Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-22
Washington's Disastrous Flood of 1889

as It was fatal It Is now very evident that
more lives have been lost because Of foolish
incredulity than from ignorance Of the danger.
For more than a year there have been fears
Of an accident of just such character The
foundations of the dam were considered to be
shaky last Spring. and many increasing leak.
ages were reported from time to time. Accord
ing to people who live in Johnstown and other
towns In line of the river, ample time was
given to the Johnstown folks by the railroad
officials and by other gentlemen Of standing
and reputation in dozens, yes, hundreds Of
cases, but this warning was utterly disregarded,
and those who needed it early in the day were
looked upon as towards and many ieers were
attended by lips that now are cold among the
rank grass beside the river"
Indeed, the statement that none are so deaf
as those who will not hear Is just as true and
foreeful today as it ever was and the regret
Is that even right here in our fair District OF
Columbia q certain eleemosynary institution,
housing more than 100 persons is today only
supplied with water from a 2-nch pipe, and
with q fire plug four or five blocks away and
so it is not surprising that the people Of
JOhnstown did not awaken in time to the
warning and the ensuing calamity that awaited
them, when we, four decades later will not
heed danger ourselves.
I lPON such an event as the Johnstown food
~ there are those who rise up to the occasion
and demonstrate their ability as leaders; those
who prove in the dark hours Of danger and
devastation their worthiness to be called heroes.
Such, indeed, was nameless Paul Revere, at
the time, who sacrificed his life at Johnstown
that others might live. His identity might
later have been learned, and it is to be hoped
It was for deed such as his would do honor
to any name.
Mounted on grand big bay horse" we are
told che came riding down the pike which
passed through Conemaugh like some angel Of
wrath of old shouting his portentous warning,
Run for your lives to the hills Run to the
hills The people crowded out Of their houses
along the thickly settled streets, awestruck and
wondering. Nobody knew the man, and some
thought he was a maniac and laughed On at
q quick pace he rode, and shrily rang out his
awful cry. In few moments later came q
crowd Of ruin down the broad streets, down
the narrow valley. Forty feet high, some
say. 80 according to others, near the sea, and
it travelled with a swiftness like that which lay
hidden in the heels of Mercury. On and ON
raced the rider and on and on rushed the wave.
Dozen of people took heed of the warning and
ran up the hills. Poor, faithful rider; it was
an unequal contest. Just as he turned across
the railroad bridge the mighty wave fell upon
him, and the horse, rider and bridge all went
out into chaos together"
Other remarkable stories were printed at the
time Of the flood as having taken place In the
little Pennsylvania city. One regarding the
sisters of q Catholic convent located there whos
under the leadership of the mother Of the
institution, when they saw the wave coming,
which they said was a mountain high, sought
the chapel for protection, and here, so the item
states "the dozen nuns began to pray as they
never prayed before for protection from the
water. When the water struck the building it
shattered the entire structure, and every room
was carried away except the one where they
knelt In prayer"
\A/ E have read many stories of mans best
Wv animal friend, the dog, which Stephen
C. Foster has so beautifully lauded in his song,
"Old Dog Tray extremely popular with the
old-timers, and the chorus of which goes some
thing like:
Old dog Tray, ever faithful
Grief cannot drive him away.
He's gentle, he is kind, you'll never, never find
A better friend than old dog Tray.
Henry Roberts of Johnstown, upon this oc-
casion, had every reason for esteeming the COM
stancy and friendship Of his dog, large New
fondland, which was in the house and near
its masters infant child when the fatal food
struck the house. The dog seemingly realized
the situation and caught the child and started
to swim TO land. The force Of the water
washed the dog and child against the school,
house, where they were held until the water
began to abate, and as soon as the animal
could he swan to the high lands with the babe