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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW.
420
CHICAGO, June 17, 1889.
these buildings passed my windows as they went around
the race course of death. This movement was caused MESSRS. BILL & BILL.
by the waters of the Conemaugh being backed by the
GENTLEMEN: Business seems to hang right on in
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION BY AN EYE- immense gorge at the Pennsylvania Railroad stone spite of the rainy weather, and if it keeps on we shall
WITNESS.
bridge below Johnstown. As the buildings passed require life preservers around our pianos in transit to
many arms were stretched out in supplication, and depot. It is getting so bad that we have to take every
MR. K. S. MALOY, THE JOHNSTOWN' MUSIC DEALER,
hundreds
of voices begged to be saved. Then came thing with water on the side, although our principles
WRITES TO MESSRS. WM. TONK & BRO., OF
the
dreadful
sound of thousands of crashing timbers; are in favor of water both sides and in the centre.
NEW YORK, A HARROWING STORY
the sounds of supplicating voices were over. The tiny
OF THE DISASTER.
In some parts of Michigan the rainy weather has
hands of children and the blanched faces of mothers dis- made trade dull, but we notice no general depression,
appeared from the window-openings, and the dark, hiss- and if orders ceased altogether we could continue to
JOHNSTOWN, PA., June 17th, 1889.
ing, muddy waters dashed all down towards the great smile for at least a momh. Such a siege as that, with-
Messrs. WILLIAM TONK & BRO.,
bridge, forming an impregnable dam near fifty feet out orders coming in, would be an unprecedented event
New York.
abreast, and filling the site of .the town with a vast lak^e of which we care not to experience.
DEAR FRIENDS: In compliance with your wish, I shall
waters. The sky assumed a night-like darkness. The
We are now in our factory annex, which is just one
attempt a brief description of the scenes and incidents
angry water rose nearly twenty feet. Across this lake flight up. The natural tendency of all piano men is to
of that ever to be remembered black Friday of May 31,
I saw the flames burst forth from St. John's Catholic ascend, and we find it a great convenience to be able to
1880..
Church
which caught from a wrecked burning building. move around without dragging a sounding-board or two,
My place of business was in Frouheisr's block, an ob-
long three story brick, No. 127 Clinton street, situated On the west of the lake, at the stone bridge, hundreds a couple of sets of strings, pot of varnish, etc., along
midway in the flooded district. This building, though of houses were piled high in promiscuous ruin, fierce with us, or running into a pair of legs every other step.
terribly abused, divided the mammoth wave, though flames leaped forth, consuming the dead, the dying, and We are getting out more pianos and in better shape
struck by a hundred ton iron bridge and thousands of the living. Many escaped drowning only to be cre- than ever before to supply our trade. Wishing THE
tons of other wreckage piled high in miscellaneous ruin. mated alive. The stoutest hearts sickened, and the MUSIC TRADE REVIEW its well deserved success, we are,
Yours truly,
The great body, of water which caused the destruction blood froze in the veins of the beholders of this dread-
of our once happy and prosperous city, came from the ful holocaust. Shrieks for mercy were unavailing; hu-
W. H. BUSH & Co.
South Fork reservoir, situated nine miles East of Johns- man skill was powerless to save hundreds who perished
town, and owned and controlled by a club of Pittsburgh by fire while imprisoned in this earthly hell.
All night these dreadful fires lit up the turbid waters
THE EMERSON PIANOS.
sporting men. This dam was seventy-five feet deep at
the breast, three miles long, averaging a half mile wide of this dismal lake, while thousands of our people who
and covering seven hundred acres. Thought cannot were buoyant with life a few hours previous slept cold in They are coming from the mansions of the aristocratic
picture nor tongue describe the heart rending scenes death beneath its waters. The sky was overcast with
" swells,"
which occurred here at and after four o'clock that even- dark, scowling clouds as if the heavens were also frown- Where the merry music maketh delectation of the belles.
ing when this immense body of water reached us, de- ing on the poor stricken people of Johnstown. Few They are coming from the houses of the merchants and
stoying in its fell course at least 5,000 lives and $33,- eyes were closed that night except in death, for those
the men,
000,000, worth of property. All day long the people who escaped to the hillsides that skirt our destroyed Who are preachers, teachers, scientists, and those who
had been warned that the water in the Conemaugh city kept vigilant watch through the long, dreary
wield the pen ;
river and the Stony creek was unprecedentedly high. hours of the night, in despaiiing hopes to hear from They are coming from the villas where our bankers love
The full effects of the heavy rain fall of the previous friends in the flood, while some who were fortunate in
to dwell,
night were not yet felt. People laughed when told that finding a foothold on some partially wrecked building, From the happy, smiling cottages, in dingle and in dell,
the dam at the South Fork was likely to break, and shivered, in dripping garments, in the cold air of night, From the cities, towns and hamlets, and from every
said, " Give us something new; that chestnut is too old." momentarily expecting to be precipitated, through the
home and haunt,
Ten minutes before the dark death-dealing wave, twenty softening of foundations, into the cold, merciless waters To buy Etna son Pianos, which will "fill a long felt
feet high, reached us, we got a telegram from above beneath. All through the night, houses that had par-
want."
