The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-05-23
A RAGING FLOOD.
Ruin Wrought Throughout the
State.

llllA4e " DlAl VI fAAitAt- A--afN 49, -"Nf-
away by the angry waters.
Johnstown and the famous Conemaugh
Valley are again the scene ofthe awful work
Of water. Thousands of dollars worth of
property has been laid waste, but Fortunate
" only two lives were lost. That part of
the city known as Woodvale, which was
wiped out in iSS9, when thous-
anGs Of lives perished, presents a scene Of
desolation, the rushing waters having car
ried away many homes and leil ruin and
waste everywhere.
The food came 10 Johnstown about two
O'Clock Monday morning.
Policemen hastened from house to house
and aroused the inhabitants. Men and
women, partially dressed, hurriedly dragged
children through the streets; people who
had friends in the lower portions Of the city
ran to warn them, and the streets were full
Of people. Most of those who sought safety
were soon comfortably housed with friends
on Prospect or Westmont.
The Penn Traffic Company's buildings and
the Cambria Company's general offices were
flooded from the basement to the first floors
and $4,000 worth OF goods was destroyed.
Love. Sunshine & Co. are also heavy loosers.
seven freight cAEs belonging to the P. R. R.
were carried of
-Four or five houses were lifted from their
foundations aud wrecked by the current
From Conemaugh east, as far as Altoona,
the Pennsylvania railroad IS in deplorable
condition, traffic being practically impOssi-
bic. Washouts Of 300 to COO feet are nu-
merous. Just east of Lilly thousands of
feet Of track are washed away Between
the A. o. signal tower, near the deep cut,
and the Mineral Point station, about three
and half miles from Johnstown, 800 feet
Of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company 5
four tracks were washed out. The water,
instead Of keeping in the channel, which is
q roundabout way, wore a new water course,
level with the channel, directly through a
deep cut.
The Pennsylvania railroad will not be in
shape to resume business before the latter
part Of the week AnP. r. r. trains are
being run via the B. & 0.
HUNTINGDON, May 20.-To-day's great
dOod has been exceeded only once in the
history OF the Juuiata valley, the last four
days rainfall having raised the Juniata
river and Rays,own branch 2l feet above
low water mark and entailing great destruc-
ton TO property. In this place the waters
hood the lower streets, driving the people
from their homes, and in the lower farming
districts whole families are imprisoned in
their houses. unable to be reached owing 10
the turbulence Of the streams. Three new
county bridges spanning the Juniata and
Rayslown branch have been swept away,
The destruction Of scores Of minor bridge:
and washouts on public roads have closed
all rural approaches to this place. The ga;
company plant here is submerged and the
lowe- floors Of many business houses flood
ed.
Mrs Jacob Miller was drowned at Ssxtor
while trying 10 save some property.
A landslide at Ryde station, on the Penn
sylgania railroad, covered the track for Ii,
distance Of nearly a mile and a portion o
the track was washed away. Great damage
TO property and farm lands along the Rays
town branch is reported.
HOLLIDAVsBURG. Pa, May 20.-The rain
which have continued all day with but littl'
iatermission have caused the flood here tC
take threatening proportions. The Juniati
riyer has risen four feet in the past two hour
and is sill rising rapidly. The food last
evening carried away the trestle work on th'
Williamsburg railroad at Flowing Spring
and the passengers were transferred from
this city to Williamsburg in carriages. Tn
bridge at McKess, on the Martinsburg rail
road, has been displaced and is now beinl
guarded by the railroad men. The cellars 0
houses in Gsysport along the north bank ar
all flooded, and If the rain continues th,
water will reach the lower part Of this city
The district along the river IS now all unde
water and all the low farms and truck gar
dens between this place and Frankstown al,
submerged. The growing crops will b
damaged to the extent of thousands Of dol
lars.
BRADFORD. Pa, May 20.-This city resem
bles the Thousand Islands to-day, At
O'Clock this morning the fireman were calle,
ont to rescue the families in the flooded dis
tricts. Twenty families were removed t,
places Of safety. Cellars and first floors ol
many business houses are flooded. Seventy
five feet Of the Blif4lo, Rochester and Pitts
burg railroad bridges have been sSept away
A panic was created this evening by the un
founded report that the city reservoir, 81!
miles dis,antin the mountains was giving
away. Notwithstanding the assured securi
ty, arrangements have been made - war;
the city shoul break occur.
Tie property damage Is now estimated a
SI5O,0o0.
WILLuNsPoRT, May -. This city is pas
sing through a state Of food excitement IN
equalled since the memorable June l, 1855
when the river reached the unprecedente,
height Of 33l feet and inundated two third
Of the city. For forty-eight hours past raiI
has been falling heavily throughout the wes
branch watershed and tonight the river !
p feet high and rising rapidly. Toe condi
tons are shrouded in such eertainty tha
no man can predict what the night viii
bring forth and the widest and most ex
irayagsnt rumOrs are ahoat. Profiing b
the experience Of five years ago those il
prospective danger have spent the day re
moving their effects 10 places of safety, and
this Sunday has been a beilam in Williams
port. The city never experienced a liveliei
day. The scenes that were witnessed ba III
description. Thousands Of men worked lik,
beavers removing goods 10 high ground o
10 the upper stories Of buildings, and th,
rumble Of heavy wheels, the shouts ofex
cited men snd the ringing of alarm bell
broke the Sabbath stiffness and made tn
day a weird one indeed. Such a topsy -turvy
condition Of household goods and Iaerch
andise in store rooms was never before wit
messed here.
Dog Kidnaps a Babe.
SHANoKIN, Pa, May ls-During a quar.
rel between Anthony Kospile and his wifi,