This included the South Fork Dam, which was built just north of Johnstown in 1852. When the waters finally receded, the extent of the damage became clear. 1863-Canal between Johnstown and Blairsville was closed meaning there was no longer a viable reason to maintain the South Fork Dam. Next in line was Woodvale, a town of about 1,000, that the torrent smashed with equal ferocity. Ruff envisioned a summer retreat in the hills above Johnstown. This disaster is known as the Johnstown Flood. Johnstown Flood National Memorial There, thousands of tons of debris scraped from the valley along with a good part of Johnstown, piled up against the arches. Those who were able began scrambling over the heap toward shore. Some of the big names included Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick. Forest Road 277 over South Fork of the Snake; . Surrounded by nearly 2 million acres of national forest, limitless historical, cultural and recreational activities await visitors. 2023 BygonelyPrivacy policyTerms of ServiceContact us. South Fork Dam was an earth- and rock-fill dam located about 8 miles eastof Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Today, the Johnstown Flood National Memorial in South Fork, Pennsylvania commemorates the most devastating flood of the 19th century in the United States and the greatest national catastrophe in the post-Civil War era. Far above Johnstown, PA was the South Fork Dam which was built by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania between 1838 and 1853. Over the coast of California, the great storm formed May 26, 1889, and began from there a slow march across America toward Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where some 2,200 souls waited to Next came the great wall of water sixty-three feet (19m) high that smashed into the city, crushing houses like eggshells and snapping trees like toothpicks. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. They picnicked, swam and fished, puffing on cigars and taking advantage of a rare chance to relax. 1. There was a control tower in the middle of the dam. Built for downstream flood control, the dam is one of two TVA dams on the South Fork Holston River (the other is Watauga Dam). It was like the Day of Judgment I have since seen pictured in books, Gertrude Quinn Slattery later recalled. Lake Conemaugh was held back by the South Fork Dam, a large earth-fill dam that was completed by the club in 1881. In this essay, the author. The water took its natural course, dropping 450 feet in 14 miles, at times 70 to 75 feet high, and reaching speeds of 40 miles per hour. An engineer who saw the situation of dam, immediately rode a horse towards the village of South Fork to warn the residents. He also talks about the impoundment of Libby Dam in 1974, which created a 90-mile lake and became home to various species of fish, including Kokanee salmon, rainbows, and cutthroats. The canal system was obsolete by the time the dam was completed in 1853. Retrieved June 14, 2019. http://digitalcollections.powerlibrary.org/cdm/ref/collection/acacc-jtf/id/4958. Many became helplessly entangled in miles of barbed wire from a destroyed wire works. Former Bouquet seller now making a go with blogging and graphic designing. Relief efforts at the Masonic headquarters. 80 Engineering Society of Western Pennsylvania, Proceedings, 5(June 18, 1889); 89-99; . Johnstown had been built on a floodplain at the fork of the Little Conemaugh River and Stony Creek. Changes in ownership, lack of oversight, and unsound improvements increased the probability . The South Fork Dam was originally built between 1838-1853 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of the canal system to be used as a reservoir for the state's Main Line of Public Works canal basin in Johnstown. At present, all that remains of the historic earthen dam (originally about 900 feet long and 75 feet high) are the north and south abutments, the spillway cut around the north abutment to carry off excess water, and a few remnants of wood and culvert foundation stones representing the location of the control mechanism. 239 S. Limestone Street A torrent of water raced downstream, destroying several towns. Lexington, KY 40508, 2023 Copyright Association of State Dam Safety Officials. . Nephew of, James H. Willock cashier of the Second National Bank, William K. Woodwell associated with Joseph R. Woodwell and company, H. C. Yeager dry goods and trimming wholesaler through C. Yeager and Company, This page was last edited on 10 September 2022, at 20:32. 1600 homes were destroyed, $17 million in property damage levied (approx. As the dam burst, a 30- to-40-foot-high wave rushed the 14 miles toward Johnstown. To use social login you have to agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. (1)Mills, K. (2013). 