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

The
68 rf!i: s roRV ( '/ /< '//.\ > / ^ /; w:
theovcrwhflniiiiL; wciLlh: ot the crushiiiL;. t,'rimliii,u; iiias^. IKuises ficjin South
Fork and Mineral Point \vt:rc knnckcil to pieces .mil tan-kil inuxtricably.
Tlic coxerinLT of the walc-r-line of tlio Cambria Iron Conipan}' was cleared,
exposing the pipes paralleling; the bed nf the ]'ortai;e, in its prime a marvel
of cngineerin:; skill. Timbers framed and burlrd lifty years ai;:> were bared
once more, ami one strap rail, rnsty and bent. \a\"idly recalled the initial
da\s of railroadim;. The journey IkuI to be ccjntinued by creepim; o\cr the
jagged rocks, at \vhose base the waters dashed noisih'. Chunks rif stone and
loosened trees rolled down tiie hills at times, significant hints of the pi'rils
environing the route.
The engine and car that liroir^lu Assistant-Superintendent Tromp from
Pittsburgh in the morniuL,' steiod on the onl\' jnece of track for mile>. the airbrakes
holding them on the rails when the waters la\-ed the windo\vs of the
coach. A mile ahead the creek curved arouml a rocky bend. The road-bed
—an embankment twent}' feet higli — was a thing ef tlie past. Xo vestige of
ballast, clay, rails or ties could be discovered. The foair.in^. fretting ^vaters
turned the sharp cur\e with such \elocit\- that Jacob \\'. Griffin's house,
sheltered by the perpendicular rock, -was scarceh' moistened. East Conemangh,
a railroad town, ^\ith a round-liouse and the homes of two hundred
eniploves. was built mainh' on the flat between t!ie creek and the sloping
ground leading to the hills back of the \iilaL;e. Forty of these houses ranged
on the north side of Front street. From Gritiiths the destruction was total
to the west end of tlie street, with everything south to the creek. The brick
round-house contained nine locomoti\es and twi-iit\' more in the xard. Building
and engines were in\"olved in the common ruin. The iiKnt-tlible force of
the flood ma\' be conjectured from the fact that a locomotiw- boiler was carried
two miles and deposited in Johnstown, across Conemaugh Creek. Think of
this and wonder not at the carnival of ruin ! angel of death shrouded
the community in gloom f(jr these lost ones :
John .Vtkinson, a^^'ed 72.
Mrs. Matilda Eurk, aged 37.
Mrs. Sarah Coy, aged 50.
Newton G, Coy. aged 16.
Alexander Kerr, aged 45.
Mary Kerr, aged i.
Mrs. Ellen McHugh, ai;ed 45.
Gertrude McHugh, au'etl
S McHugh, aged 14
J.
Mrs McKirn. an aged woman.
Mrs Zane. age unknown
The forty buildings destro_\-ed included the Eagle Hotel. Philiji Shupe's
store, Sheplierd's store, tlie post-ofiice. the railwav station and re'unii-house.
the Central Hotel and pri\-ate resid.L-nce'S. None acquainted witli tlie site
could ha\"e recognized Ea^t C. inem:u;g"h. Th^- current diig^ a new channel and
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