The story of Johnstown : its early settlement, rise ... - JohnstownCafe

I 62 THE S TOR \ OF Jt V/.XS ft Ml W.
on Main strec.-t they retreatcj a story liiulur. Distress ^\ as apparent on all
suits. A sick nLii:hl>..r appealed for a stimulant anil was handed a cup of
collee on the end of a broon. a gulf thatciuild not be passed scparatin,:; her
from the looses. D\' this time houses he-an to eruniMe and vanish. The roof
Savev.-ay. seatt. riu:^ tlie family and f.i-tenin- Mr. Ivose between heav\- timbers,
win'ch fractured his right collar-bone and compresse-d his breastd.one. Assisted
by his yiiungest son, Percy, he succeeded in again reaching his own roof.
There he w itnessed the ai^parent death struggle s of his Avife and dan-hter,
utterly helpless to assist them. L\ing outstretched on the roof, with his family.
a little waif and a domestic, he sailed near the Kernville Hill. Another roof
came up alongside which they boardid. and were taken uji Stony Creek.
Thc' Unique Rink came tly'-ig along and all resigned themselves to their fate.
Mr. Rose exclaimed, -This means death." A log hit the riidv and veered it
into another channel. Then a friendl\- current forced them in the rear of the
residence of Dr. Swan, wiience tliey made their way into the house. Winter,
tlic second son, at the risk ot his own life, carried Mrs. Reise, sevent\ -one
years old, from a dangerous place to a safe one. The oldest son, Horace, drifted
away from the remaintler of the familw .\fter an eventful exjierience he was
taken, almost exhausted, from the debris into the house of Frank Coleman.
Three girls liad their clothes torn off while strugglim.;- in the water, and were
thrown on the bank above the stone bri.lge. The\- hid in the rubbish until
Saturday night, when hunger overcame their maiden modestv ami forced them
to call to some men for assistance. Food and clothing were obtained and the
trio taken to a shelter.
Henry Ludwig. of Dedlord street, sent his three children to the residence
of his parents, Mr. and :\Ir-,. Jolm Ludv.ig. on Mam street, v, Idle he and his wife
remained to lift carpets. August Young, Henry's brother-'in-law. had also taken
his wife to her parents' home, and he and Charles Ludwig went ilown to Henry's
house to assist. They had arrived but a short time when the water came
rushing along, drowning all the inmates and carrying the house to the Point.
John Ludwig and son George v. ere in their store on Washington street endea\ormg
to keep goods out of the wet. They saw the mountain of water rolling
down the valle\, ran upstairs and managed to get upon the ronf. which
immediately jiarted. They clambered to the roof of Frank Ha\ 's brick building,
none too soon, for the structure melted and the roof floated awa\- to Locust
sti'et, where George was taken ott. He saw his father lloat awa\- and thought
he would be killed, but after Jumping from raft t