733 Lake Road This dam was built in 1840 as a reservoir for the Pennsylvania Mainline Canal. 2. The South Fork Dam was originally built between 1838-1853 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of the canal system to be used as a reservoir for the state's Main Line of Public Works canal basin in Johnstown. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}402053N 784633W / 40.348092N 78.775730W / 40.348092; -78.775730, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=South_Fork_Dam&oldid=1136217234, This page was last edited on 29 January 2023, at 08:31. There were discharge pipes in place at the base of the dam, allowing the water level to be controlled. Until May 31, 1889, that is. When word of the dam's failure was telegraphed from South Fork by Joseph P. Wilson to Robert Pitcairn in Pittsburgh; Frick and other members of the Club gathered to form the Pittsburgh Relief Committee for tangible assistance to the flood victims as well as determining to never speak publicly about the club or the Flood. The dam fell into despair in 1857 and changed ownership multiple times. Many bodies were never identified, and hundreds of the missing were never found. Making the wave even more terrifying was the black pall of smoke and steam that hung over itthe death mist remembered by survivors. But there was more yet to come. South Fork was the first town to be hit by this water; most people managed to . The debris of homes and trees that were piled up behind the bridge caught fire and burned through the night, blanketing the ravaged town in a dark cloud of acrid smoke. The dam was located on Lake Conemaugh, which was an artificial body of water. If so, please share it with your friends and family to help spread the word. Locomotives weighing 170,000 pounds were wrenched from railroad tracks and swept thousands of feet. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. Despite some years of claims and litigation, the club and its members were never found to be liable for monetary damages. Browse 42 SOUTH FORK DAM stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. NBI Bridge Condition: Good: Those who did see it said it snapped off trees like pipe stems, crushed houses like eggshells, and threw around locomotives like so much chaff. A violent wind preceded it, blowing down small buildings. Others, realizing their continuing vulnerability, called the dam the sword of Damocles hanging over Johnstown.. ( 1891 p 446) claim the dam was lowered 2 ft. and report a mean height of 7.96 ft. (2.43 m) above the spillway floor for eight points on the crest of . Then the oil caught fire. . The South Fork dam was planned to supply water to the canal and waterway west of the Alleghenies. On February 5, 1904, the Cambria Freeman reported, under the headline "Will Pass Out of History": The South Fork Hunting and Fishing Club, owners of the Conemaugh Reservoir at the time of the Great Flood, will soon pass out of history as an organization with the sale of all its personal effects remaining in the clubhouse at the reservoir site. The $17 million in damage (more than $4.4 billion in current dollars) included 1,600 obliterated homes and four square miles of complete destruction. A wrecked freight car next to twisted railroad tracks, after the Johnstown, Pennsylvania flood of 1889. The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club was a Pennsylvania corporation which operated an exclusive and secretive retreat at a mountain lake near South Fork, Pennsylvania, for more than fifty extremely wealthy men and their families. The dam was 72 feet (22 m) high and 931 feet (284 m) long. the group wanted to use the colorado river's water for each state's use. The ruins of the Sisters of Charity building. [2] A torrent of water raced downstream, destroying several towns. Both projects were started in the early 1940s but were halted by order of the United States War Production Board in late 1942 in order to redirect as many resources as possible to support activities central to the war . Notwithstanding leaks and other warning signs, the flawed dam held the waters of Lake Conemaugh back until disaster struck, in May 1889. When the South Fork Dam burst on May 31, 1889, the population of Johnstown had already spent their day dealing with floodwaters. Only in 2013 did researchers from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown find out the real truth about the clubs claims with the help of hydrological research and advanced mapping. Just 40 minutes later the Lake was empty; all the water had escaped through the broken dam. In its path, were Johnstown and the surrounding communities. When the South Fork Dam Broke, a Pennsylvania City Washed Away. Before the club bought it, the unnamed reservoir was part of Pennsylvanias canal system. The flood also provided the newly formed American Red Cross under the leadership of Clara Barton