley until it
reached town.
Havoc Made OF Mining Villages.
The branch of the Lehigh Valley from
this point to Park Place on the main line,
was almost completely torn up The main
line itself was washed away for a consider
able distance, and tracks are being built
around the washout. The Readings
branches to its collieries in the valley are
also torn up or covered with debris.
The flood, in its course, struck the little
mining village of Robinson, in this valley,
and many people are rendered homeless BY
the washing away of some of the houses and
the unsafe condition of others Many
houses in the mining villages of Robinson
and Bownans were either carried away or
badly damaged and the debris carried mile
or more into the heart of Mahanoy City,
where the homeless ones to-day found frag-
ments OF their former residences and furni-
ture.
At 2 P. NJ. all the people were sufficiently
recovered from the effects of the disaster to
fully realize their almost miraculous escape.
Among the rescues worthy Of note was
that OF Granny Allen, aged rs years, who
occupied basement on Main street, who
had to be carried out through water almost
over the heads of the rescuers. There were
many similar rescues and narrow escapes
The Mounted Messenger of the Flood,
The most remarkable experience was that
of Dr. Lewis Weber, who heard the flood
drove down the valley for two miles to town
over the toughest kind Of roads, completely
wrecking his vehicle, but managing to keep
ahead of the food, and sounding the alarm
to the inhabitants along the way.
The waterworks dam was built 20 wears
ago. 1t broke five years after it was built,
and has long been considered unsafe Work.
men had been repairing some days, and only
left half an hour before it gave way last
night at 10 o'clock. People along the line
o. the wastewav to Mahanoy City were
aware of its unsafe condition, and hence
we're quick to get out of the way when the
warning came.
The electric light and gas works are
stopped, but will be running tonight The
quantity Of trees, stumps. boards, logs,
poles, boats and household furniture in the
line OF the rushing water for two miles is
wonderful
The extent of the losses in money value
cannot now be given. The Lehigh Valley
Railroads loss is estimated at $40. 600. The
Reading collieries and colliery railroads
will show loss equally large. About 80 or
more buildings were demolished.
Saller's DissoI Iution Sale!