Empty pocketbook. Height 5 feet 6 inches. Height about five feet eight inches. Age about twenty. Button shoes, size about 4 1/2. Weight 160. Age about fourteen. Short knee pants. When the South Fork Dam broke on May 31, 1889, the wave of water and the damage it caused eventually claimed 2,209 lives. Male. Weight 160. Age fourteen years. Fair complexion. Female. Taken from body and placed with valuables. Light hair. The valley had large amounts of runoff from rain and snowfall. Male. McCullough, David (1968). Height about 5 ft. 5 in. Derby hat and paint brush found with body. White undershirt. Dark brown hair. Red basque. Light cloth waist with oval brass buttons. Black dress with velvet collar. Wire bustle. Beale, D.D. Blue calico shirtwaist with light chain stripe. Stout. Burned beyond recognition. White dress and skirt plaited. Postcard Real Photo Main Street Flood Body Found Johnstown Pennsylvania 1936. Canton flannel drawers. Weight about 140. Open-faced silver watch. Male. Gold breast pin with brilliant setting. Female. Daughter of Godred Hoofman, Washington street, Johnstown, Pa. Jersey jacket. Black ribbed stockings. Brown calico dress, with large circular figure. Light complexion. GC-PP: Grandview Cemetery Public Plot-Bodies found but not recovered by family/friends GCS: German Catholic Cemetery (Sandyvale) LYC: Lower Yoder Catholic Cemetery Too badly burned for recognition. Dark hair. Gold watch, engraved Christmas 18-. Muslin skirt. Railroad tickets. He quickly assembled a group of men to save the face of the dam by trying to unclog the spillway; it was blocked by the broken fish trap and debris caused by the swollen waterline. Auburn hair. Plaited underskirt with edging two inches wide. Weight 65. Record of Bodies. Pocket knife. station. Age thirty. Red underwear. Woolen cloth waist barred gray and black. White. Female. Heavy set. Height about 5 feet 3 inches. Age fifty-five. Height 5 feet 1 inch. Weight almost 130. Maple avenue, Woodvale. Height 5 feet 6 inches. Female. Male. Female. Female. Gray eyes. Dark brown hair. Pocket-book containing $10 bill and one silver dollar. Calico dress. Black dress. Male. Female. Height 5 feet 2 inches. Height 5 feet. Ring in possession of J. W. Young, clerk of County Commissioners, of Westmoreland county, Pa. Two collar-buttons. Middle-aged. Electric wire keys Plug of tobacco. Height 4 feet 2 inches. Age about twenty-five. Lead-pencil. Coffin furnished his father from the Morgue. Gingham apron. On May 31, 1889, the world took notice of a small town in Pennsylvania. Black stockings. Johnstown, Pa. Age twenty. The Johnstown Calamity [Johnstown, Pa. St. John's Cemetery. One gold ring, cameo setting. Sandy hair. Weight 225. Flash floods are the most dangerous kind of floods, because they combine the destructive power of a flood with incredible speed. Residence unknown. Short sack coat. Checkered waist. Female. Well dressed. Red flannel drawers. Conemaugh street, Johnstown. Button shoes Medal and "Agnus Dei" around neck. Disinterred and found not to be Walter Jones. Valuables given to his son-in-law. Weight 160 Height 5 feet 6 inches. Weight 165. Cambria borough, Broad street One pocket-book $1.95 in silver. Light hair. Pocket -knife. Little jug charm in pocket. Small plain ring on left hand. Age about one year. Female. Female. Female. White linen collar with brilliant collar-button. Body left on lot of Thomas L. Davis. Age eight. Valuables placed on body. Two teeth out right side upper jaw. Dark hair. Black stockings. Long hair. Female. Female. Female. Portage street, Conemaugh Borough. Short hair, smooth face. Cream color ribbon around neck. Weight about 170. Black dress. Buried at No. Bunch of keys with tag marked "E. M Thomas." Female About eight. Weight 140. Weight 135. Button shoes. Old scar on left side of face. Large carved gold ring on third finger of left hand. One with set and the other with inscription. Black hair. Cash $79.09. Female. Red bandana handkerchief Blue and white cotton hose. Main street, Johnstown, Pa. Gold watch and chain with charm. Scapular. Hazel eyes Two