with its first test. On May 31, 1889, the South Fork Dam failed catastrophically and 20 million tons of water from Lake Conemaugh burst through and raced 14 miles downstream, causing the Johnstown Flood. A dam was built in 1840 on the Little Conemaugh River, 14 miles . TheSouth Fork Dam was built between 1838 and 1853 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide water for the operation of the Western Division of the Pennsylvania Mainline Canal between Johnstown and Pittsburgh. (3)VandenBerge, D., Duncan, J., & Brandon, T. (2011). An engineer at the dam saw warning signs of an impending disaster and rode a horse to the village of South Fork to warn the residents. In court, they claimed that they only lowered the dam by one foot and that the flood was an act of God. Individuals who sued all lost in court, and some even went bankrupt. Privacy Policy. "How Americas Most Powerful Men Caused Americas Deadliest Flood" by Erin Blakemore. How was his response different? There had been some speculation as to the dam's integrity, and concerns had been raised by the head of the Cambria Iron Works downstream in Johnstown. Most never saw anything until the 36-foot wall of water, already boiling with huge chunks of debris, rolled over them at 40 miles per hour, consuming everything in its path. There is nothing as permanent as a temporary government program. However, the telegraph lines were down and the warning did not reach Johnstown. Next came the great wall of water sixty-three feet (19m) high that smashed into the city, crushing houses like eggshells and snapping trees like toothpicks. . It first went through the narrow path of the little Conemaugh river and smashed into the small town of Mineral Point and swept away all traces of its existence. It was all over in ten minutes. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like People knew the South Fork dam might break. Roughly bounded by Fortieth, Main, and Lake Sts., D. W. C Bidwell owner of a mining industry, John Caldwell, Jr. treasurer of the Philadelphia Company, John Weakley Chalfant president of People's National Bank, associated with steel tubing manufacturer Spang, Chalfant and Company, George H. Christy attorney in Pittsburgh, Charles John Clarke founder of Pittsburgh-based transportation company Clarke and Company, father of Louis Clarke, Cyrus Elder (1833-1912); prominent attorney; chief counsel for the, Daniel R. Euwer lumber dealer for Euwer and Brothers, John King Ewing involved with real estate through Ewing and Byers, A. G. Harmes manufacturer of machinery through his Harmes Machinery Depot, John A. Harper assistant cashier of the Bank of Pittsburgh, president of, Howard Hartley manufacturer of leather products and rubber belts through Hartley Brothers, Henry Holdship co-founder of the Art Society of Pittsburgh and the, Americus Vespecius Holmes vice-president of, Durbin Horne president of retail company Joseph Horne and Company, Christopher Curtis Hussey Hussey, Howe and Company, steel manufacturers, Harriet Augusta Byram Hussey wife of C.C. On May 31, 1889, the South Fork Dam failed catastrophically and 20 million tons of water from Lake Conemaugh burst through and raced 14 miles (23km) downstream, causing the Johnstown Flood.[2]. In 57 minutes the wave would engulf the town. Then enjoy free entry to the park's Lenoir Museum depicting life in Southern Appalachia from 12,000 years ago to the present day, including Native American items, tools, glassware, and ceramics. In 1879 a group of wealthy Pittsburgh industrialists, including such men as Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon, formed the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club and bought the dam and the reservoiras an exclusive and somewhat secret summer resort. The repairs and alterations to the South Fork Dam led to many issues related tothe structures ability to pass a significant storm event. The nation responded to the disaster with a spontaneous outpouring of time, money, food, and clothing. Over the years, some people worried about the72-foot-high earthen dam, one of the largest earthen dams in the world, causing one resident to remark: No one could see the immense height to which that artificial dam had been built without fearing the tremendous power of the water behind it., Others wondered and asked why the dam had not been strengthened, as it certainly had become weak, making Johnstown vulnerable. The committees analysis led to the conclusion thatalterations to the structure made during the repair of the dam by Ruff and theSouth Fork Fishing and Hunting Club led to the reduction of its spillway capacityand eventual overtopping. The South Fork Dam was built to provide water for the operation of the Western Division of the Pennsylvania Mainline Canal between Johnstown and Pittsburgh. Though the American legal system soon