Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1889 — AFFAIRS AT JOHNSTOWN. [ARTICLE]

AFFAIRS AT JOHNSTOWN.

A Newspaper Gets on Itß Feet Once More —The Warning. The Johnstown Democrat issued its first paper since the flood Saturday. In addition to a complete list of the dead up to this date, the paper contains interesting information relating to the flood. Regarding the mi >ted question whether a warning bad been given of the reservoir breaking, this statement is made: “Shortly after noon the following dispatch was received at the Pennsylvania Railroad tower, and was telephoned over to town, communication by way of the Line )lu bridge having been cut ofl: "Reports from Coneniaugh Lake, via South Fork, at 12:10, sav the water is running over the dam and the darn may give way at rtty moment. Notify the people at Johnstown at once to be prepared for the worst.” “This was signed ‘Operator.’ but as repoiti of the dam breaking were always current when we ha 1 nigh water, people bad become used to Buch talk, and were not easily alarmed. At any rate it was the experience of those who made an effort to warn the people that the matter was treated with indifference. A second message was received at 2:44, which said that the dam was breaking, and the warning was circulated on a few of the streets, but the people had no time nor the opportunity then to get out. Aa to the part the stone bridge played in the disaster, arguments are presented to show that the bridge was instrumental in saving at least 5 OJO lives.”