THE JOHNSTOWN FLOODS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2154, 21 June 1889, Page 2

THE JOHNSTOWN FLOODS

lv "Harper's Magazine " for Augnstt 1883, under the heading of " The Hear* of the Allegbanles" written by G, P. Lathrop, appears the following aooonnt of Johostown, the scene of the. recant disastrous floods :— At Johnstown m the valley of the Oonemaagh, we encounter tht works of the Oambria Iron Oompany, which roar anS flame prondJy, w it swart that they constitute probably the biggest single iron and steel works In the world. The oompany employs 8000 operative* ; keeps nine fanuces going at (hi* place, and four elsewhere ; has perhaps 80 aores voder roof at Johnstown ; mines 700,000 tons of coal a year for its own. use, and does annually a business of 18 millions or 20 millions of dollars. Jt produced m 1881 45,000 tons of Iron rails, and 120,000 to -.a of steel, aaying nothing of steel springs m quantity, boiler Iron,, or tho machioeiy manufactured for its own U6GB. In and out of the shops and all through the yards wind 40 miles of tiack, on wbioh trains loaded with, ore, slag, ooal __ or hot ingots of steel art running every moment or two ; 18 locomotives being kept m use for this purpose, and several staeklesi ones for running into the adjaoent mines. The steel Ingots are the largest steel ousting* made anywhere axoepting Krtkpp cannon, aad weigh 6500 pounds each. The works were founded at this spot with the idea of utilising the iron ore of the vicinity. At Johnstown may be seen a 1000 horsa-power engine making 90 revolutions a minute. The OarabrJa Company's morst)r he literally eaten iV one aide of a Ml; the ground on which it stands is all undermined, aad •he pith of another hill asroas 'the Oonemaagh is gradually being dr*wn out by tha minor's p ? ok. A fine library io » i chtrmi' g!y designed building is plaoed at the Bervice of tha meohanios by Ihejr omplopers; but Johnstown itself It a dispiritiog borough shabby and dirty!