adopted precedents that made it possible to hold defendants liable for their modifications to land, the magnates behind the Johnstown Flood walked off scot-free. It changed hands again in a sale to private investors. At 4:07 p.m., Johnstown inhabitants heard a low rumble that grew to a roar like thunder. Some knew immediately what had happened: after a night of heavy rains, South Fork Dam had finally broken, sending 20 million tons of water crashing down the narrow valley. When an unusually strong storm hit the area on May 28, 1889, pounding the area with between six and 10 inches of water in just 24 hours, water levels at the dam began to rise. The failure released an estimated 14.3 million tons of water from Lake Conemaugh, wreaking devastation along the valley of South Fork Creek and the Little Conemaugh River as it flowed about a dozen miles downstream to Johnstown, Pennsylvania, at the confluence of the Little Conemaugh and Stonycreek rivers form the Conemaugh River, a tributary of the Allegheny River. After several days of unprecedented rainfall in the Alleghenies, the dam gave way on May 31, 1889. Thats when a dam altered by the exclusive club burst, and the unthinkable happened. Upon request, special presentations can be arranged for groups. His workers desperately tried to dig another spillway and increase the height of the dam, but the water was rising too fast. Volunteers search for bodies in the debris piled up against the stone bridge. In 1889, Johnstown was home to 30,000 people, many of whom worked in the steel industry. WATCH: Full episodes of 'I Was There' online now. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. The South Fork Dam was originally built between 1838-1853 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of the canal system to be used as a reservoir for the state's Main Line of Public Works canal basin in Johnstown. Members of this exclusive and secretive retreat in the mountains were 61 wealthy Pittsburgh steel and coal financiers and industrialists, including Andrew Carnegie, Andrew Mellon, Philander Knox, John George Alexander Leishman, and Henry Clay Frick. Morrell insisted on inspections of the dam's breastwork both by his own engineers, (including John Fulton) and by those of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The oil-soaked jam was immovable, held against the bridge by the powerful current and bound tightly by the barbed wire. To the layperson, the South Fork Dam was an impressive structure. As a result, it flooded at least . Terrible Living Conditions of Gorbals, Glasgow Slums before the Redevelopment, Toronto in the 1940s: What Toronto looked like During and after the World War II, What Norfolk looked like in the Late 19th Century, Spectacular Historical Photos of Sacramento in the 1880s, Gibraltar in 1980 through the Lens of a Spanish Photographer, Vintage Sensual Maids: 50+ Provocative Photos Of Naughty Flappers From The 1920s. Though plans specifieda spillway width of 150 feet, the constructed spillway only spanned about 70 feet. The South Fork Dam in 1881 after it was rebuilt by the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. When the initial renovation was completed under Ruff's oversight, it became impossible to drain the lake to repair the dam properly, having modified the dam and lake area it to suit its recreational interests. . PA Engineer Morris provides the specifications for the dam. Next, they saw the dark cloud and mist and spray that preceded it, and were assaulted by a wind that blew down small buildings. Built following the disastrous Johnstown flood of 1889, the Inclined Plane connected the downtown area with the far higher Westmont, which was being developed into a residential neighborhood. This dam was built to hold back Lake Conemaugh, and the dam was named the South Fork dam. "Historic Challenge: Study Contests Cause of Dam Breach That Led to 1889 Flood", University of Pittsburgh Johnstown. The flood met its first serious resistance at the Pennsylvania Railroads Stone Bridge, which saved the lives of thousands by not breaking. . 9/2022. The death toll from the 1889 flood was approximately 2,209. