VOL.XXVIII.
THK RIVERS AGAIN.
More About tlic Cau.e of Their Overflow
and the Remedy.
to i/ Editor of llw JohmWwn Democrat.
ID au article in the Tribune recently,
headed "Our City and its Rivers," the
writer very keenly calls to uotice our
dreadful disaster, loss of life and
property caused by waters. The les
son was indeed one veey dearly pur.
chased. But would it net be well for us,
in all sincerity, to look the causes of our
disaster and troubles from water squarely
in the face, and in doing so we find, in
the first place, it is an undenied fact that
the prime cause for the loss of so many
lives and thousands of dollars worth of
property was the giving way of the South
Fork reservoir on May 31st last. Of the
resetvoir, can only be said there did exist
some fourteen miles from our city a death
trap longing an opportunity to sweep
down and rob us of thousands of inhab
itants and millions of dollars worth of
property. But did we not know the res
ervoir was in existence ? Were we not
fully aware of its unsafely ? Was it uot a
known fact that unfit material was an
nually used in the breast of t hat very res
ervoir, which possessed not the required
resisting power for so e lormous a body of
water'/ And, lastly, were we not fully
familiar with the correspondence on the
subject that took place between John
Fulton, now Geueral Manager of the
Cambria Iron Company, then Chief En
gineer of same institution, and the officers
of the South Fork Sportsmen and Fishing
Club' We were told as plain as language
could make it by our townsman that the
resisting power was insufficient, taking
character of material and manner of con
struction as a basis for our protection.
Certainly no one can deny these facts;
they were well founded, and we have the
evidence —a ruiued city. This is our dis
aster and cause in a nutshell.
Now as for our riveis. It is undoubt
edly true that our channels in their present
condition are insufficient to carry off the
water should a large amount of rain fall.
But why arc they insufficient to discharge
all the waters now ? Were they not also
insufficient for several years before the
flood '/ It is true that a portion of our
present trouble must be attributed to de
posits in our channels as a result from the
flood, but does the cause solely rest there
ss we are lead to believe? Certainly not,
xor we have had overflows for several
years before the flood. We older citizens
who have lived in this valley from 30 to
00 years have no recollection of troubles
from high water. No other solution can
therefore be given than as we know and
see them, and that is a practical game of
scientific taking that which does not be
long, has been indulged in on the banks
of our stream to such an extent that our
channels have, within the last few years,
been so narrowed that the space left now
has been and is unable to discharge all
the water and overflows are natural re
sults. The Stonycreek, which now seems
to so sincerely attract the attention of our
would-be philanthropists, urging City
Council to grant privileges to change the
stream, was in former limes no source of
trouble, and why ? Because it then had
the average width of 225 fei't.
This width our borough fathers in all
there wisdom thought was extravagant
by fifty feet, and assumed the questioned
responsibility to reduce the width to 175
feet and grant permits to fill to that width.
A corporation determined to seu the town
Council with their reduction of titty fee
in width and go fifty better. So that in
place of leaving a channel of 225 feet as
formerly we now have a channel to con
vey off same amount (if rain fall at 125
feet at some points. The same ratio wdl
hold good with all our streams in the City
limits, and yet the question is daily asked
why have we trouble from water souices
now ? The lime has arrived when
prompt and decided action for our relief
is necessary, our City Council to whom
is intrusted the task, should at once take
the position that private individuals
though ever so poor have equal rights
with corporations that both are amen
able on the same basis, and to that end
should negotiate and not allow, as in
former years that schemes of various
kinds shall form the basis of legislation.
The change of Stonycreek would not
doubt be profitable at least to the projec
tors, who with tears ask to be recognized.
