Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-21
FEARS OF THE FLOOD
A Night Of Anxiety Passed at Johns
town, Pa.
APPREHENSION OF A BROKEN DAM
The Pennsylvania Railway Trains
Stopped.
THROUGHOUT THE STATE
APPREHENSION OF A BROKEN DAM
THROUGHOUT THE STATE

JOHNSTOWN. Pa, May 21.-About 3
O'clock this morning Johnstown was visited
by the most disastrous flood since the big
food Of May 81, 1889. At present 1t is a
hard matter to estimate the loss but 1t is
an assured fact that the damage done in
the city and within five miles of it will
amount to from 100000 to $4,000. The
Pennsylvania road is the heaviest loser.
For several days the Conemaugh and
Stony Creek valley has been visited by
heavy rains Of almost a continuous nature.
The Stony Creek reached it's highest point
about 0 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 Cone
maugh valley, which continued until about
10 o'clock, when a cloudburst occurred near
Ebensburg. The valley in which the vast
volume of water descended is a tributary Of
the Conemaugh, and shortly after the cloud
burst the Conemaugh had swollen to many
times it's natural size.
The volume of water reached this vicinity
about 3 o'clock this morning and was ac-
| companed by wholesale destruction.
The flood was first felt at South Fork,
where numerous small buildings were swept
the water undermined the track of the
Pennsylvania railroad. Several bridges ard
| wooden structures below Conemaugh were
damaged badly. but the greatest damage
was in this city. The iron bridge at this
place was badly wrecked and several houses
| carried away Fully $4,000 damage was
done property within 100 yards of the Penn
sylvania passenger station here.
Between the freight station and the river
is an artificial embankment, on which were
five loaded cars on siding. The swift
water undermined the bank, which gave
way about o'clock, carrying down in the
river about 200 feet of track and the cars.
In one of the cars were five tramps, who
are said to have been members of Calvin 8
army. Three of them succeeded in getting
away, but two Of them were drowned. Their
names could not be learned.
In Woodvale the streets were covered
with water to the depth of six feet and
small houses were swept away.
Swank's pottery works caught fire and
this added to the terror of the inhabitants.
PITTSBURG. Pa, May 2l.-There was a
few residents in the lowlands closed their
eyes. The entire business portion of the
| city Is under water and at least 100000
damage has been done. So far two lives
known.
All day and night Friday and Saturday
and all day yesterday the rains descended
en- Johnstown and the surrounding coun-
try. Last night there was great alarm
when 1t was reported that the reservoir
AT kittanning Point few miles west OF
Altoona. had broken. Fortunately the
break was not as bad as at first supposed
-Four large crevasses were dug down the
face OF the dam by a wave which rolled
across the lake and over its edge to the
lowlands beneath The wave is thought
to have been caused by a cloudburst and
this theory Is borne out by the fact that
there was but one and that water is now
running over the spillway. There is no
doubt that the dam has been weakened
and may yet give way, although work is
now being done to strengthen II.
Railway Tramc stopped.
The floods have stopped traffic completely
on the Pennsylvania railroad east Of
Greenburg. which is but twenty-eight miles
from Pittsburg. The last through train to
arrive was the Chicago limited, which
reached this city at 10 o'clock last night
Since then no trains have arrived from or
departed for the east. The trouble is be-
tween Johnstown and Altoona. where the
tracks are submerged in four feet of water
from Conemaugh TO Bennington, dis
tance of eighteen miles. 500 feet of track,
together with the Conemaugh bridge have
been washed away.
IT will take two days to repair the dam
ages and in the meantime all Pennsyl-
vania trains will go over the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, connecting at Connellsville,
Pa. Passengers for Harrisburg will be
compelled to first go to Baltimore.
In this city the rivers are still rising. but
a stage of more than twenty-five feet is not
feared. This will submerge the lowlands
and cause a suspension of work in the
mills and factories along the banks Of the
st -eams, but will do no other damage.
Trains on the Baltimore and Ohio, Allie
gheny Valley and the Western roads are
arriving on time. The weather is still
cloudy and threatening.
Reports From Throughout the state.
PHILADELPHIA, May 2l.-General Man
ager Provost of the Pennsylvania railroad
received telegram from Supt Sheppard
at Altoona, conveying the Information that
about 1850 feet Of the embankment be-
tween Bridge No. and Mineral Point had
been washed away during the night. The
water poured down through the narrow
chasm in which the Inflated dam Of the
South Fork Fishing Club was located. and
joining the already swollen Conemaugh
river at South Fork, washed away the
earth at the point where the bed of the
stream was changed after the flood Of
1889 The Conemaugh Is now back IN its
old channel at this point.
If the water recedes. Supt. Sheppard will
endeavor to repair the break by tomorrow
morning, but until repairs are made no
trains can be run further west than AL
toona Eastbound through trains will not
be sent out from Pittsbu-g until the break
is filled in or temporary trestle is con-
structed.
Supt. Sheppard also reports that the rain,
which continued to fall until O'Clock this
mo. ming, Caused much trouble along the
line east of Altoona. At Mil Creek, Van
dyke, Mexico, Port Royal, the Narrows at
Lewistown Junction, McNeytown and Man.
ayunk Bridge, the tracks next the river are
not passable, and at one or two points
there have been serious cave-ins.
Reports from Williansport are to the
effect that only a slight rain fell this morn
ing but the skies still heavily over
cast and the downpour of the past few
days may resume at any moment.
At o. clock this morning the West branch
of the Susquehanna was twenty-seven feet
above the low water line, and rising at The
re- te Of six inches an hour. The river is
now about as high as ii was during the
flood Of 1889, and water is running through
the streets of WillIamsport. Some river
men estimate that it will go above four feet
higher while others think the worst is
over and that the fall will begin soon.
At Remove, Keating and karthous, about
sixty miles north of Wiliamsport, the river
had fallen over two feet at 10 o'clock this
morning.
Montgomery bridge. the mile-long strnc-
north of Watsontown, is weighted with
heavily-laden freight cars this morning and
until the water recedes no traffic will be al
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