Hettie Ogle joined Western Union telegraph Company in 1861, eventually becoming the manager of the WU office as well as the telephone exchange in Johnstown, Pa. On May 31, 1899 she sent a series of river and rain reports to the WU division office in Pittsburgh, Pa, indicating how serious flooding conditions were becoming in Johnstown. At 3:00 pm she warned Pittsburgh that she was likely to lose her wires and messaged "This will be my last message." Just a little later, Agent Frank Deckert of the Pennsylvania Railroad station in Johnstown phoned her to inform her of a message from the Pennsylvania Railroad telegrapher in South Fork that the South Fork Dam at Lake Conemaugh was becoming dangerous. She, in turn, phoned the editor of the Johnstown Tribune, Mr Swank, to pass the warning along to him at 3:15pm, according to Mr Swank. However, at 3:10pm the dam had already broken and Lake Conemaugh was on its way to Johnstown. Ms Ogle and her entire staff at Western Union were killed by the deluge.
Her body was never identified and is most likely interred in the "Unknown Plot" in Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown.
Her body was never identified and is most likely interred in the "Unknown Plot" in Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown.
Hettie Ogle joined Western Union telegraph Company in 1861, eventually becoming the manager of the WU office as well as the telephone exchange in Johnstown, Pa. On May 31, 1899 she sent a series of river and rain reports to the WU division office in Pittsburgh, Pa, indicating how serious flooding conditions were becoming in Johnstown. At 3:00 pm she warned Pittsburgh that she was likely to lose her wires and messaged "This will be my last message." Just a little later, Agent Frank Deckert of the Pennsylvania Railroad station in Johnstown phoned her to inform her of a message from the Pennsylvania Railroad telegrapher in South Fork that the South Fork Dam at Lake Conemaugh was becoming dangerous. She, in turn, phoned the editor of the Johnstown Tribune, Mr Swank, to pass the warning along to him at 3:15pm, according to Mr Swank. However, at 3:10pm the dam had already broken and Lake Conemaugh was on its way to Johnstown. Ms Ogle and her entire staff at Western Union were killed by the deluge.
Her body was never identified and is most likely interred in the "Unknown Plot" in Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown.
Her body was never identified and is most likely interred in the "Unknown Plot" in Grandview Cemetery, Johnstown.
Family Members
Spouse
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
