VOL. XXVII. THE GREAT CALAMITY! THE VAsTNKSS OF THE DISASTER NOT CO.MPItEH ENDED. Unparalleled UeHlnuitlmi f Life and Prop erty— Fimr Thousand I'wiple Drowned und Millions ..1 Property Swept Aa>, Our disaster! H" w ,loW tray it, or even how < uii it be faintly de scribed? Whose mind can comprehend it, aiid whose vivid imagination eati paint it? The pen is not yet made to write up its general features, much less to put the fearful detail- -m paper; nor has the brush been manufactured I" place il on canvass. In some remote age when addi tional anis and h.i bines for peifi ine such a work, or when Rome one will, mi raculous genius for describing unparal leled marvels shall be born, the story o f Johnstown's destruction may lie ciiioi i. cltd. But until then the full horrors ot the kinetic energies of Hie I'ilishuiali sporting club-luke on the south brain n oi the Conetiktuigh creek, will remain inule scrihed. Already many able pens from all sec tions of lite country have been called into requisition in an effort to give to the nut side world some idea of tlie fate ot the Conemaugh valley, but with all that bus been so well written lite half bus not been told. In try ing to gne p the magnitude or the mighty death-dealing and property destroying wave that struck lite town, lying ou the banks of the little stream, to the ill-fated Friday afternoon of May Si. one is confronted with the inadequacy <>' words to do anything like justice to tin subject. The vastness of the disaster i really too great for a tiuite mind to grasp. Has it ever bad an e([inil? In tbr United States certainly never; in the world's history, since the days of I not be heard amid the deafening roar ot the angry water, or if heard by those in their immediate vicinity fell upon ears of others a helpless as themselves —the dis play of pent-up energies being utterly deaf to the wails of the feeble and the im precations of the strong. Never can we forget the trying ordeal of that sorrowful Friday afternoon and night. Little did we think when prepar ing for Saturday morning's issue, that the matter being set up then would fail to be put upon the press. Though the rise in both the Couemaugh and Stonycreek was backing the water up Washington street and closing around the DEMOCKAT ofHcc. and causing a suspension of traffic and travel, not for one moment did anyone in the office or press room dreatn of auy more serious damage to the town other than that occasioned by former overllows. Remembering the Hood of two years ago, we thought at four o'clock the water would soon recede, hence gave very little thought to it. But at about five minutes before four an alarm was souuded, and running to a window in the east end of the building we were appalled ut what our eyes be held. A huge wave, seemingly almost as high as the surrounding hills was rolliug down upon us—surging, foaming, roaring and filled with buildings, wrecks of build ings, large trees, and logs, with scores and scores of men, women and children clinging to wrecked matter us they were swiftly and ruthlessly carried along. Above us, below us, around us we saw building after building torn in the twin kle of au eye from their foundations and falling in crushed masses in some instan ces, and in other cases tumbling forward, backward, then turned on their sides and anon whisked with the velocity of lightn ing upside down, and hundreds hurled to death in a moment, and others tfirricd along amid the wreck of matter down toward the stone bridge. Then when the current changed, houses, parts of houses, stables and wrecks of stables, shops, of fices, cars in countless numbers were tumbling, twisting, crcuking on every side of us. South Fork, Mineial Point, East Conemaugh, Franklin, Woodvale, Conematigh borough, the upper ondlower JOHNSTOWN, CAMBRIA COUNTY, PA., FRIDAY, JULY 5. 