That our streams have been encroached
on is now beyond a doubt. That the bed
of a stream is a higliwav is equally true,
If therefore a highway is encroached
upon, there is a remedy. The law of
Johnstown borough Council without
authority narrowed our streams or
allowed it to bedone then there is a
remedy for restoration, and my word
for it, restore to our channels that which
was without any well founded authority,
taken from it from Coopersdale to the
extreme limits of the City. Remove
the most scrions deposits from the flood,
as well as the stone railroad bridge, and
arrange at proper angles the confluence
of the various streams, and the result will
be as in former years no trouble from
water sources, without even the assistance
of your extremely generous Construction
Company. J CSTKI.
JOHNSTOWN, CAMBRIA COUNTY. PA., FRIDAY, MAY 23, 1890.
THE CASE FULLY STATED.
Confutation of the Kboubiirg Herald's
Charges That We Misstated .Matters in
Our Kr|>ort of the Directors' Convention.
The Cambria Herald, of hist week says
that the DEMOCRAT misrepresented things
in its report of the School Direct ors' Con
vention. They quote from our paper of
the 7th lust, the following:
The directors from the new borough of Hast
ings presented a decision of the Superintendent
of public Instruction setting forth that they
were entitled to a vote In the convention. The
chairman read some law on the subject and In
terpreted It against them, refusing to acknowl
edge the decision of the State Department.
The llastlugs men were not permitted to vote.
Then the Herald goes on to comment,
as follows:
The truth of the matter Is a llrector got up In
the convention and said that one of the di
rectors from Hastings had received a letter from
the State Department, but that lie forgot to
bring It with him.
The chairman read tlw school law In regard to
the matter, which explicitly slates that new
boards can not vote before the organization In
June.
And It Is not contrary to custom, as Intimated
by the DKMOCKAT, to tlx the salary question
after the election of a county superintendent.
We do not w'sli to get into any contro
versy in regard to this matter, but every
word we said is true, and the "veracious"
writer in the Herald. who is easily dis
tinguished by his italics, either through
ignorance or for the purpo-e of putting
matters iu a light more acceptable to the
people of the county, told in the state
ments quoted above several thiDgs that
are untrue.
Mr. John A. Piatt, a director from Hast
ings, stated that 1 e was prepared to take
oath that the board from that borough
had authority from the State Department
to participate in the election. Mr. Piatt
also stated that he had accidentally
omitted bringing with him the letter from
the Department.
The chairman thereupou produced from
a copy of the School Laws this section :
That when a new district shall hereafter be
formed, such district shall not be considered and
recognized as a separate and Independent school
district until after the termination of the cur
rent school year In which It became a new dis
trict, and until It have a full board of directors
regularly elected or appointed and organized,
except that the directors thereof shall have au
thority to levy, assess and collect tax, procure
school-houses, and do all other acts necessary to
the commencement of the schools for the ensu
lng year.
Does that " explicitly state that new
boards cannot vote before the organiza
tion in June ?" Reader, compare the Her
ald's statement with the above and see
who " misrepresents matters."
If the chairman, who would certaiuly
make a good judge, if the dispatch with
which he disposes of legal questions be a
merit, had looked a moment at a decision
of the department appended to the above
section of the law, he would have found
this:
The board of a new district may do every offi
cial act, during the year next before that In
which It goes Into separate and Independent op
eration, necessary to the putting of the schools
Into full working order, except that of actual
opening them for Instruction.
The letter received by the Hastings
board, in answer to the question whether
they were entitled to vote for county
Superintendent or not is as follows :
DKPARTMKNT or PUBLIC INSTRUCTION,!
Harrlsburg, April 29, IS!*). J
John .1. Plait, Eng.
DKAK SIR : You have a legal right to vote for
county Suparintendent on the first, Tuesday In
May. Yours Truly,
HKNRV HOICK, Deputy supt.
Has the Herald anything more to say on
the subject ? Our reply has been de
layed a little in order to gel possession of
the above letter. The right of the
Director's to a vote was presented at the
convention by a gentleman who would
not misrepresent the rnatler, and the de
cision was ruled out by the Chairman,
either because he aud those who were
back of him didn't know any better, or
because they did it for a purpose, and
that purpose it isn't haul to see.
