The Johnstown Flood
The summer of 1889 will ever
be memorable for its appalling disasters by flood and flame. In
that period fell the heaviest blow of the nineteenth centurya
blow scarcely paralleled in the histories of civilized lands.
Central Pennsylvania, a centre of industry, thrift and comfort,
was deslolated by floods unprecedented in the records of the great
waters. On both sides of the Alleghenies these ravages were felt
in terrfic power, but on the western slope their terrors were
infinitely multiplied by the bursting of the South Fork Reservoir,
letting out millions of tons of water, which, rushing madly down
the rapid descent of the Conemaugh Valley, washed out all its
busy villages and hurled itself in a deadly torrent on the happy
borough of Johnstown. The frightful aggravations which followed
the coming of this torrent have waked the deepest sympathies of
this nation and of the world, and the history is demanded in permanent
form, for those of the present day, and for the generation to
come.
MAP of the Area
From Engineering News
The Locomotives at
Conemaugh
The Railroad Bridge that
Held
Photographs of the Catastrophe
Debris Above the Pennsylvania
Railroad Bridge
Last Trains in and out of Harrisburg
Clearing the Railroad Tracks
Repairing Damages on the Pennsylvania
Railroad
View of the Burned Roman Catholic Church
of St. John
Ruins of the Cambria Iron Works
Ruins Showing the Path of the Flood
JohnstownView Corner Main and Clinton
Streets
View on Clinton Street, Johnstown
Third Street, Williamsport, Pa., During
Flood
Wreck of the Iron Bridge at Wiliamsport,
Pa.
Seventh Street, Washington, D.C., Under
the Flood
Chapters from the History of the Johnstown
Flood1889
Chapter III.---Drawing
of the Fatal DayDarkness and RainRumors of EvilThe
Warning Voice UnheededA Whirlwind of Watery DeathFate
of a Faithful TelegrapherWhat an Eye-Witness SawA
Solid Wall of Water Rushing Down the Valley
Chapter IV.---The Pathway
of the TorrentHuman Beings Swept away like ChaffThe
Twilight of TerrorThe Wreck of East ConemaughAnnihilation
of WoodvaleLocomotives Tossed about like Cockle-shells by
the Mighty Malestrom
Chapter VI.---Pictures
of the Flood Drawn by Eye-witnessA Score of Locomotives
Swallowed UpRailroad Cars Swept AwayEngineers who
would not Abandon their PostsAwful Scenes from a Car WindowA
Race for LifeVictims of the Flood
Chapter IX.---Stories
of Railroad Men and Travelers who were in the Midst of the CatastropheA
Trains Race with the WaveHouses Crushed like EggshellsRelics
of the Dead in Tree topsA Night of HorrorsFire and
Flood CommingledLives Lost for the Sake of a Pair of Shoes
Chapter XI.---The Flight
to the MountainsSaving a Mother and her BabeThe Hillsides
Black with RefugeesAn Engineer's StoryHow the Dam
Gave AwayGreat Trees Snapped off like Pipe-stems by the
Torrent
Chapter XV.---A Birds
Eye View of the Ruined CityConspicuous Features of the DisasterThe
Railroad LinesStones and Iron Tossed about like DriftwoodAn
Army Officer's Valuable Services in Restoring and Maintaining
Order
Chapter XVI.---Clearing
a Road up the CreekFantastic Forms of RuinAn Abandoned
Locomotive with No Rails to Run OnIron Beams Bent like Willow
TwigsNight in the ValleyScenes and Sounds of an Inferno
Chapter XIX.---Newspaper
Correspondents Making their Way InThe Railroads HelplessHiring
a Special TrainMaking Desperate SpeedFirst Faces of
the FloodThrough to Johnstown at Last
Chapter XXVI.---Breaking
up the Ruins and Burying the DeadInnumerable FuneralsThe
Use of DynamiteThe Holocaust at the BridgeThe Cambria
Iron WorksPulling out Trees with Locomotives
Chapter XXVIII.---Recovering
from the BlowThe Voice of the Locomotive Heard AgainScenes
Day by Day Amid the Ruins and at the MorgueStrange Salvage
from the FloodA Family of Little Children
Chapter XXX.---Scenes
at the Relief StationsThe Grand Army of the Republic in
CommandImposing Scenes at the Railroad StationCars
Loaded with Goods for the Relief of the Destitute
Chapter XXXVI.---The
Ubiquitious Reporter Getting ThereDesperate Traveling through
a Storm-swept CountrySpecial Trains and Special TeamsClimbing
Across the MountainsRest for the Weary in a Hay Mow
Chapter XLI.---Fire following
the FloodGhastly Sacrafices at the Railroad BridgeBurning
WreckageMany Houses Destroyed by Conflagration
Mother
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