ndred persons lost in the
flood."

J.W. Esch, a brave railroad employee, saved sixteen lives at Nineveh.

The most awful culmination of the awful night was the roasting of a
hundred or more persons in mid-flood. The ruins of houses, old buildings
and other structures swept against the new railroad bridge at
Johnstown, and from an overturned stove or some such cause the upper
part of the wreckage caught fire.

There were crowds of men, women and children on the wreck, and their
screams were soon heard. They were literally roasted on the flood. Soon
after the fire burned itself out other persons were thrown against the
mass. There were some fifty people in sight when the ruins suddenly
broke up and were swept under the bridge into the darkness.

The latest news from Johnstown is that but two houses could be seen in
the town. It is also said that only three houses remain in Cambria City.

The first authentic news was from W.N. Hays, of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, who reached New Florence at nine o'clock. He says the
valley towns are annihilated.

Destruction at Blairsville.

The flood in the Conemaugh River at this point is the heaviest ever
known here. At this hour the railroad bridge between here and
Blairsville intersection has been swept away, and also the new bridge at
Coketon, half a mile below. It is now feared that the iron bridge at the
lower end of this town will go. A living woman and dead man, supposed to
be her husband, were seen going under the railroad bridge. They were
seen to come from under the bridge safely, but shortly disappeared and
were seen no more.

A great many families lose their household goods. The river is running
full of timber, houses, goods, etc. The loss will be heavy. The
excitement here is very great. The river is still rising. There are some
families below the town in the second story of their houses who cannot
get out. It is feared that if the water goes much higher the loss of
life will be very great. The railroad company had fourteen cars of coal
on their bridge when it went down, and all were swept down the river.

The town bridge has just succumbed to the seething floods, whose roar
can be heard a long distance. The water is still rising and it is
thought that the West Pennsylvania Railroad will be without a single
bridge. It is reported that a man went down with the Blairsville bridge
while he was adjusting a headlight.

Havoc about Altoona.

The highest a