THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD

We’ve all watched and listened with horror to recent stories of flooding and catastrophe taking place across the Somerset Levels and along the banks of the Thames west of London. I have marvelled at the courage and resilience of families facing loss of homes and possessions and danger to life and limb and given thanks to God that I and my loved ones have been spared such privation.

 

There’s always someone worse off than you they say and it is true that what causes loss of personal belongings in the UK wreaks greater havoc in countries of the third world. We can still remember the terrible scenes from the Philippines disaster of last year. The following story illustrates the point.

 

On May 31st 1889 a spectacular flood took place in the small settlement of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. After several days of extremely heavy rain the South Fork Dam burst, unleashing 20 million tons of water on the town and a flood that subsequently killed 2,209 people. There were few survivors but they had stories of amazing, even miraculous, deliverance.

 

One (completely apocryphal and untrue!) story concerns George Maxwell who made a career out of regaling large crowds with his testimony of rescue and release. George travelled the length and breath of the country and even took overseas tours to tell the amazing story of “George Maxwell, only survivor of the Johnstown flood”!

 

George became a celebrity, a kind of “rock star” of the early 20thcentury and was still pulling large crowds in his eighties as he told his incredible story. Finally George died and went to heaven where he lived happily apart from his overwhelming desire to tell everyone his testimony.

 

So Saint Peter and the angels got together, booked a large venue and invited everyone to hear “George Maxwell, only survivor of the Johnstown Flood”. Just before the show Saint Peter slipped into George’s dressing room as the celebrity was straightening his gold lamé suit and putting the final touches to his makeup. “Just thought I’d drop by to wish you luck,” smiled the apostle, “and to let you know …

 

… we’ve got Noah in the audience!”