On the matter of fixing the salary there
is only this to say : It has been the cus
tom in this county for a great many years
to first settle the salary and then elect the
Superintendent, and the man who wrote
the article for the Herald knew he was
writing an untruth when he wrote it. If
what we say is not correct will he state
in what instances for the last fif
teen or eighteen years has the Superin
tendent been elected before the salary
was settled ? Is not that long enough to
establish a custom ?
Reduced Kates to German linptlsts at Nortq
Manchester, Inil,, vial'enusylvanla Rail
road.
For the benefit of visitors to the meet
ing of the Old German Baptists at North
Manchester, Ind., the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company will sell excursion tickets
to North Manchester at one fare and a
third for the round trip. Tickets will be
sold May 20th to 25th, valid for return
until June 25, 1890, inclusive.
The exceptionally good facilities af.
forded by the Pennsylvania's through
trains to the \Ve9t, commend this route
most strongly to the patronage of visitors
to this mcetiDg. The specific round-trip
rate from Johnstown to North Manches
ter is $17.39, Conemaugh $17.48.
Further information will be given by
ticket agents or upon application to Thos.
E. Watt. Passenger Agent Western
Division, 110 Fifth avenue, Pittsbugh.
HOARD GF TRADE.
Proceed intra ol die Regular Meeting I.*t
Evening—Chances for a Public Building
Not (ioml.
The regular meeting of the Board of
i Trade was called to order last evening by
Vice President .Mos'-s.
The roll was called and a quorum an
swered to their names. G. W. Mcses, G.
VV. YVagner, James Quinn, Scott Dibert,
8. Dean Cannan, Geo. K. Shryock, P.
S. Fisher, John Hannan, G. A. Hager,
Chas. Suppes, J. M. Shumaker, Cbas. H.
Griffith, P. L, Carpenter, were present.
The minute of the last regular anil
special meetings were read and approved.
Reports of Committees being called for
the Committees on Manufactures, Real
Estate, Finance, Municipal Affairs, Sta
tistics, Publication and Arbitration had
no report.
The Treasurer's report was read as fol
lows :
Dh. •
To amount on hand at our last meeting, $1270 72
'To amount received from the secretary. 54 on
Total $1321 72
CR.
By amount-paid c. T. Frazer $25 uo
By amount paid Johnstown Elec
tric Light Co. 8 13 $ 33 13
Balance $1291 SB
GEO. A. HAGER, Treasurer.
The report was received and ordered tiled.
The secretary read a letter received by the
Special committee on Public Building for Johns
town, from Hon. Edward scull, as follows:
HOL'SE OK REPRESENTATIVES,
WASHINGTON, D. c., April 28, lsuo.
lion. 1,. I). Woodruff',
MY DEAR SIR: I have the letterof yourself and
colleagues, a committee of;the Board of Trade,
relative to an appropriation for the erection of a
Government building In your city, of course, 1
stand ready to do all In my power to meet; your
wishes In this matter, but 1 do not think this Is
an auspicious time. You will observe on an ex
amination of the House calendar, a copy of
which I mail you, that It contains a very large
number of bills of a similar character. The Com
mittee or. Public Grounds and Buildings has had
Its day, or rather two days, during which It pro
cured the passage of a number of bills, four of
which were for buildings in our Slate. It Is
not probable that It will get another day dur
ing this session, but If It does, It will call up
bills In their order on the calendar. Apart
irom this there Is no other way of
getting a bill considered except by
"unanimous consent." The objection of a
single member prevents the privilege being
granted, and gentlemen having bills on the cal
endar will, In defense of their own rights, object
to have bills below them taken out and passed-
It is current rumor at this time that the enor
mous sums of money which would be required
to erect but a tithe of the bulldlugs that are
asked for, and bills for wblch are on tbe calen
dar, has attracted the attention of the Execu
tive. and that, If passed, will not meet with his
approval.
