The bridge stopped tons of wooden debris, which accumulated in a huge pile that trapped dozens of survivors. With aid from various sources, Johnstown rebuilt itself, and celebrated the hundredth anniversary of the flood and its people's resilience in June 1, The New York Times.
The City of Johnstown Swept Completely Away A lake on the neighboring hills bursts its barriers and sweeps everything before it - men, women and children swallowed up by angry flood - awful scenes witnessed by survivors. Pittsburg, May 31 - An appalling catastrophe is reported from Johnstown, Cambria County, the meagre details of which indicate that that city of 25, inhabitants has been practically wiped out of existence and that hundreds if not thousands of lives have been lost.
A dam at the foot of a mountain lake eight miles long and three miles wide, about nine miles up the valley of the South Fork of the Conemaugh River, broke at 4 o'clock this afternoon, just as it was struck by a waterspout, and the whole tremendous volume of water swept in a resistless avalanche down the mountain side, making its own channel until it reached the South Fork of the Conemaugh, swelling it to the proportions of Niagara's rapids. The flood swept onward to the Conemaugh like a tidal wave, over twenty feet in height, to Johnstown, six or eight miles below, gathering force as it tore along through the wider channel, and quickly swept everything before it.
Houses, factories and bridges were overwhelmed in the twinkling of an eye and with their human occupants were carried in a vast chaos down the raging torrent. The water began flowing over the dam or abutment at the weakest part of the mountain lake at about 1 o'clock, when Johnstown and people down the valley were warned by messengers to to look out for a flood as the result of a waterspout.
Three hours later the whole end of the lake gave way, sweeping everything before it, railroads, bridges and telegraph lines included. The scene of the disaster is cut off entirely from all manner of communication and has been since 6 o'clock this evening, and fragmentary details of the character and extent of the calamity only have come to hand from various places in the valley. One telegraph operator says he counted sixty-three bodies in twenty minutes floating past his office.
June 3, Telegraphic communication with Johnstown has been re-established, and the work of succor to the living and of burial of the dead is going forward under direction of organized volunteer crops of physicians and ministers from Pittsburg and every other city in the reach of the stricken and desolate valley.
The latest information confirms the last appalling estimates of the numbers of the dead, but even this is unreliable, for nothing had yet been heard of the four towns up the valley from Johnstown, that were first involved in the disdaster, Mute testimony as to their probable fate has been found in the identification of the bodies of several of their former citizens that have been taken from the ruins of their cities down the river.
A temporary martial government has been established over the ruined city of Johnstown, under the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania, assisted by military companies from Pittsburg and by volunteer officers. Attempts at disorder and violence by small gangs of tramps have been vigorously suppressed, and several marauders have been lynched and shot to death, for the people in the solemn earnestness of their work of succor and rescue have not the patience to wait the tedious process of law.
The area of disaster from the floods is extended considerably over what was originally reported, and a sense of apprehension will prevail until the cities in the valley of the Cumberland, the Shenandoah, the Juniata, and the upper Potomac, that have been cut off from communication with the outside world since last Thursday shall be heard from again.
Organized and systematic efforts to provide food and shelter for the homeless thousands that are now exposed to the elements in the desolated region are earnestly called for.
Meetings for the purpose of responding to the call have been ordered in several of the larger cities. That in this city will be held at the Mayor's office this afternoon. With the partial restoration of telegraphic communication fuller particulars of the great disaster have come to hand and are given below.
Army Corps of Engineers, the water level could have been as much as 11 feet higher if the channel system had never been built. The body of a woman is removed from debris below the Tanneryville section of Johnstown, Pa.
The area was washed away early Wednesday when a dam broke from the pressures of a heavy rain storm. Fifty bodies have been found. AP Photo. The Red Cross, Salvation Army, other non-profit agencies, the state and federal governments, and private individuals rushed to help.
The National Guard was mobilized, and the U. Army Corps of Engineers arrived to assist in debris removal and demolition of non-salvageable buildings. The flood was a blow to Johnstown's increasingly fragile economy. Many downtown firms damaged by the flood did not reopen or moved to the suburbs. Employment at Bethlehem Steel dropped by 4, Between and , the city's population dropped from 42, to 34,, a The flood museum has an archive of oral histories from survivors of the flood.
A helicopter hovers over a residential area where homes have been completely demolished in the aftermath of a flood in Johnstown, Pa. Damage is in millions of dollars and several people have been killed as a result of the bursting dams overwhelmed by heavy rainfall. A youngster flies the American flag from the collapsed second story of his home after returning to his home in Johnstown, Pa.
This section of the home was separated from the first floor and floated downstream after at least 12 inches of rain fall in the mountainous region, causing a flood July Good Morning, Pennsylvania.
There have not been many buildings in the town carried off, but there are few that have not been damaged. There is mourning everywhere for the dead. The mayor sent this message, "Send us help at once, in the name of God, at once.
There are hundreds utterly destitute. They have lost all they had, and have no hope of employment for the future. Philadelphia should, if possible, send provisions. Such a thing as a chicken is unknown here; they were all carried off. It is hard to get anything to eat for love or money. Flour is needed worse than anything else. Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support.
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