1889. ends of, Johnstown hud by Ibis time con tributed to ihe mass of matter and the hundreds of unwilling Homers that were surging nil tliruugu Washington and Franklin streets. Ever and auou the B. &O. depot huildiug. in which the DKMO OIIAT wns published, would tremble and shake from top to bottom as logs, trees, and buildings would strihe it. Fenrtul as was the scene of the whole night, it. was not until daylight of Satur day did we compielietid, ami then only itieitsuieably, the extent of the wide spread devastation. Where was Johns town? Where. Washington strict? Where, Franklin stieei? W here was Coiieinaiuih borough? tVnere, W'oodvali? A lew w'reeked buildings stood on tin- south end ol Franklin, unit solne sll'riggling ones coriht he seen along lire hillside ill Colic luiiugli: I.inof Womlvale nothing hut the wuecs of the lion ling mill and woolen fuc. lory was left; ami as to Washington street it was eompi lely wiped out. saw tne wtecks of ine 11. eo 0. building an.: the t lontpany store. Where slooii hundreds of dwellings, iv. Hi neli ill •tilled slit'. Is a In alleys, lion nothing but a barren wasie of scoies o, MI ICS of ginuiul was lo lie sceu; wliili oilier pt.rtionti of the tnivn cotitainvdling' piles ill ernslied houses, ami hundreds ot mtiliiau-d dead bodies. The debris all along Frank lilt. Locust, Muin uud otin?r siieels was piled up nfli-i-li and twenty leel over wltieli, nroiuni wibclt stricke. men and women wete climbing in search of loved oues. V here are tlm ]o>t? Some of then were swept down the liver, some lodged against the stone biidge, others buried tieneiilii a muss of rubbish, and still olh i r.- covered Up in the sand. How tne heart sickens in calling u; some of tin- many familiar names of tin town. Cartied to their unlooked-for and untimely end we miss them on every hand, (some of lite noblest of earth havu been ruthlessly numbered among tin hated reservoir's victims. A> to details, we have neither the hear •iot the will to add any to I his article. We can only say, at this time, with the data at hand, that the number of the dead, will not fall much heloiv four thousand : and the property destroyed may run trom twenty ty tweuty-tive millions. THE sToNi; t:nii>GE. It-Certainly Sued Uauy 1 Ivwn On th.u fateful Friday afternoon n Dkmucuat rcportct was at woik in tin Hue of Ids duty in Cambria and Millvilli boroughs, and when the waters of tin •esevvoir struck this place, was on tin river batik at the Pennsylvania Hailroa. buttinu. Font the point on Prospect Hit to which lie lied, he had the best possilih chance to note the eti'ect of the stone bridge on the waters, and as there seem* to he much diversity of opinion on thi.- siihject. his conclusions are here given : Had it been an iron bridge, or had tin bridge given way with the first rush ol tlm waters, all the houses tiiat wen iloated from their moorings would have been drawn into the current and carried with gnat force through the opening When lhe second heavy wave came, tin water would have been drawn oil some what, aud it would not have been forced quite so high up across the town, Hcd ford and Levergood streets, and part of the lower side of Jackson street would probably have escaped from total de struction. From Cliuton street down however, aud out to the btonycreek river the destruction would have been com plete. All of tire buildings on Main, Vine aud Lincoln streets now standing, including the Post-ottice, Hanks, Alma Hall, and the churches would have been swept down the stream, anil the many hundreds and thousands of people who floated up and across the streams and were rescued, would have been drawn in, to the fearful vortex and dashed to death. The embankment of the railroad too, would have quickly worn away, and the mills of the Cambria Iron Company would have been almost ruined, as with out doubt the Steel Works and other shops near the river would have been swept away. All of Cambria City would have been swept as clean us Woodvale. anil the greater part of Morrellville would have been destroyed. Five thousand more people would have been drowned and much more property destroyed, al though tlie rubbish would all have been carried away. People in Kernville and the Seventh ward would not have been flooded as they were, and the few lives that were lost in these sections would have been saved, hut a fearful compensa tion for this would have been made by the total destruction of the lower part of the town, and all its people. si • Tlie IteriiHe. Some steps should be tuken to prohibit the depositing of the refuse on the river batiks. What we want now is to widen our streams instead ot making them nar rower, and much of the stuff that has beeu deposited on the river banks must be removed. It would certainly he wise for the borough officials to take some cogui" zance of the matter. THE FLOOD! How It Swept The Valley. HOUSES FLOAT UP THE NTONVCBEEK LIKE -TEAMIIOATA—TERRIBLE ORDEALS IE THOSE WHO WERE ENGULFED. For years the people of Johnstown have talked of the possibility ola bieak in the South Fork reservoir, and many a one lias prophesied the result. On Friday after mum. May dlst, at nearly four o'clock the w