The committee has now on Its tile a large
number of bills not acted upon, and probably
will not be during this session. If, howeer, on
due consideration, your committee thinks It
would be In the Interest of the project to have a
bill Introduced, at tbls session, It will afford me
pleasure to do so. Truly yours,
EDWARD SCCLI..
Tbe Secretary read tbe following bills,
wbicb were approved aud paid : A. E.
Blain, janitor, $8.33; C. T. Frazer, rent
for April, $25 ; L. D. Woodruff, $3.00;
Ramp & Horan 75 cents; W. J. Rose,
$1.02,
Tbe names of Win. C. Kreiger, Assistant
Casbier of tbe Liizens Bank and Wm. A.
Donaldson, were proposed for member
ship and under tbe rules were laid over
until tbe next regular meeting.
The river question was freely discussed.
They Hud Heller Aequlc*ett.
To the Editor <ll the'Johmlorcn Democrat.
Ihe enemies of Dr. Bcalc since they
bave failed through the congregation aud
I he Presbytery to effect his defeat are now
making use of the columns of the Tribune
to villify him and anuoy the church. It
would have been very much better for
them, when they had collided their
strength, and at least two instances found
a majority of the actual members and con
tributors of the congregation ugaiust
them, and the recent action of the com
mittee, in which the pastor and congrega
tion was sustained, to have quietly ac
quiesced aud either withdiawn from the
chuich oraccepted the u ill of the majority.
Neither Dr. Buale nor his supporters
are necessitated to go through the town
with a petition pleading for money to pay
his salary, nor will he have to issue an
execution against theparsonage to liquidate
it. As long as he can be prevailed upon
to remain with us, which we hope will be
for many years, his salary will be pro
vided for and promptly paid.
ANOTHER MEMBER.
Carriages Itnn by Gas.
One of the recent inventions is carriages
to be propelled by gas generated from
benzine. The motor is placed in the rear
over the main axle and the benzine is
carried in a receptacle under the seat. It
holds enough for a trip of eighty miles.
The gas mixture is ignited in a cylinder
by an electric spark. The motor is started
by simply turning a lever. A link chain
belted to a wheel in the rear applies the
power. In its make-up the carriage is
something like a tricycle, having only
three wheels, and is guided precisely the
same way. It is easy to increase or di
minish the speed and the carriage can be
stopped in a moment. The system can
be applied to large or small vehicles. The
cost is comparatively low. The speed is
from ten miles an hour down to that of a
horse car.
♦ ♦ •
Subscribe for the DEMOCRAT.
THE CITY'S SCHOOLS.
' The Number of School* iu the New City,
Organization of the Hoard of Controller*,
and Other Intrreating Matter.
The number of school rooms furnished
the city by the several boroughs as
follows : Johnstown, 24 ; Millville, 14 :
Conemaugh, 4 ; VYoodvale, 2 ; Cambria,
2 ; Grubbtown, 2 ; Prospect, 1 ; a total of
49. Johnstown borough lost 10 rooms
by tbe flood. Conemaugh—deducting
those in the new building—4 ; Wood vale
2, and Cambria 2 ; a total of 18. It is
likely that within a very short time all
these rooms will have to be replaced,
making about seventy schools. And the
giowth of the city will in a few years give
the. city a sufficient number of schools to
entitle it to hold a separate institute. The
number of sclioo s necessary is seventv
fiv..
One of the first duties levolving upon
the Board of City School Controllers after
organization will be the choice of a City
Superintendent for a term of three years
at a salary to be fixed by the Board of
Control lers.
Many of the matters pertaining to the
organization of the Board of Controllers
and the management of the school gov
ernment of the city are best told by the
following paragraphs taken from the law
on the subject applying to cit'es of the
tbild class :
The Board of School Controllers shall
annually organize on the first Monday of
June, by the e'ection of a President and
Secret try, by a vote of a majority of
members elected theret'. The Secretary
shall receive such salary as the Board
my determine, aud shall give bond, If
thereto directed, with such security as tbe
Board may require, conditioned for the
faithful performence of his duties and ac
counting for and delivery over of all
moneys, books, accounts and vouchers
which may come into his possession. No
member of the Board shall be eligible to
any office or employment under the
Board to which compensation is attached.
