The evening world., 1894-05-21
TRA.
TWO CITIES
UNDER WATER.
JOhnStOWn and WilliamSpOrt,
Pa, Visited by Great
Floods.
INT PtUPLt IN A PAMlG.
Railway Tracks and Cars Washed
Away 49, Two Tramps
Drowned.
PENNSYLVANIA ROAD BLOCKED.
Fears that the Reservoir at Kit
tanning Point is
Weakened.
PENNSYLVANIA ROAD BLOCKED.
By Associated Press.)

YOUNGSTOWN, Pa. May 21.-About 3
o'clock this morning Johnstown was
visited by the most disastrous flood
since the big flood of May. 1859. At pres
ent 1t Is a hard matter to estimate the
loss. but 1t Is an assured fact that he
damage dom In the city n within five
mile. of 1t will amount to from $50. 900
to $4,000. The Pennsylvania road Is the
heaviest loser, most of it's loss being the
result of a bad washout in Its track
above Conemaugh.
For several days the Conemaugh n
Stony Creek valleys have been visited
by heavy rains of an almost continuous
nature. Stony Creek reached it's high
est point bou 9 o'clock yesterday
morning, and after that time began to
recede gradually. BY night 1t had fallen
several feet. so that no serious damage
was apprehended. But In the evening a
heavy rain began in the Conemaugh
Valley. which continued until about 10
o'clock, when a cloud-burst occurred
near 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 God was first felt at South Fork.
where numerous small buildings were
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
M Gaah ln for frntnS and ~ haNn n nanaa-
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
At East ~Conemaugn the water. beat
furiously against the large Pennsylvania
Railroad round-house n weakened the
foundations so greatly that II was deemed
necessary to remove all the engines to a
place Of safety. The building. however.
Johnstown Buildings swept Away.
Several bridges and wooden structures
below Conemaugh were badly damaged.
but the greatest damage was In this
city. In the Eleventh Ward the Okla
was caught by the raging waters and
swept to destruction. 4 three : story
damaged dam The iron Bridge at this place
was badly. wrecked.
Fully sl5.OO damage was done to prop
erty within one hundred yards Of the
Between the freight station and the
river Is an artificial ~embankment or
which were five loaded cars on a siding.
The swift water undermined the bank.
which gave way about 4 o'clock, carry
ing down in the river about two hundred
feet OF track and the cars.
Two Tramps Drowned.
A.. ---
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
Parties went from house to house
awakening the occupants. Whistles
blew and the city was alive with teams
and people, who were taken to West
mont and Prospect. In Woedvale the
streets were covered with water to the
depth OF six feet. and small houses were
Swanks's pottery works, located in
the Woodvale section OF the city, caught
fire. and this confagratio added to the
terror. Of the Inhabitants. 1t was i'm
the building. and It was ruined before the
| flames went out OF their own accord. The
WoodYale bridge Is still standing, but
is so badly damaged that 1t cannot be
used.
wiIIinmsport Under Water.
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa, May q, / =.
M.-The water in the river has reached
a heighth OF thlrty-one feet above low
water, one foot higher than the disas,
trous pod OF 1889; The entire city is
from four TO twenty feet. The water
is still rising at the rate of six inches
an hour. All the logs at the boom
which broke at l o'clock his morning
have been swept away, as well as many
sawmills and houses in the lower par
of the city.
Not a telegraph or telephone wire 1,
working out OF the city. with a singh,
exception OF a shaky long-distance tele
phone wire, which was placed at IN,
disposal of the Associated Press CORE
spondent
ne was driven out OF the once by tn,
rapid rise of water.
Considerable apprehension Is felt by
the residents Of the fiats. many fearing
a repetition OF the calamity OF June s
CONTINUED on Second PaO9l