plain gold rings on right forefinger. Blue eyes. Dark hair. Cork-screw vest. Three right teeth out. Female. Dark brown hair. Age twenty-four years. Black skirt Red underwear. Weight 110. Package of Japanese headache cure. Three pair hose, two pair black, one pair black and white stripe. Supposed to be Maggie Hipp. Rather small face Striped black and white skirt, pleated front and pearl buttons. Purse with $5.61. Age about ten. Other men tried digging a ditch at the other end of the dam, on the western abutment which was lower than the dam crest. Black hair. The club was successfully defended in court by the firm of Knox and Reed (later Reed Smith LLP), whose partners Philander Knox and James Hay Reed were both club members. Brought from Presbyterian Church Morgue, No. Breast-pin. Age about fourteen. Racine, Wisconsin. Large very light mustache. White skirt. ; MORE PEOPLE THAN REPORTED BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN DROWNED", "Note: The Floodgates of Strict Liability: Bursting Reservoirs and the Adoption of, "Silent Era: Progressive Silent Film List", "Theater Loop Chicago Theater News & Reviews Chicago Tribune", Shelley Johansson of the Johnstown Flood Museum, "First Person: The Swedish Johnstown flood", https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2017NE/webprogram/Paper290358.html, https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2016.e00120, https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2016AM/webprogram/Paper283665.html, Benefit event for Johnstown Flood Sufferers held on June 14, 1889, "The Johnstown Flood", Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Google Earth view showing Johnstown and the South Fork Dam site, "'It's still controversial': Debate rages over culpability of wealthy club members" by David Hurst, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johnstown_Flood&oldid=1137812179, 1889 natural disasters in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from May 2017, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "A True History of the Johnstown Flood" by. By dark, the entire city was a lake anywhere from 10 to 30 feet deep, the destruction so nearly complete that all many could do was pray. Green, black and brown barred pants Gold hunting-case watch and chain. Breast-pin. Polka-dot necktie. Upper teeth false. Lady's hunting-case gold watch and chain. Two gold band rings. Hazel eyes. Died in Prospect hospital. Sandy hair Height 5 ft 5 in. Age thirty-five. Dark hair. Apparently not old. Fair complexion. Male. This led to American law changing from a fault-based regime to one of strict liability. Red and white striped skirt Buttoned shoes. Low round forehead. Barred dress. Black coat. Envelope marked James Lewis, Main street, Johnstown. Blue eyes. Black hair plaited and put up in knot. Leather belt. Blue black ribbed stockings. White muslin skirt. Small earrings with ball attached. Female. Red hair. Red and black striped flannel skirt. Blue wool skirt. Dark clothes. Weight 50 or 60. Red and black striped skirt, wine colored skirt. Valuables placed in hand of Mr. Ossenburg, brother-in-law. Male. Keys with name on stencil. No clothing. Found in Kernville. Black clothes. Navy blue vest and pants. Purse with street car ticket. Male. Age two months. Large gold button, oval shape, engraved. Buried in. White underwear trimmed with embroidery. Boy. Brass hair pin. Age about twenty. Heavy red wool coat. Banged hair. Height 5 feet 1 inch. Female. Reese. Male. 1. Light hair. Cow-lick on right forehead. One thimble. Weight 130 Height 5 feet 6 inches Blue and white striped dress Red handkerchief Letter found on body signed S F Clarke. Age about fifty. Light hair and moustache. Female. Button-hook. Striped calico dress. Bunch of keys. Bunch of keys. Female. On May 28, 1889, a low-pressure area formed over Nebraska and Kansas. Black and blue plaid dress. Knife, books, papers, etc. Button shoes. One paper needles. Valuables. Weight about 200. Pencil Boots with brass heels. Memorandum book of slaughter house, having a list of hides in it. One