ulers came, and the result is so awful that it eau never he adequately pictured, inr correctly detailed. From ten o'clock Thursday night to ten o'clock Fi ul.ty fori noon an iuccssaut tain fell ami early Fiidav the streams b- ■ gun to uvi iiio,v their buuks. The vvu,er TOM; i luring me day, and at noon uearly liie whnie town was submerged, the water on Prauklin street being about tout leel tie. p. j.auy people tied to places of solely, but mauy more prefer red lo teuiaiii iu their houses, their pre vious experience with high water here ivuig been luat they were safest there, duotliv alter noou tiie iollowiug di patch was leceites at the Pennsylvania liail ruad tower, atttl was telephoned over town, communication byway of Lincoln tu tiigc liuvtug been cut off. " Keports ,rout Coiieiuaugit Ltue via South Fork at ,2.10 suy mo water is tunning over auti ttie dam may give way at any moment. N'olily' the ~cnple of Joiinslotvu at ouee to lie prepare for tne wuist." This was -igued " Operator, " but as ic'pot'ts of the nam hriauitig were always current when we had uigh water people had become used lo sncii ialii and were not easily alarmed, .vt anyralc, it was the expori ence ot those who made au effort lo warn We people. lUut tne mailer was Uvaled with iudifforence. A second message was received ul g:44 which said the daiu was Urcukiug ai.d lue warning was circulated on a few of the streets, but the people had uot Uie liuu uo.' the opportunity then to gei oit. Oa lion street and Alillville au organ ized effort was being made to relieve tlieai wheu the flood eame. In Caurliriii there were uo aieuns at hand to aecoiupdsli lUi di, >•. aile up town people -v#'i horses and wagons were busy taking those out who wanted to go. Coniuiuni ei tion between Cambria and Millville was perleet by means of the Pennsylvania stone bridge, although tiie water was over iouueen feet high at tne bridge all afternoon. That side was cut off from Johnstown, except byway of the Wood vale bridge, tiie Lincoln bridge, and the bridge back of the company store being standing, but submerged. The Franklin street bridge was all right. Tiie Poplar street bridge, the Cauipauy's toll-bridge at Cambria,and the Teu-Acre bridge were swept away shortly after eleven o'clock in the forenoon. It was the highest wid er yet known iu the town and still gradu ally rising when the HEAL FLOOD CAME, which we will uot attempt to describe in lull, but note its appearance as seen from a point on Prospec. above the Pennsylva nia iUilroad'Station. First came a lot of debris, bridges and houses, uud us they struck the Company's bridge, which was wegihted with cars of uWtal back of the Company store, the cur rent was deflected and pushed out above the store and across Washington street. Here the first houses in Johnstown bor ough were taken under. A few moments after, a mighty volume, seemingly ten feet high, the top covered with lioatiug debris, houses and people came rushing down the valley. Everything was swept before it and all Iron stieet with the exception of a few houses a'ong the railroad were at onct submerged. It was impossible to take in the whole of the awful scene. Tne Gas Company's works squirmed and toppled over, and almost the same instant the Opera House collapsed, the Mansion House floated away and was submerged, and on looking toward G'onemaugh borough everything was seen to be moving. The main cur rent came on down along the river bed sweeping everything, and when it came to the point, the debris clogged the arches at the stone bridge. The water was held here, and the current was forced back, carrying houses and everything with it up Stonycreek street. The first rush of waters, which followed the course of the Stream, was about five minutes in advance of the second groat " tidal wave." When this came the whole bed of the valley was filled twenty feet deep, and the water taking a straight course mudc u clean sweep of everything from Clinton to Jackson streets. At the Stonycreek river, it struck lite up current and added its momcntuip to the onward course of the stream now on the buck track. Hundreds of houses at this time were seen floating up stream and everything before them were taken along, until tii| ./orce of the waters was spent and the houses gradually settled down. The force of this current is liest known when it is told that the Unique Kink wus picked up and curried to Sandy vule Cemetery, and other houses were carried fur beyond. After awhile the waters receded somewhat