Water flowing into the South Fork dam increased the height of the lake by an inch every ten minutes. This huge volume of water had by morning filled the lake nearly to the top of the dam. A work crew had assembled trying to free drainage screens covering the dam's catch basins. This attempt to release the increasing pressure on the dam wall failed. By mid-day fears for the safety of people living below the dam sent a rider warning the town of South Fork of the impending danger. These efforts proved meaningless as the citizens of South Fork ignored the warnings. However, attempts were made to warn Johnstown of the "threat" from the lake by telegraph but it was too late, the lines were down.

Survivors

With their belongings swept away by the flood waters many of the residents made do with whatever materials they could salvage. Along with women and children, many of the workingmen put together "shantytowns" for temporary shelter. With the great loss of life it is quite possible that these people lost their families to the flood waters.

"It was the worst downpour that had ever been recorded for that section of the country," according to the U.S. Signal Corp, which estimated that between eight and ten inches of rain fell in the twenty four hour period prior to the flood.

Men faired no better than women and children as these photo's attest. The hardships unimaginable as people struggled for basic surrival amid the ruin and destruciton of Johnstown.

 The Aftermath

When the dam broke it sounded to one eyewitness like a "roaring mighty battle." (Pg. 101) The water burst through the dam at tree top level. Later civil engineers estimated that it took the entire lake thirty-six or thirty seven minutes to empty. Advancing through the valley the wall of water uprotted everything in its path and scoured the earth to a depth of fifty feet.

As the flood waters neared Johnstown the surviors related how the "sound" of the oncoming water gave off what many termed a "death mist." (Pg. 146) The complete drowning and devastation of Johnstown took less than ten minutes. The following morning the surviors began collecting along the hillsides looking down on the death and destruction.In the offical death count nearly 2,200 people had been killed or presumed lost in the flood waters. Of every three bodies recovered one would never be identified. Among the dead were over ninety-nine families of the Johnstown area. (Pg. 191)

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