NEWS: Johnstown Train Station Disaster: September 16, 1866, Johnstown, Cambria 
County, PA 

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Ellis Michaels <EllisRN@aol.com>

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http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
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                     Pittsburgh Evening Chronicle, 17 Sep 1866

                             THE JOHNSTOWN DISASTER

                              FIVE PERSONS KILLED

                                FULL PARTICULARS.

     Our telegraph dispatches of yesterday contained the appalling announcement 
that a platform supporting many hundreds of people assembled to witness the 
arrival of the Presidential train at Johnstown, gave way, precipitating the mass 
to the ground, killing three and badly injuring a large number.  We have 
received the following additional particulars of this sad event:
     The scene of the accident, as most of our readers are aware, is located in 
Cambria county, eighty miles east of this city.  The platform of the railroad 
company, at this point, is constructed partially over the bed of the old State 
canal, and is some twenty feet above the level of the canal.  On the bed of the 
canal and immediately underneath the platform, is the track of the Cambria Iron 
Works of Messrs. Wood, Morrell & Co.  At the eastern end of the platform is a 
bridge spanning the canal for the accommodation of a township road.  When the 
train conveying the President and party reached the depot, the platform was 
literally packed with men, women and children, all anxious to see the President, 
General Grant and others.  The bridge alluded to was also densely crowded, as 
was every available spot in the vicinity of the depot.  The train checked up, 
the President and General Grant had been introduced by Senator Cowan, and just 
as that gentleman was in the act of introducing Admiral Farragut, a large 
portion of the platform embracing eight hundred and forty square feet, gave way, 
precipitating between six and seven hundred persons into the abyss.  A scene of 
indescribable agony and horror followed.  The timbers of the platform gave way 
in the center, the floor parting, and large sections of it remaining against the 
wall all around the edge, thus throwing the dense mass of human beings into an 
immense hopper, as it were, the bottom of which was the railroad track on the 
bed of the canal.  Those who were but slightly injured soon succeeded in 
escaping by crawling through the wreck, and getting out upon the track at either 
end-the sides being walled up.  There were frightful struggles in the center of 
this hopper, where male and female, old and young, were crushed in, on top of 
one another, until six and eight deep.  Many were dangerously injured in their 
struggles to release themselves from their fearful situation, and three were 
taken out dead.  The work of emptying this pit of its agonizing contents 
consumed nearly one hour, and as the maimed and otherwise seriously injured were 
brought out, they were taken charge of by friends, hauled in vehicles, or 
carried and helped away to places of rest.  During the afternoon, physicians 
arrived from Greensburg, Altoona, and other points, and rendered most valuable 
assistance in attending to the wounded.
     The train with the Presidential party moved a little eastward as soon as 
the accident happened, in order to clear the way for the removal of the wounded, 
but checked up, and General Grant and others came down to ascertain the extent 
of the calamity.  As he looked into the abyss filled with struggling, screaming 
and agonizing creatures, he expressed the most heartfelt sympathy for the 
sufferers.  He stated that he had witnessed many trying scenes, but had never 
seen anything which more deeply affected him.  He directed that the surgeon of 
the Presidential party be left behind to attend to the wounded, which was done, 
and valuable assistance was rendered by him.  The list of casualties is 
frightfully large, and it is feared that many reported dangerously injured will 
not survive.  It stated that there can not be (unreadable) hundred broken limbs, 
while the number of internal injuries, cuts, contusions, etc., is very large.  
The entire community, embracing a population of some fifteen thousand souls, is 
thrown into sadness and mourning by this terrible calamity, the most serious 
which has occurred in the history of the town...

                              CAUSE OF THE CASUALTY

     It is stated that the accident was caused by the unsoundness of the timbers 
supporting the platform.  These Timbers were three in number, very heavy and 
supported by a truss, in the center heavily bolted with iron.  New plank had 
recently been put down on the timbers, and the platform was regarded as 
perfectly safe.  An examination of the timbers since the accident is said to 
have developed their unsoundness.  The facts will be fully developed at an early 
day, by judicial investigation.  Coroner Flattery has already summoned a jury of 
inquest, and the investigation will commence today.