anil when the waters settled down it was found that Woodvale was swept clean, also Couemaugh borough to Railroad street, not a vestige of the Gautier mills being left. All of Washington street, and front Jackson street to Clinton street, Bedford and Eevergood street a clean sweept was made. Up through the Seventh ward, and in Kernville the dam age was great. All of East Conetnuugh and Franklin on the low grounds, includ ing the round house and over thirty en gines had been swept away. Thousands of people who were in their houses were swept bodily away, while many hundreds made their escape in the ilood. For over teu minutes all the water was held in Johnstown, the stone bridge and the embankment of the Pennsylvania Railroad forming the breast of a huge res ervoir. At last the water began running over the embankment which was quickly worn deeper and the water began to How over, and down through the yards of the Cambria Iron Company's mills. By Ibis time a huge'pile of wrecked buildings hud been jammed against the stone bridge, and as die water began to flow over the embankment, many buildings that had come to a standstill, were drawn toward this place. At this time the view from the bank above the station, at Prospect Ilili was heart-rending. Floating timbers, roofs, and sometimes whole houses, freighted with human souls were drawn into the vonex, and the people dashed to death before die eyes of their friends on the hill, who were powerless to help diem. The swift current had not reached the houses on Iron street, next to the Penn sylvania Railroad, and when the embank ment gave way they were the first to go over. As many of the inmates had been taken out, they were standing on the hill, painfully watching the other members of their families, as they were Dome to their swift death, aad the heart-rending cries of .parents and children, sisters ami brothers, added to the terror of the awful scene. The water had been too deep in Cam bria City, on Front, Chestnut and Broad streets, ill! afternoon for the people to gel i nt, ami whtil tin: ovsrl: >w i aurr d 'hi people were at the mercy of the pitiless torrent. Over half the borough was swept clean and the people with it al though the floating debris was so thick here that many managed to pick theii way across and laud along the river farther down. But little damage was done at Coopersdale, and many peopli were rescued there us they came down 01. the drift. Thus in less time than it lias taken to tell this story, four thousand souls were burled into eternity, tens oi millions of dollars worth of property wen destroyed, and thousands of other peoph were in the flood and not drowned wen in insecure places for from twelve t< tweuty-four hours before they were res cued. During this time many suffered the agonies of a hundred deaths and tin instances of narrow and thrilling escape could not ail he mentioned were column.- used, and the great horror and aulferiiu ot the survivors are so well knefwu thai we will not attempt to describe tliem. All through the li ght those who had escaped death suft'eicd the most feaifu agonies. As the whole town was undci water to a depth of from fifteen to thirty feet, and as the houses and other places where they had taken refuge were con stantly being moved and sliakeu, no our felt secure iu his or her position. To add to the horror the piles of wreckage at the Stone bridge took fire, and all through the uight, the lurid gleams of the flames made people fearful that their place of refuge would also fall a prey to the fire. Then the shrieks of the wounded and dy ing, which could be heard oil all"sides were terrible. At the Stone bridge many who were entangled iu the ruins and could not escape, were burned to death. Timely mid KtHcient Help. Where so much good work has been promptly performed it is difficult and might appear invidious to discriminate; but the service rendered by the various church organizations is worthy of being noted; and among such societies that was active in relieving the needy was that of the Presbyterian church, under the wise direction of Kev. Dr. liealc, its pas tor. Telegrams and letters poured into him from all sections of the eastern purtof this State and from New Jersey and New York, asking for particulars as to the wants of the people; und boxes of food, clothing, and even bedding were sent to him as soon as railroad facilities permit ted. A room was then secured at the cor, ner of Main und Adams street, which was put in churge of