plaited ring. Weight about 110. Female. Female. Age about six. No money or valuables. Front teeth wide apart and protruding. Ring on second finger of left hand. White stockings, No. Dark brown hair. Black hair. Along with about half of the club members, co-founder Henry Clay Frick donated thousands of dollars to the relief effort. Short pants with small bottle in pocket. Silver ring. Height 4 feet 4 inches. Gaiter shoes. Blue dress. Height 4 feet 6 inches Brown hair. Black ribbed hose. Blue woolen shirt. Age nineteen. Age two years. Weight 110. Blue and white barred gingham apron. Supposed to be Richard Worthington, a laborer, judging by receipts found on his person. Female. Age about thirteen. Age thirty-five. 2 1/2. Age seven. Scapulars. Orange color ribbon tied in bow around neck. Identified by her husband, Mr. Henry Viering, formerly reported from Nineveh, was incorrect. Male child. Though the Flood of 1889 bears the name of Johnstown, the reason for the flood started 14 miles up river at "Lake Conemaugh." The 3-mile long body of water was originally called the Western Reservoir and was built by the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal system in 1852. Female. Black silk tie. Black knee pants supported by suspenders. Light complexion. A. Dewald, father, care of Jos. Flash floods occur when heavy rainfall exceeds the ability of the ground to absorb it. Weight about 135. Male. 121 Park Place. Male. One cloth slipper flowered. Large door key, had been broken and repaired. Brown, white and blue plaid skirt. Blue woolen coat. 7, p.216. Black stockings. Body taken by son-in-law, Friedman, to Pittsburgh. Red suspenders with drawers supporters. Light brown hair. It was, however, the third flood to devastate the town in Cambria County - the first in 1889 killed more than 2,000 . Red socks. The United States Army Signal Corps estimated that 6 to 10 inches (150 to 250mm) of rain fell in 24 hours over the region. Height 5 feet. Gray woolen shirt. Height 5 feet 6 inches Auburn hair. Dark blue dress, blue and gray striped. Blue calico dress with white stripes pleated in front, and pearl buttons Black and white check underskirt. Gold band ring on third finger of left hand. Gray woolen drawers. Cigar case Pocketbook containing ring, key and five cents. With a population of 30,000, it was a growing industrial community known for the quality of its steel.[7]. Black hair. Railroad street, Johnstown, Pa. Gold ear-drops with pearl setting in centre. Female. Button shoes. Blue and white striped dress Red undershirt Two plain gold rings on second finger of left hand. Residents were caught by surprise as the wall of water and debris bore down, traveling at speeds of 40 miles per hour (64km/h) and reaching a height of 60 feet (18m) in places. Eventually, gravity caused the surge to return to the dam, resulting in a second wave that hit the city from a different direction. Height 5 feet 2 inches. Debris from the Johnstown Flood. Height 5 feet 7 inches. Child. Brown hair. H. Ocker, of Philadelphia, to whom she was engaged to be married, and removed by him to be buried at Shippensburg, Pa. Onthe body was found regis- tered letters, a receipt bearing date of February 13, and the name of Mrs. Anna M. Dairny, Beaver Falls, Pa. Frengle has been in the habit of keep- ing considerable money in the house, and at the time of the attempted bur- glary had about $2,000 in his possession. Red undershirt. Slippers. on grave is 333. Age about thirteen. White drawers. Given to his aunt, Ella Mulhern. It's a story of great tragedy, but also of triumphant recovery. Crooked legs. Male. Female. Female. Red or sandy hair. Blue cloth knee pants. Hulbert House porter. Received the above described ring: Mrs. Allison. Buried at St. John's Cemetery. Female. Boy. Identified by the husband, Mark Drew. Also red flannel dress. Plaid wool dress trimmed with wool crotchet lace. Gold ring marked James Potts, died March, 1874. Wine color skirt with ticking waist Black hose. Hair cut short, very dark color. About twenty. Weight 120. Red woolen stockings. Age