The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-18
Relief Work Speeded
By United Press

~ Onttcu PTcSS
YOUNGSTOWN, Pa, March 49,
Flood waters raging through half of
JohnstoWn receded slowly today
while state officials raced here from
Harrisburg to take charge of the
gravest emergency since 1889 when
1900 persons drowned in a flood.
Police estimated that at least 10
had been drowned, though authentic
caualty figures were impossible.
Police believe that almost all per-
sons marooned during the night in
the two-mile square area that had
been inundated to a depth of 10 feet
had been rescued. Approximately
5000 refugees had been taken tu
makeshift camps and private homes
in portions of Johnstown not.
flooded.
Boats manned by police and VOL
unteers poked about through the
streets, searching roof tops where
during the night the marooned had
cried pathetically for help.
A close police guard against loot
ing was established around the dis
trict. Almost all Johnstown banks
were flooded as were practically all
business establishments and they
offered tempting field to looters.
Gov. George H. Earle modified
all forces of the state for relief work
here and in Pittsburgh and sent
Mayor Lynn G.. Adams, superin-
tendent of the state police, and Maj.
Gen. Edward G. Shannon, National
Guard commander, by airplane to
take charge. Local police had the
situation in close control and au-
thorities said there was no inten-
ton of inaugurating martial law.
Havoc Is Great
AS the waters receded, the havoc
of the swirling flood currents be-
came apparent. Many buildings,
mostly frame, had collapsed and city
authorities feared many had been
made so unsafe they would have to
be torn down and rebuilt. Streets
were torn up, railroad tracks had
been swept away, bridges demol-
ished. 1t will be weeks, authorities
said, before the city can be returned
to normal.
The rescue work proceeded until
clear n-streaked sky, in con-
trast to the many hours of heavy
rain that melted thousands OF tons
of snow in the surrounding noun
tains, Embossed the torrents that
swept through the business and in
dustrial district, comprising two
square miles, yesterday afternoon
and rose to height of 10 feet. This
morning the waters had receded to
seven feet.
But the entire business and in
dustrial district, approximately two
miles square and scene of the disas-
trous flood of 1889 that took 1900
lives, still was a raging sea, red
brick and stone buildings-the tai
lest IL stories-rising from it like
lighthouses.
-Four boroughs of Jonnstown-
Dale, Prospect, West Mount and
Roxbury-were dry and safe and
there the pathetic groups of refugees
were taken-weary men and women,
bedraggled, wailing children, all
hungry, all suffering from exposure.
Property Loss Millions
They were taken to public build
ings and to private homes-scores of
which had been thrown open by
their owners to less fortunate fellow
townsmen.
The four boroughs are on the
bluffs surrounding the low-lying val
ley containing the business and in
dustrial districts. They have Stony
Greek on one side and the Cone
maugh River on the other 1t was
these streams that poured their tor
rents into the streets, factories, Of
flee buildings, and stores causing a
loss of life that can not be deter
mined finally until the flood has re-
coded, and property damage that
will total many million.
There seemed no danger of an
epidemic, but a food shortage ap-
peared imminent unless supplies ar
rive quickly from the outside.
Householders carried canned goods
and other food from their pantries
81 ea1,NNIe or o..-5 ~