The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-07-27

successfully opposed its course FOR q
brief instant did the mighty and cruel
devastator know let or hindrance,
And even this brief opposition but re.
suited in a calamity yet more terrible
than all that had gone before.
The presumptuous vladuct was rent
and torn but an instant later. the an
cry torrent with much of its awful
burden rushing over and through it.
passing finally to the distant sea, scat.
tering and strewlng death, wreckage,
ruin and disaster for miles as it raced
| and hurried, depostlng thousands OF
| the unknown dead at New Florence
and Nineyah. towns between Johns
| town and the conjunction of the Cone,
| maugh and Kisklminetas Rivers. But
| the low, diagonal arches of the bridge
| had in that infniteslmal period of re,
sistance acted as huge and mlschievous
strniners, and dread mountain of
| mingled earth. rocks. houses, rubbish,
furniture, dead and dying animals, and
human unfortunates. dead and dying
also, was piled high above them. This
was the huge heap that later took fire
from the numerous lighted cook-stoves
which were being used in preparing
the evening meal when the unexpected
disaster came. And somewhere in the
stupendous funeral pyre thus Ignited
were hidden the dead bodies of Mrs,
Ogle, her daughter. and the several
other persons known to have been in
the telegraph-stat building. which
served as dwelling. house for Mrs.
Ogle and her family. as well as for
Office uses. No trace of these bodies
has ever been found.
That the death of Mrs. Ogle was
mercifully sudden seems certain. The
frail building could not long have with.
stood the crushing force of that pltiless
mountain of water. and the telegraph
official who received her final message
bore witness later to the speedy man.
ner in which the wire was disabled.
zone moment" so ran his published
statement, "the woman operator at
Johnstown was cheerfully ticking
away that she had to abandon the
office on the first floor because the wa
ter was three feet deep there. She
said she was wiring from the second
story, and the water was rapidly ris.
ing. This was evidently before the
dam broke, for our man here said
something encouraging to her, and
she was talking back as only a cheer.
full woman operator can, and had just
said This is my last message'-thc last
word being scarcely completed when
the receivers skilled ears caught :,
sound from lhe wire made by 70 III.
man hands. The wire had grounded
or the house had been swept away by
the food. no one knew which 1T that
time. One moment she was there and
talking. the next we might as well
have asked the grave to answer as
addressed remark or question to the
CHEEKY worker of an instant before"
And so the end came to the woman
hero. who chose death rather than
fail to heed the higher voice that also
called in no uncertain accents. 1t is
safe to say that TO Mrs. Hctty Ogie,
the patient heroine" whose beautiful,
love-hallowed life had constituted Il
fitting preparation for the noble death
that closed it, was given in that su.
preme moment the faith that makes
faithful, the love that whole-hearted-
ly serving must unbrokenly endure.
And although the much.diScussed mon.
ument to her brave life and memory
may never be erected, the only fame
worth having will yet flourish unend.
lngly for her honor and glory.-Wom'
ans Home Companion.