that the dam had burst: "Take warning." Mrs. Ogle, tially held together went down and up, eventually going
the lady operator, who received that message, is no to pieces with their occupants; and then came the scram- They are coming, the mechanics, each a man who toils
more. She died at her post, her last act having saved ble for life to reach some other wreck. Many died from
and strives,
my life and many others. God bless her ! I and my shock, exposure and wounds through that long age of They are coming, the wage earners, with their children
brother, M. S. Maloy, got ready to run to the top of the night.
and their wives,
building, having sent our families in the morning to a
At length morning came, and the slimy waters had They are coming, careless cowboys, dapper clerks, and
place of safety. We heard from some distance up the sufficiently subsided so that those in danger were reach-
drummers, too,
valley, a strange sound like the coming of a cyclone, ed and rescued by means of hastily constructed rafts. Each one bound to buy an Emerson—no other make
and looking in its direction we saw a mountain wave as On all sides, for miles that had been thickly studded
will do.
dark as night thundering down the valley. It was roll- with princely mansions and beautiful homes, not a For solid happiness and peace each from its tone derives,
ing, tossing, and moaning. Buildings of all kinds were stone or a brick or a landmark remained. Wreck, ruin, And poetry begins to smile into prosaic lives.
borne on its surface, tossing hither and thither, with and a deposit of slimy mud, in some places five feet And they troop to Goggan Brothers, or to one of their
human heads and human arms protruding over and out deep, cover the site of the town and will cost more to
four branches,
of the windows. The terrible sight almost unnerved remove than was expended in building Chicago after Those men who live in cities and those dwellers upon
me. I called to my brother, whose storeroom adjoins the great fire. We are all friends here now. All dis-
ranches.
mine, to run to the house top. He started to do so, tinctions of race, color and religion are forgotten, while
but forgeting the cash in the till, turned back to get it. the charity of the good people of the country at large, And the Emcrsons are coming from the city by the sea,
Like a flash our large glass fronts were shattered to towards us, like the flood, is unlimited. The watch- The town that had a picnic, when they spilled King
George's tea ;
pieces and our rooms filled above the ceilings. My word now is, Recuperate!
Your friend,
poor brother perished behind his counter while the
They are coming by the car load to fill this great demand,
F. S. MALOY.
angry wave washed me up the stairway. I ran to the
They are coming down to Galveston, by sea as well as
roof, the water having reached the second story. At
land ;
that moment the steeple on the German Lutheran
They are, coming, too, to Waco, and to Houston, and
A GOOD BUSH NEEDS NO WINE.
Church began to topple, and soon fell in twenty feet of
to San
water. In less than thirty seconds every building, East,
Antonio and Austin, always foremost in the van—
UR humorous friends W. H. Bush & Co., makers Five citadels of Emerson upheld against all others,
West, and North of mine was crushed. There, where
of pianos and organs, Chicago, 111., appear by the By the Texas " Gog and Magog," but known here as
the buildings had stood, the terrible whirlpool of death
following communication to be in good spirits,
began to move onward with lightning rapidity, the
Gtggan .Brothers.
houses riding around on its surface. Twice some of notwithstanding the prohibitory character of Western
Chorus of Emerson Agents—" So say we all of us."
weather:
THE CONEMAUGH HORROR.
O
AHLSTROM PIANOS.
ESTABLISHED 1875-
The Vocalion Organ
R e l i a b l e A g e n t s W a n t e d for these incomparable instruments, which
possess many valuable improvements not found in pianos of any other make.
Specially adapted as leaders, and sold exclusively as First Grade Instruments.
C. A. AHLSTROM,
MANUFACTURER.
Nos. 113, 114 & 116 East 2
JAMESTOWN, N. Y.
THE MOST IMPORTANT AND ARTISTIC INVENTION IN THE MUSICAL
WORLD OF THE XlXtb CENTURY.
Having the power and tonal-quality of a Pipe Organ,
Costing half as much, and occupying one-fifth, the space.
PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR CHU5CHES, HALLS, SCHOOLS AND ORGAN STUDENTS.
Dealers visiting: New Yorls are cordially invited to hear it.
Or j . w. CURRIER, is E. 17th st. N. 7. city.
For Agency or Catalogue, address,
MASON SL RISCH, Worcester, M a s s .