The City Treasurer shall be ex-officio
School Treasurer, and before entering
upon his duties he shall give bond to the
city school district in such amount as the
Board of Controllers shall approve, with
two or more sufficient sureties conditioned
for the honest and faithful discharge of
his official duties, and the safe keeping
and payment over of all school moneys
entrusted to his care. He shall receive
such salary from the school district as the
Board o 'School Controllers shall fix and
determine before his election or appoint
ment. When the said Controllers are sat
isfied that the school tunds in the hands
of the City Treasurer are endangered
from any cause they may require ad
ditional security, and in case of default
in the giving thereof, may elect a tieasurer
to serve until another City Treasurer is
duly elected and qualified.
The City Controller of auy city of the
third class shall exercise the samv author
ity and supervision of the finances and ac
counts of the school district as lie does by
law with reference to the finances and ac
counts of ciiy affairs, and he shall coun
tersign all warrants for the payment of
money out of the school treasury in the
same manner that he countersigns city
warrants ; his compensation for such ser
vices shall be fixed by the School jj oart i
prior to his election, and he shall he re
quired to give bond to the school dis
trict, wilh surety or sureties, coudilioued
for the faithful performance of his duties.
The law provides that where a city is
made up of several heretofore separate
districts, each such district shall discharge
its own obligations, wLich shall be ad
justed in the aunual levying of taxes until
all the debts contracted prior to consolida
tion shall lmve been paid,
Finding of the German Lutheran Church
Hell.
The bell belonging to the German Lu
theran Church was discovered iti the Fif
teenth ward on Monday evening by Offi
cer Martin. It was in a stable, and lie
was attracted by the sound while walking
through an alley near by.* He thought he
recognized the sound, and reported to
Rev. Glasgow, who, with several trustees
of the church, went down and fully iden
tified it. The bell was brought up yes
terday afternoon to the new school build
ing, tn course of erection by the people of
that church. It will be placed in position
at once, It bad been found shortly after
the flood by Mr. Richard Howe, and not
knowing to whom it belonged, he had it
placed where it was found.
Throng l ' Mlglity Water*.
Altoona Tribune.
Mr. D. K. Ramoy has in his possession
e volume which has an interesting history.
It is the minute book of the Allegheny
synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
and it passed through the Johnstown
flood. It was in sad condition when res
cued, but after passing torough the hands
of Bookbinder W,C. Loudon, of this city,
looks almost as good as new, the discol
oration of the leaves being ths only traces
of the flood left. Our Lutheran friends
will be glad to know that this lespository
of their church minutes has been saved
and rehabilitated.
Subscribe for tbe Democrat.
The Danger of Overflow*.
To the Editor of the Johiutown Democrat.
I have just read what Mayor Hose
ha.4 to say on the question ef Stooycreek
overflows, and having previously noted
an engineer's repc rt on changing the
channel b< ck to the foot of the hill, and
having heard opinions, wise and other
wise, of leading citizens, permit me to
ask how, in the name of common sense,
such a change would avert the danger of
freshet oveiflows? Sunpose the water
should he diverted from its present chan
nel to that mapped out by the engineer,
what good would come of it, other than
dispensing with bridges between Johns
town and Kernville? Or suppose the
present channel should be widened to its
original size, or to the extreme of 400
feet, or, for that matter, to 600 feet, is
there a sane man in or about the town
that really thinks it would give the de
sired relief to the lower part of the town ?
So long as that stone obstruction stands
'below the junction of the two streams,
no changes in the chaunel of the Stony
ceek that can be made whether by wid
ening it or by diverting the water into a
new one, will or can obviate the menace
Of danger to life and property caused by
overflows.
