The evening world., 1894-05-21
TWO CITIES
UNDER WATER.
JohnstOVn and WilliamspOrt,
Pa, Visited by Great
Floods.
THE PEOPLE IN A PANIC.
Railway Tracks and Cars Washed
Away --- Two Tramps
Drowned.
PENNSYLVANIA ROAD BLOCKED.
Fears that the Reservoir at Kit
tanning Point is
Weakened.
PENNSYLVANIA ROAD BLOCKED.

JOHNSTOWN. Pa. May 2l.-About 8
o'clock this morning Johnstown was
visited by the most disastrous food
since the big flood of May, 1889. At pres
ent 1t Is a hard matter to estimate the
loss. but 1t is an assured fact that the
damage don in the city and within five
milec of 1t will amount to from $50, 900
to $4,000. The Pennsylvania road is the
heaviest loser. most Of its loss being the
result of a bad washout in its track
above ~Conemaugh.
For several days the Conemaugh and
Stony Creek valleys have been visited
by heavy rains Of an almost continuous
nature. Stony Creek REACHED It's high
est point about Q o'cloAk yesterday
morning, and after that time began to
recede gradually. BY night 1t had fallen
several feet. SO that no serious damage
wal apprehended. But In the evening a
heavy rain began in the Conemaugh
Valley, which continued until about 10
o'clock. when q cloud-burst occurred
lear Ebensburg.
The valley in which the vast volume
OF water descended is a tributary Of
the Conemaugh. n shortly after the
cloud burst the Conemaugh had swollen
to many times its natural size. The
volume Of water reached this vicinity
about 8 o'clock this morning, and was
accompanied by wholesale destruction.
The flood was first felt at South Fork,
where numerous small buildings were
swept away. Further on in the course
Of the stream the water undermined
the track of the Pennsylvania Railroad
used by east-bound trains. For almost
two miles this track was rendered i'm
passable for trains. and It became neces-
sary for trains going either way to use
the one track. All trains were delayed.
The Fast Line, due here at 1890 o'clock,
was held all night on account OF the
washout at Kittanning.
At East Conemaugh the water beat
furiously against the large Pennsylvania
Railroad round-house and weakened the
foundations so greatly that 1t was deemed
necessary to remove all the engines to a
place Of safety. The building, however,
stood.
Several bridges and wooden structures
below Conemaugh were badly damaged,
but the greatest damage was In this
city. In the Eleventh Ward the Okla
hom'. House. owned by Peter Seymour,
was caught by the raging waters and
swept to destruction. A three = story
building belonging to Philip Brown was
torn from Its foundation and greatly
damaged. The iron bridge at this place
was badly wrecked.
Fully sl5. 900 damage was done to prop
erty within one hundred yards OF the
Pennsylvania passenger station here.
river is an artificial embankment on
which were five loaded cars on a siding.
The swift water undermined the bank,
which ave way about 4 o'clock. carry
ing down in the river about two hundred
feet Of track and the cars.
Two Tramps Drowned.
In one Of the cars were five ramps,
who are said to be members of Galvin's
army. Three OF them succeeded in get
ting away, but two were drowned. Their
names could not be learned. When the
flood came there was great excitement.
Parties went, from house t. house
awakening, the occupants. Whistles
blew and the city was alive with teams
and people, who were taken to West
mont n Prospect; In Woodvale the
streets were covered with water to the
depth Of six feet, and small houses were
Swanks's pottery works. located In
the Woodyale section of the city, caught
fire. n this co~nfiagration added to the
terror of the inhabitants. 1t was i'm
possible for the fire companies to reach
the building, and II was ruined before the
flames went out OF their own accord. The
Woodvale bridge Is still standing, but
is so badly damaged that 1t cannot be
used.
WIIiamspOrt Under Water.
wILLIAMsPORT. Pa. May p, l p.
M-The water in the river has reached
\ a heighth OF thirty-one feet above low
| water, one foot higher than the disas-
trous food of 1883. The entire city is
under water. which ranges in depth
from four to twenty feet. The water
Ia still rising at the rate OF six inches
an hour. All the logs at the boom
which broke at l o'clock this morning
have been swept away, as well as many
sawmlls and houses in the lower part
OF the city:
| working out OF the city, with a single
i, exception of a shaky long-distance tele-
| phone wire, which was placed at the
disposal OF the Associated Press CORE
| spondent
While he was talking to Philadelphia
he was driven out Of h once by the
rapid rise OF water.
Considerable apprehension is felt by
the residents OF the fats. many fearing
a repetition of the calamity OF June s,
Iooasa..f an S,n.na pua.