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John Wheeler: Johnstown flood of 1889 changed the legal interpretation of liability

  • The South Fork Dam failed on May 31, 1889, after heavy rain, flooding Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and killing over 2,200 people, including 99 families.
  • The flood destroyed more than 4 square miles of downtown Johnstown due to the rush of water from Lake Conemaugh.
  • The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club owned the dam, and its management made changes that compromised the dam's design for recreation.
  • The perceived injustice of the disaster prompted changes in how American courts interpreted liability for such failures.
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John Wheeler: Johnstown flood of 1889 changed the legal interpretation of liability

FARGO — Flood disasters are almost invariably a combination of natural "Acts of God" and engineering failures. On May 31, 1889, an 11-inch rain following an already wet spring led to the catastrophic failure of the South Fork Dam located 14 miles up a narrow canyon from Johnstown, Pa. The water over topped the dam, which rapidly eroded, causing the entire volume of Lake Conemaugh to rush down the valley below. More than 2,200 people died, includ…

·Cherokee County, United States
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Brainerd Dispatch broke the news in Brainerd, United States on Monday, March 10, 2025.
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