The wires being down beyond Mineral Point, Pickerell "waited and waited" for someone to come past who could hand deliver his message to the next station over, East Conemaugh.
A railroad worker finally came by, Pickerell gave the message to him. The railroad worker gave it to his foreman at Buttermilk Falls who had the message sent by telegraph to East Conemaugh, Johnstown and to Robert Pitcairn's office in Pittsburgh. The message was received at those places between noon and one o'clock. (Ibid 93-95)
