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

84 THE STORY OF JOIJXSTOllX.
uoiisly brushed aside. Nothing was ton small to escape its notice or too large
for it to attack. Locomotives turned sdincrsaults, and liouses played leapfrog
in the bosom ot
the merciless current, \vhicli churned them into battered
iron and splintered wood to stre-.s' its trail with wreckage. IIa\oc ruled the
lioiir and chaos was monarcli of the daw
Three lunuhcd jileasant houK'-. sheltered the eleven hundred residents of
Wood^•alc, bordering Franklin on the south and spreading o\-er the tlats from
Conemaugh Creek to a commanding liill on the northwest. ^faple avenue, tlie
principal thoroughfare, was lined ^vith pretty Imnies and Lra\ersed bystreet
cars. An iron briilge on the northern end communicated with East Conemaugh.
On this bridge Burgess bloward C. E\ans, 1 )r. l)uncan ami a halfdozen
neighbors were discussing the hiL;h ^\ater. which had led to the closing
of the local factories at noon. The roar of the tlnod tearing tlow n the creek
arrested their attC'Ution. They understood intaiti\ely that the South-I^ork
dam had burst, and ran to rescue tiieir families. The Ihugess sprinted three
squares with the speed of a racer who realizes that the preservation of his
loved ones depends upon his tleetness. As he rushed into his house on Beach
•
street tlie oldest boy. a lad of ten summers, called from up-stairs :
" Oh, papa, the bridge is comin'^ down ullh lots of stuff
'
The lather seized three of tlie youn-est of his seven children.
"
Mrs. E\-ans
grablied up two. the oldest two trotted behind and the part}- scampered by the
rear door for tlte hill across the railroad track. The waters were almost at their
heels and delay meant death. One of the liabies dropped from the father's
arms on the track, but a woman caught it uji and the tli-ht continued. A rod
from the font of the hill another fell. Mr. Evans depositeil his load on the
bank, ran back for tlte little fellow and wadeil safeh' to the shore. hie was
the only one of the group on the liritlge wdiose entire family escaped. Dr.
Duncan lost his ^vife. and each of the others was soreh' bereft. Mrs. Diuican's
body was buried among the imknown. A published description lecl her
husband to disinter the remains, designatetl b\- a certain luuiiber. fie identified
his wife by the clothing and the hair, and she was laid' to rest in the
cemetery.
An extensive woolen mill, employing three hiuulred girls, stood near the
center of the borough. .Vgainst its solid brick w-alls the waters charged savagely.
Thousands of terns of flotsam, accumulated on the ^va\ from Lake
Conemaugh. dealt the mill a staggering blow. It was an unc(]ual battle, and
the upper e;id of the building surrendered with a terrific crash. Fortunatel_\-
the girls had quit work at twehe o'clock and vacated the premises. The
logs, troths, houses and rulibish we.lged in a lump, savint,' two-thirds of the
mill and the flouring mill beside it from total extinction. The resentful waters
splashed the third story, but coulil not budge the impenetrable mass which
checked tlieir ferocious assault.