It requires no engineering skill to see
that those narrow arches ot the stone
bridge wiil cause overflows every time a
freshet brings down trees, logs, roots and
dirt. They are skillfully and admirably
adapted to catch and hold such things un
til a dam of many feet is created. Then
what ? Why, with no outlet for the
water, it will necessarily and naturally
back up over the emb aikment, aud flood
the lower end of the town.
The terrible flood of last May would
not have caused half the destruction of
life and propei ity it did, had there been
no bridge with narrow arches below the
junction. It is well know that the logs
that came down on the rise clogged up
the outlets at an early hour on that fatal
Friday, and backed the water up to Wal
nut street, then to Market and even to
Franklin, and finally caused the Stony
creek to break through to Clinton street.
Who does not know that the two or three
feet of wafer on Franklin street at 2
o'clock was the lesult of the big dam
down at the railroad bridge ?
, .Go on then, making an ado about nar
rowing ihe channels of the Codemaugh
and Stonycretk, attributing overflows to
that work, and closing your eyes to the
real cause of danger, aud see what you
will accomplish by affording relief to
buildings down about the Point. Squander
money in widening or changing channels,
and pay no attention to that .fearfully
dangerous obstruciion in the form of the
stone bridge, and overflows will continue
to mock at your fears. Oh, for a little
common sense to the real cause of danger.
Lest some one should say this is writ
ten by some one interested in ground
made by narrowing channels, permit me
to say I am only
A LOOKEK ON IN VIENNA.
HED MEN PARADE.
Three Thou*aui| Ilriive* March Through the
Streets at Scran ton
SOBANTON, May 21.—Delegates from 300
tribes of ihe improved Order of Hed Men
gathered in the Great Council of the State
here to-day. Music Hall was completely
filled when at 10 o'clock Great Sachem W.
G. Myers called the meeting to order.
Rev. D. C. Hughes, of Scranton, invoked
the Gieat Spirit. The Great Sachem de
livered an address on the history of the
orde' and then introduced Mayor Fellows,
who offered the freedom of the city to the
tribes aud gave them a hearty welcome.
At 3 o'clock the members of the order
paraded. Three thousand braves in
picturesque costumes were in line, and
the streets down which the parade
passed were densely crowded.
All the Philadelphia braves have
their squaws and papooses. Among them
arc Great Sachem Myers, Great Sachem
elect John McCully, Great Junior Saga
mi re Conley, Deputy Great Sachem Conn
and Richard Vaux, Randall's successor.
This evening " The Farm in the West,
or the Indian's Revenge," was played in
-Music Hall for the benefit of the order.
Clicrry-McCube.
Although our sister borough of East
Conemaugh very decidedly said she would
not consolidate with the new City of
Johnstown, some of her fair daughters, it
seems have not such decided opinions
upon the question of annexation. We arc
led to this remark because of the mar
riage Tuesday ot Miss Mattie McCabe,
daughter of the late Thomas McCabe, to
Mr. 8. A. Cherry, of Manayunk. The
writer has known Miss Mattie as a bright
school girl, an obedient and studious pu
pil, and an estimable lady of much worth.
It is a pleasure to her friends to know that
she has taken for a husband a gentleman
who is worthy of the love and trust she
has reposed in him. The best wishes of a
host of friends will follow them both
through life and may many tull-blown
cherries be gathered by them in their
pathway down the stream of time.
New Schedule.
Trains now run on the Johnstown Si
Stonycreek Railroad every fifteen min
utes. See time table of the new schedule.
NO. 5
SHE WON THE GLOVES.
How Northwestern Widow Convinced
Inquisitive Man < f HI. Error.
St. Paul Pioneer-Press.