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Some never had a chance, as homes were immediately crushed or ripped from foundations and added to the churning rubble, ending up hundreds of yards away. Assemblyman Bert Gurr (Courtesy / Lee Rix Gurr) Freshman Elko Republican succeeds Republican John Ellison, who termed out as District 33's assemblyman after 12 years. The warehouse of the Cambria Iron Works Company in the back was severely damaged. In modern times, this former library is owned by the Johnstown Area Heritage Association, and houses the Flood Museum. ft. 438 Lookout Dam Rd, Statesville, NC 28625 $449,900 MLS# 3892981 New construction home to be finished approx. After the flood, survivors suffered a series of legal defeats in their attempts to recover damages from the dams owners. The mesh screens placed in the spillway further decreased spillwaycapacity due to the collection of debris. cit. Why did Frick decide to lower the dam, even though it made it weaker ? "Cyrus Elder (1833-1912), "Johnstown Flood", National Park Service. Court of Common Pleas. Right image Here you'll find all collections you've created before. Cambria Iron and Steels facilities were heavily damaged; they returned to full production within 18 months. After many years of delays it was finally completed in 1852 and provided good service. The Johnstown Flood would become one of the worst natural disasters ever seen in this country. Dam and club history. 3768 Arctic Fox Dr , Island Park, ID 83429 is a single-family home listed for-sale at $1,100,000. Lower Johnstown three days after the flood. The design engineer(s) should be involved in the construction phase of dam projects. People would know only that he was the one who destroyed the dam and flooded the valley. In the past, they . South Fork [citation needed]. and more. Morrell joined the club to further express his concerns. 1839-Engineer William Morris conducts another study for the state concurring with Sylvester Welch's report that the South Fork Creek was the best place for a canal feeder reservoir and, ironically, the safest location for a dam in the event of spring flooding. The South Fork Dam was originally built between 18381853 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of the canal system to be used as a reservoir for the state's Main Line of Public Works canal basin in Johnstown. The South Fork Dam was an earthen dam originally built between 18381853 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of the Pennsylvania Main Line canal system to be used as a reservoir for the canal basin in Johnstown. Our aging dams weren't built to survive today's extreme weather. Contributions from the United States and abroad totaled over $3,700,000. The corporation was disbanded in 1904, and the real estate assets were sold by the local sheriff at public auction, largely to satisfy a pre-existing mortgage on the large clubhouse. Those caught by the wave found themselves swept up in a torrent of oily, yellow-brown water, surrounded by tons of grinding debris, which crushed some and provided rafts for others. 1847-The half-completed South Fork Dam failed for the first time. At the time of the Great Flood the club house was handsomely furnished and was fully equipped to care for at least 200 guests. Credit: NPS/Harpers Ferry Center, Right image . The South Fork dam was planned to supply water to the canal and waterway west of the Alleghenies. The dam broke after several days of extremely heavy rainfall, releasing 14.55 million cubic meters of water. Additionally, a previous owner had removed and sold for scrap the three cast iron discharge pipes that previously allowed a controlled release of water. White, E. A. Myers, C. C. Hussey, D. R. Ewer, C. A. Carpenter, W. L. Dunn, W. L. McClintock, and A. V. Any modification to a spillway should be reviewed and approved by a professional engineer. The South Fork Dam was 72 feet (22m) high and 931 feet (284m) long. As the flood was going through towns towards the Johnstown, it was destroying trees, homes, boxcars and even locomotives and carrying them along with the water. Nobody, it seemed, was willing to challenge Americas most powerful men. But, that had been the case every spring for so many years, that it the supposed threat had become something of a standing joke around town. The flood provided vast literature with important lessons for environmental management today. The flood struck the Johnstown with devastating force along with heavy wind and blew the buildings and homes. After the flood, victims suffered a series of legal defeats in their attempt to recover damages from the dam's owners. $497 million in 2016), and 4 square miles (10 km2) of downtown Johnstown were completely destroyed. The South Fork Dam was an earthenwork dam forming Lake Conemaugh ,[1] an artificial body of water near South Fork, Pennsylvania, United States. "The Johnstown Flood", by Robert D. Christie. Central Pennsylvania, May 31, 1889: After a deluge of rainnearly a foot in less than twenty-four hoursswelled the Little Conemaugh River, panicked engineers watched helplessly as swiftly rising waters threatened to breach the South Fork dam, built to create a private lake for a fishing and hunting club that counted among its members . These photos were taken by Louis Semple Clarke, the son of a club member, during the happy days before the tragedy. The owner at the time of the disaster was the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, an organization primarily co mprised of wealthy business tycoons. 