thirty-seven. Female. Light eyes. Cigar smoker, nickel. Bunch of keys. Weight 40. Haws, Grand View, June 13th. Supposed to be Manfield. $46.25. A female. Knee breeches. One rule. His family survived the flood. Diamond ring on third finger left hand with garnet. Of Somerset county. Lace shoes nearly new. Blood set. Dark hair. Weight 100 White. Pocket-knife. Age about twelve. Prospect, June 14th. Female. The book recorded victims able to be identified and descriptions of the unrecognized. Found in Charles Mesher's store above stone bridge. Height 5 feet Small rolled plate ear-drops. Foot of female. Aged about thirteen months. Black stockings. Three watch chains. Fine laced shoes. Bracelet on right wrist. Open faced silver watch. Eyes burned out. Brilliant ear drops Blue chintz dress, with yellow and white flowers, Adult Only two charred feet A bunch of keys found with the above three pairs of feet, Short and stout build Weight 110. Large buckle with half moon on coat. Vol. Breakfast shawl. Gold watch and chain, with horn attached. Age about twenty. With Len Cariou, Elam Bender, Randy Bender, Clarita Berger. Female. List of dead and missing people in the Johnstown Pennsylvania Flood of 1889. Heavy gray beard on lower part of face. Weight 160. Fair complexion. Male. Red shirt with white stripes Dark striped stockings. Pocket-knife Bone tooth-pick $6.31. Plaid dress, no sleeves. Reverse the Lord's prayer. Black handle knife, two blades broken 11 cents in change. $1.10 in silver. Brown and white dress Barred gingham. Boy. Watch chain. [3] A hydraulic analysis published in 2016 confirmed that the changes made to the dam by the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club severely reduced its ability to withstand major storms. Supposed to be Mrs. Christie. Female. Light hair slightly gray. Blue calico wrapper, brown and white stripes. Blank book bought of Irwin Rutlege, Jr. Small amount of money. A strong surface low pressure of around 1000 mb is centered over Kentucky at this hour and heavy rain is falling . Supposed to be Mrs. Geis. Wore a "switch." Massive flood of Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1889. Gold watch. Dark hair. Purse containing $7.18 in silver and copper, $20 in bills. Valuables taken by her sister, Mrs. Ella Mulhern. Black hair. It's like the Johnstown Flood in PA in the 19th century. Apron of check shirting. Gray eyes. Large metal buttons. Blue shirt. Height 5 feet. Weight 90 lbs. Blue cloth dress. Supposed to be Mr. Evans, Machinist. Small gold ring, garnet set. Plain old-fashioned earring. Age thirty-one Weight 140. Weight 130. One body was even recovered 100 miles away in Steubenville, Ohio (Coleman 2019). $170 in paper and $75 in gold. It began to prosper with the building of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal in 1836 and the construction of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Cambria Iron Works in the 1850s. Red and white striped dress. Female. Mustache and beard. Initials, I. P. or J. P. Male. [3] The first town to be hit by the flood was South Fork; the town was on high ground, and most of the people escaped by running up the nearby hills when they saw the dam spill over. Black woolen mitts Black cloth jacket. High above the city, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania built the South Fork Dam between 1838 and 1853 as part of a cross-state canal system, the Main Line of Public Works. Weight about forty. Weight 100 to 120. Winter opening hours have begun for the Johnstown Flood Museum and Heritage Discovery Center/Johnstown Childrens Museum: we are CLOSED Tuesdays and Wednesdays; OPEN Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays from 10:00 am-5:00 pm; and OPEN Sundays from noon-5:00 pm. Oak-leaf breast-pin with three glass sets. Red underwear. Walter Frank first documented the presence of that emergency spillway in a 1988 ASCE publication. Age ten. Three bunches of keys Three door keys. White underclothing. Garter shoes. [27], The authorities averting looting on Main Street, as drawn in Harper's Weekly, June 15, 1889.