European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 02, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Ceremonies recall 00-year-old flood in Johnstown a. Friday june 2, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 5 Johnstown. A. A with symbolism and Celebration this Moun Tain cily on wednesday remembered the horror 100 years ago when a Wall of water killed 2,209 people in one of the nation s worst natural disasters. Thousands of residents and visitors attended a Day of dedications Rcd Dica tons and other events commemorating the flood of May 31, 1889 the first and worst of three major floods to devastate this City in the last Century. Others occurred in 1936 and 1977.johnstowners determination was Evi Dent in the first hours after the flood when they immediately began Clearing debris and rebuilding the City said Rich Ard Dill director of Centennial activities. That s really the Story of Johns town Dill said. The National Park service dedicated a $5 million visitors Center at the site of the dam that unleashed the flood and the City  the renovated Johns town flood museum in a former Post flood Carnegie Library downtown. With the City s Church Bells ringing As a Cue everyone was asked to observe a moment of silence at 4 07 . The moment the flood hit. Two of the flood s last known survivors. Elsie Frum who is 106 years old and Frank Shomo. Who is 100, were invited to the City s annual flood survivors banquet wednesday evening. The summer Long commemoration of the flood under the theme a Triumph of the human spirit highlights the City s comebacks from disaster and eco nomic  flood occurred when after Days of rain the earthen South Fork dam col lapsed and unleashed 20 million tons of water from a once Placid Reservoir that was an exclusive summer resort for millionaire industrialists Andrew Carnegie. Henry Clay Frick and Andrew Mellon. Among others. A Wall of water reaching up to 70 feel High at some Points dropped 450 feet units 14-mile course Down the narrow meandering Little Conemaugh River Val Ley sweeping away Early steel Mills Wood Frame Homes and barns livestock and  an hour the flood thundered into Johnstown crushing Homes and Down town businesses in a vast Whirlpool that lasted 10  water then flowed through the Arches of the Pennsylvania Railroad s Stone Bridge which still stands across the Conemaugh River. The Bridge stopped tons of wooden debris which accumulated in a huge pile wrapped in steel wire from destroyed Mills and trapped dozens of survivors. Several hours later the great pile caught fire and Many More perished in the flames that lasted three Days. The City then about 10,000 people suffered an estimated $17 million in damage at a time the average weekly wage was $10. A worldwide Relief Effort led by Clara Barton and her new Ameri can red Cross helped the City rebuild  1889 disaster was the nation s Sec Ond worst natural calamity. A Hurricane killed about 5,000 people in Galveston. Texas in 1900. Heavy rain in the Allegheny mountains caused a second flood that killed 25 people in 1936 and a third flood that killed 80 people in 1977. Stung by declines in the steel Industry. Johnstown s unemployment rate peaked at 26.6 percent in 1983, at the same Lime it had the nation s lowest crime rate. It now has about 35,000 people. Caught in Cave in Rescue workers carry Enrique in pc 52, after pulling him jul of a 42-Inch pipe he und to others had been trapped in by a landslide tuesday. All three of the work ers on he Central Ari Ona project in Tucson were uninjured. . Ousts 2 nicaraguans Calls for reconciliation Washington aim two nicaraguan Diplo Mats who arrived Here jus 10 Days ago were ordered Home by the state department on wednesday in retaliation for the expulsion of two american envoys from Managua last week. At the same time the department expressed interest in improving bilateral relations and said it would re Spond positively to Concrete Steps the Sandim Sla government May take toward democracy. Vargas and Vigil arrived in Washington last week As part of a plan by both the . And nicaraguan govern ments to replenish their respective diplomatic staffs in each other s country. The staffs had been decimated last july when Man Agua ordered eight american envoys Home. Washing ton countered by expelling eight nicaraguans. The agreement by the two countries to Send replace ment envoys was reached Only a Lew weeks ago. Last week the sandinista government expelled . Teachers to join a Wildcat strike. Cassman had arrived in Mai before Vargas and Vigil assumed to Managua just a few Day Vigil their duties in Washington. At the time the americans were  the nicaraguan embassy was informed that Rob last \ _ crts Vargas and William Vigil both minister counsel embassy economic attache Joel Cassman and a visit ors were Given 72 hours to leave state department Deputy spokesman Richard Boucher said. Ing . Labor attache based in Honduras. Kathleen Harmon on grounds they had incited nicaraguan state department denied they had engaged in improper activities. Boucher said wednesday the department waited six Days in Hopes the sandinista government would re verse the decision the expulsion was ordered Only after it became Clear that the sandinista decision was final Boucher said. Nicaraguan embassy spokeswoman Cecilia Lopez declined comment on the . Action. In the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. June 2 1949 in commencement ceremonies at Annapolis md., Wesley an Thony Brown a 22- ear old from Washington became the Lisl Black to graduate from the . Naval Academy in the 104 years since its founding. 30 years ago foday. June 2, 1959 while meeting in Geneva the West rejected a soviet offer to permit Western troops temporarily in West Berlin if Token soviet forces were allowed to accompany them. 20 years ago today. June 2, 1969 in choosing a successor to Charles de Gaulle French voters gave a Clear Lead to Georges Pompidou but not enough to keep the general s former Premier from a Runoff Lection june 15. 10 years ago today. June 2 1979 the Spanish government told visiting Secretary of slate Cyrus r. Vance in Madrid that Spain would like to join nato and was prepared to accept any Adverse reaction from the communist world. Unions scoff at Eastern goal of 221 daily flights by july Miami a Eastern airlines said wednesday it will expand from 79 daily flights in june to 221 in july the company s largest increase in service since a St Rice began March 4. But unions who Are striking the airline scoffed at the announcement. Eastern said it will serve 27 cities in june and 52 in july As it moves toward a new full schedule of 600 flights by the end of the ear. This is a significant pan of a Multi phase plan to establish Eastern As a competitive dependable full service air  said George Brennan vice presi Dent for marketing. Hank Weber a spokesman for the pilots Union said the company won l have enough pilots in july 10 make 221 flights daily. Weber said Eastern has been flying 92 to 112 flights daily since the beginning of the strike. The company has fewer than 250 pilots he said. Travel agents Are not booking East Ern now because they re not depend Able added Wally Haber. Spokesman for the machinists Union. Eastern is going to be flying a lot of empty  Miami based Eastern filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy Prol Calion from its creditors March 9, five Days after the Start of a strike by machinists that has been sup ported by pilots and flight attendants