4. The property became South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. The South Fork Dam was an earthen dam originally built between 1838-1853 by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of the Pennsylvania Main Line canal system to be used as a reservoir for the canal basin in Johnstown. The next morning survivors were unsettled by the eerie silence hanging over the city. They added a fish screen onto the spillwaythe structure built to keep water from building up too high and straining the dam. More recently, the Malplasset concrete arch dam in France failed on December 2, 1959, when the . The dam as originally built with a higher crest by the State of Pennsylvania would have impounded a greater volume of 1.627 10 7 m 3 below a lake stage of 493.5 m. Many publications report that . A rendering of the scene at the Stone Bridge. Learn more at erinblakemore.com. Before the flood, speculators had bought the abandoned reservoir, made less than well-engineered repairs to the old dam, raised the lake level, built cottages and a clubhouse, and created the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. The dam was originally built with discharge pipes, so the only question that remained was who removed them. Technical paper published by Association of State Dam Safety Officials, Newspaper article published by the Tribune-Democrat, Author: H. Unrau, U.S. National Park Service, Presentation at Oregon Dam Safety Conference, Author: N. Coleman, U. Kaktins, & S. Wojno. The Johnstown Flood in rare pictures, 1889. 124, Major Historical Dam Failures with Modes of Failure, Dam Breach Hydrology of the Johnstown Flood of 1889 - Challenging the Findings of the 1891 Investigation Report, Association of State Dam Safety Officials. He could cut through the end of the dam, where the pressure was less, so it would give way more slowly and reduce the waters destructive force. 3. This strategy was a success, and club members and attorneys Philander C. Knox and James H. Reed were able to fend off four lawsuits against the club; Colonel Unger, its president; and against 50 named members. Thousands of people desperately tried to escape the wave, but they were slowed as in a nightmare by the two to seven feet of water already covering parts of town. Most significantly, in order to provide a carriageway across the dam, the top was leveled off, lowering it, where it sat above the town of Johnstown, leaving it only a few feet above the water level at its lowest point. By 1881 the dam had been repaired, without the benefit of an engineer,and the reservoir filled to capacity to form the now nearly three-mile-long Lake Conemaugh. 1 Its purpose was to hold water for the canal during dry seasons. Left image People still wonder why so many vote against temporary taxes to help relieve or open museums or sports stadiums in their towns. The Influence of Dam Failures on Dam Safety Laws in Pennsylvania. Money poured in, too. A desire to fish created an epic 1889 deluge. (2)Rose, A. Mostly forgotten about by the 1870s-1880s, it was also a menace, over the heads of the people of Johnstown and the Conemaugh Valley. For whatever reason, at least three warnings sent from South Fork to Johnstown by telegram the day of the disaster went virtually unheeded downstream. Despite the evidence to suggest that they were very much to blame, the Club membership was never held legally responsible for the disaster. To widen the road across the dam, it was lowered. Henry Clay Frick (1848-1919) A founding member and perhaps one of, if not the most famous, member of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club; perhaps second only to Andrew Carnegie. The disaster resulted from incessant and unprecedented rainfall. The Men Who Built America. The canal system was obsolete by the time the dam was completed in 1853. MLS # The dam had not failed completely since 1862. South Fork Dam after failure in 1889. Roaring down the narrow path of the Little Conemaugh River, a seventy-foot (21m) wall of water, filled with huge chunks of dam, boulders, and whole trees, smashed into the small town of Mineral It is an example of what can happen when people disregard the principles of engineering and hydrology. Hours: Open seven days a week, 365 days a year. During construction, concrete was poured 24 hours a day from August 13, 1931 through to October 12, 1931 - 18,447 bags of cement were used. After surveying the scene, she set up hospital tents and built six Red Cross hotels for the homeless. Constructed from rock and packed earth, the South Fork dam was about 8 miles (13 kilometers) to the east of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. "Benjamin Franklin Ruff (1835-1887)", "Johnstown Memorial", National Park Service. Johnstown was home to more than 30,000 people in 1889 and many of them worked in the booming steel industry.