Mrs. Dr. Beale, Mrs. Jones and Miss Duncan, of this place, Miss Graham of Wilkinsburg, and Mrs. Dr. Marchand, of Irwin, who distributed edibles, wearing apparel, etc., to multi. tudes of every name, grade and profes sion who were left in destitute circum stances. OUR WASTE PLACES. One montli and six days have elapsed since the fateful visitation of the contents of the reservoir, and the horrors of it are still 100 manifest to forget it even for a moment. Where destruction is so gener al and complete it is difficult to say what part of the town and its environs suffered most. A stranger viewing any one of the flood swept spots would necessarily mark it as the successful candidate for the sad dis tinction—concluding nothing could he worse. But on going further and seeiog more he would be soon convinced of his error. Say that his first point of obser vation was on the South Side, the appear ance of Haynes, Somerset, Mori is and Napoleon streets, in Kernville, would im press liim with tile idea that the flood spent all its fury there, but crossiug Stonycreek to the Johnstown side, and casting his eyes down along Uiver, Vine and Lincoln streets, and out Frank lin to Washington, this thought would be immediately dispelled. Then coming on to Main stieet and gaging upon the ruined buildings up to Clinton,the ravages of the uvalunche would he seen to be >oin.ensitied as to force the conviction that it is idle to even try to discriminate, and this convic liou would be confirmed as lie turns down Main and looks at Market, Walnut and Union streets. These, with Chestnut, King, Potts and Coueniaugli streets, and ail around and about the Point, are left with little more than vestiges to tell their local.ons or boundaries. Looking across the Coneuiaugh creek into what was known as the First ward of Millville borough, nothing, not even a wreck, save the school house, is left to indicate that even a house, shop, office, store or stable ever stood there. Then turning up Washington street that was crowded in the south side with houses from Walnut, past Market and Franklin, up to Clinton, not a solitary former building of any description is to be seen; while on the north side, clear back to the Counemaugh, the wrecks of the Company offices and store and part of the B. & O. railroad depot are all that are left to tell the sad story. Then, as the stranger turns down Clin ton, a few dilapidated edifices tell of the great losses aloug'that thoroughfare; and reaching the point intersected by Main and Bedford streets, and looking at the wide waste up Bedford and out through Conne.'iiaugU borough. I hat was so thickly crowned with buildings, he yields to the conviction that here the havoc wrought by tlie enguliiug wave exerted its de mon-like powers. Could ruiu be more thorough aud more general? But hold. Let him wend his wearj steps over, around and about the wreck age that intervenes in his course, on up tiie Connemuugh river, and us lie reaches the site of the large Chattier Works, tout were a quarter of a mile in length, he is furuialicl with ati expressive commen tary upon the terribly destructive foret of the great body of water that swt night by those having the matter i.i charge of cleaning up the town. Colot.i I Douglass, the chief engineer in charge resigned, and after to-morrow all the present contractors and their present force of men will be withdrawn. The work will be continued hereafter, bit only Ave hundred men will be employt ■• ibis work General Hastings, and tl. <•■>>' render a benefit to the people of tli- i.j.vu, as we.' as to the State. Tlie Board of Inquiry—Am .i.'- for Dis tributing the Beiie! 1 wiuU. The work of this board i -.. dillicult one, and should be prosecuted w itu the utmost care. Messrs. VV. H. McCivory and S. S. Marvin, of Pittsburgh, J. B. Kremer, of Carlisle, and Judge Cumuii . of Williams nort, members of Governor i leaver's Com mission, were iu town yea...day and ex. emiued the work the Boar ! li"re is doing. The full Commission, with Governor Beaver as Chairman, will ait at Cresson next Tuesday, and consider a plan for the distribution of the vast fund that has been contributed for the relief of our peo ple. The distribution of tliia money is a dillicult task, and there are many sugges tions on the subject. It is hoped that the Commission having this responsible work in charge will give the mat;or serious consideration, and arrive at s me equita ble basis for distribution. A Word Gratuitously to our Mei chauts and Other Ilii*ineii;