In one of St Paul's palatial apartment
houses lives a young widow—one of those
willowv blondes, with brown eyes war
ranted to kill at 100 yards. The next
time she has occasion to appear in full
dress she will probably weat a pnir of
'gloves which she won from a well-known
gentleman who has apartments on the same
floor. This is how it happened: The
gentleman came home one afternoon, and
as he passed along the hall to his rooms
he saw through the half-opened door of
the fair one's room a sight that caused
him to stop and exclaim: " What on
earth are yo i doing ? " The lady stepped
to the door and explained that a new
dress had just been sent home and that
she had placed her mirror down on the
floor so that she could see how the dress
looked as she walked past.
" Looks all light," said he.
" Thai's all you know about it," said
the widow. "In the first place it doesn't
haug well behind; there is a certain satis
faction and peace of mind to a woman
who knows that her dress hangs well be
hind that the comforts of religion do not
give. But the greatest fault with it is
that it is so short that I am almost
ashamed to wear it."
" That's so, it is awfully short," he said,
looking down to the widow's graceful
ankles as she moved around behind a
chair. " But I always did adn ire those
embroidered lisle thread "
" You don't know wiiat you're talking
about; they're not lisle thread, and you
have nothing to base an opinion except
your too fertile imagination."
" Well, I never worked in a dry goods
store, but I'll just bet you a pair of gloves
that I am right, and that they arc lisle
thread."
" And you won't ever tell a living soul
if I show you that you are wrong ? "
'• Never! upon my honor."
'• Well, come in and close the door, but
remember that I trust you to be honorable
in this and never breathe a word of it.
And if I satisfy you that you are wrong 1
am to have a pair of eight-button white
gloves."
"Yes, yes, that's all right." he an
swered, impatiently thinking it would be
a good bet if he Inst.
Widking demurely to a dressing case,
she opened the upper drawer aud said :
" I bought three pairs yesterday ; here
are tne other two, aud you see iliat they
are silk, not lisle thread, and they have
just a little line up the side instead ol em
broidery.
" But I thought you were going to ''
"Sir! There are some subjects upon
which you have no right to think. Never
mind what you thought," she continued,
as she held the door open for her caller's
exit. " Just utilize vriir thinker in re
membering that you owe me a pair of
gloves."
THE RIVER BOUNDARIES.
The Mayor ami the City Engineer Take
a Trio to Blairsvillo to See Certain
Maps.
Tuesday morning Mayoi Rose and
City Engineer Dowuey went to lilairs
ville, taking the Johnstown Accomodation
to the Intersection. Owing to the fact
that several of the triv'ns were uot ruuuing
on time they missed connecting with
train that goes down to Blairsvillc. They
then set out and walked the three miles
to Blairsville.
The object of their trip was to see cer
tain maps of the Pynnsylvania Railroad,
which are in the bands of Mr. Antes
Snyder, Chief Engineer of the Right of
Way ot that road. They were shown
a map of the water courses i.f Ihe Cone
maugh from where Woodvale stood to
where the stone bridge now is, as they ap
peared iu 1857, when the Pennsylvania
Railroad was projected. Maps of the
present courses of the stream were also
shown to the visiting gentlemen, as was a
map in part of the course of the Stony
creek at both periods named.
It is the purposo to get a tracing of
those maps, if possible, so that some idea
can be obtained that will be of assistance
in determining the proper width of the
streams to be fixed by the city ordinances.
If the natural course and width of the
streams wore to be restored, there is little
doubt that theie would be any further
danger from inundations.
Messrs. Rose and Downey returnoil on
the afternoon train yesterday, being
obliged, in order to get home before evan
ing, to walk from Blairsville to the Inter
section.
LICENSE PLATES FOR VEHICLES.
They Have Been Received at the Con
troller's Office
The City Controller wishes us to state
that the license plates for the vehicles for
which the license tax has been paid have
been received by him and are ready for
distribution. The ordinance requires that
they shall be placed on vehicles, tho
owners of which are required to piy the
license, as an evidence that the city law
has been complied with.
Five cents is now charged for a
message over the branch telephone line
to Bernard Nees' hotel, Geistown.