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

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Next inornins; ^Ir. Clawsoii started with ])nrt of tlic family and Miss Grcoii for
East Libcrtw The nearest ))omt where the\ eouM talce- tlie train was San^
Hollow. The\' foiinu a nK>ii who let them riile to MorrehN iUc He w.is nearh'
crazv with ^rict, having; lieen told that liis wife and six children were Kim;
dead. It was a frii^htfulh' mad ride. The UMn droxe as fa^t as In; eould ,l;"o,
o\'er almost < \er\ tlim_;\ Se\eral times. \\die;i the\' couKI endnre it rio loii'.;i.-r,
the ladies spoke to him. but he said he was not (.lri\'in.L; ver\ fast. In his sorrow
he coidd think of noihinLC hut his eauerncss to reaeli the scene of his
former home, and on thc\ dashed. \Mien the\' reached Morrelhulle. more
dead than ali\e. he found tiiat the dread lepurt was true. His \vife and his
children were l\iii!,' side by side.
I'roin MorrelhilU.' the ,^irls liad to ^\aIk in the rain and mml f(.)ur miles to
get the train, which was set crowded with da.-'eil and half-cra/et! people that
thev xvere forced to be helped in throui^h the window. ^ileu actually climbeil
on top of tile cars in their frantic haste to uet awav. The L;irls did not know
thev were without hats until th.e\" left the car. tort\' miles from home. It would
have made no ditference it the\ had kncjwn— there were no hats to be hail.
After Katt' and her children and Miss Green left them. Mr. and Mrs.
Henrie and MaSL;ie went back to Mrs. W'ahl's and remained for two days. At
that house they fed luiniirt.tls y,[ people, K'oing miles into the country for food.
The\' were constanth' cookint;. and it was the same in e\'er\' house lett staniling.
Such w illinfjness to feed ever\ bod\' was never known before. 'I he
generosity displayed by those who had dr\- clothing;, in ;,M\nnL;' to those who
came out ot the water destitute and bareh' ali\e, soon reduced their wardrobes
to what they had on and e-^tablished in the hearts of all an abiding' faith in the
goodness of hiimanitv.
Some days later, when the water had gone out. the Henries looked around
for the remnant of their hcmie, ho[iin.i; to recover something. 'I hey found
onh' the daughter's watch fastened in a dump of mud. and one li\e dollar bill
out of < 200 that had b.'en put for safedieepiny^ in a trunk. Not e\'en a jvirt of
'.
the trunk was to be seen all their lo.-^ses the\- did not grieve a moment.
Their hearts were too full of thaiiksL;i\-ing that all the family had been sa\-ed.
though a brether-indaw . Lh". Wagoner, and his entire famih' of nine were all
lost. They lived on the same square and '>vere one of t'lftei ii f.imilies out of
whicli onlv five persons were rescued. For eleven da\s Mrs. Henrie and her
daughter assisted in the distrilnitinL; ro(jms of the Grand .\rmy Relief Corps,
sent from Philadelphia. They lost e\'er\' article they possesseil and IukI to
start life aL;ain. This was the second time !Mrs. Henrie had been wreckeil by
cruel floods.
.\bout noon on the da\- of the flood .\le-.\aniler .\dair aii'l Richard Eyre
left the Merchants' Hotel to note the w.iter and inspect the stone bri(l'.;e.
The}- could not go directly to the bridge, owing to the depth of the water on