Tract ~ The Johnstown Flood

In 1889, the railroad city of Johnstown, nestled in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, was a bustling steel city. The population was approx. 28,000. There were many immigrants, including Jews, from all over Europe who worked as coal miners and steel workers.

Fourteen miles up the valley from Johnstown was a prestigious hunting and fishing club. This was where the elite from Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the surrounding area spent their weekends and holidays. Included in the membership of the club was Dale Carnegie, among other famous people. There was a two-mile long lake there created by a dam where numerous days were spent in leisure, boating, fishing and hunting.

This dam had been built by the state ofPennsylvania from the 1830’s to 1853 for the state canal system. However, the state no longer had need of it and it was eventually sold to the hunting and fishing club in 1879.

Over the years of use, the dam had fallen into disrepair. It was in need of reconstruction. The release valves and pipes which controlled the water level in the lake were no longer functioning. Several contractors tried warning the owner of the club, and tried to give him advice as to the best way to repair the dam. The owner wanted to save some money. He did not heed their counsel and acted on his own to fix the dam as cheap as possible. Occasional leaks in the dam were stopped with rocks, dirt, and even manure. The club also lowered the breast of the dam, widening it for a two-lane road for easier access to the club. Even the dam’sspillway had been lined with a fishing net to keep the fish from escaping. This turned out to be a big mistake.

During the rainy season in late May, the Johnstown area had received several storms. The creeks and rivers were full and the ground was saturated. All night and throughout that afternoon on the 31st of May, the severe storm dropped 11 inches of rain onto the already saturated area.  That dark day, three warning messages were sent by telegraph of the danger of the dam breaking. Some messages had to be hand-carried where telegraph wires were broken due to the storms. These messages were sent down the valley to tell of the rising water, the leaking dam, and the imminent possibility of it bursting at any moment. Yet, many did not heed the warnings sent.

There was no way to release the pressure of the rising waters. The spillway was not effective due to the netting blocking debris. In vain, the club members tried to fill the leaks and holes in the dam which were becoming more frequent by the moment. They realized it was useless. The waters were rising too fast and beginning to crest the dam.

One Presbyterian minister had heard the telegraph warnings and went up to see the dam for himself. While observing the rising waters, the great dam gave way. All he could do for the towns below was to cry out to God for mercy on the people. (See the book, “Through the Johnstown Flood by a Survivor“.)

A train conductor was heading toward the dam when he realized the dam burst. He put his train in reverse, and gave the warning by sounding his whistle as he sped back down the valley trying to warn the people to get out of harm’s way. He escaped into the hills after warning several towns of the coming waters, though he couldn’t make it to Johnstown before his train was overtaken.

The gigantic 40′ foot wave swept down the valley, swallowing homes, train cars, trees, and debris which piled up at two bridges which both gave way. The wall of water continued 14 miles down to Johnstown below. All the debris stopped at a large bridge in Johnstown which held under the tremendous pressure. But, the nightmare had only begun. The stoves, kerosene and oil from the many homes and train cars piled up at the bridge caught fire. The fire, which lasted three days, destroyed many lives which may have been saved if they would have heeded the warnings. As a result, 2,209 people perished. One out of three bodies they found were unrecognizable due to the flood and fire.

In this true account, we can learn the following…

How sad it is to know that this tragedy could have been avoided, yet the warnings went unheeded.

1. The warning of the need to repair the dam properly.
2. Three warnings by telegraph and hand-carrier down the valley.
3. The train engineer who whistled the final warning.

Though warned, the town was devastated! Wives lost husbands and children. Husbands lost wives and children. Children lost parents, brothers and sisters. Many thousands of homes were devastated. One man lost his wife and all seven children.

This disaster was one of the worst of our national tragedies. All because one man refused to pay for the cost to repair a dam; and many refused to hear and heed the warnings of its danger.