Show BB o I ITHE THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD Today Is the anniversary of ot one of the greatest tragedies in the history history history his his- tory of ot America the America the Johnstown flood On May 31 1889 1819 less than a month aft after r the centennial anniversary sary of the inauguration of Washington Washington Wash Wash- ington and the beginning of our ou- government under the tile constitution was celebrated by a a gala exposition exposition exposi exposi- tion in New City th the country was plunged into sorrow by the sud sudden den horror which befell this peaceful peace fut fui western westen Pennsylvania community S SA A sudden break In the dam at the o outlet of ot Conemaugh lake released a forty foot wall of water half a amile amile mile mUe across which swept down through a a. deep and narrow valley In ra less than fifteen minutes minutes' the flood tood waters had swirled over eight eighteen een miles mUes In that brief length of ot time it swept seven seven towns off the theS map and ended by carrying away S the greater part of t Johnstown The flood choked the entire valley val val- fey ley with ruins and claimed 2209 lives The property damage damge w was s' s ses es estimated es- es at n ri 11 official fl figures ures |