The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-09
TIE WORK AT CHARLESTON.
The Clearing Away of Debris Progress
ing Rapidly and Satisfactorily.
An Urgent Demand for Tents with Which to
Shelter the Homeless People-Plan for Sc
curing Money for Rebuilding the City.

of earthquake which is felt once twice day
attracts little more attention than the rumbling
OF a passing wagon. Laborers are at work in
every direction clearing away the masses of fall
on brick and stone and there are strenuous eff
forts made to protect the injured buildings from
the expected rains. Every where there are signs
of restoration of the normal condition Of things,
and business is transacted just as usual. The
relief committee, which organized last Sat
urlay, is at work and has now provided accom-
modations in tents and in huts for over three
Thousand persons Besides this, the subsistence
committee is in full swing. and is serving out to-
day ample rations of meat bread and sugar to
all worthy applicants. The plan is to make the
distribution hereafter upon the recommends
ton of the clergvmen of the different denomina-
tons in the city Subscriptions continue to
come in very freely, and the aggregate now is
about 100000. This will 60 long way towards
relieving the present distress in the city, but is
only drop in the bucket in comparison with
what is required to make Charleston what it was
little more than week ago. Mayor Courteray
has issued proclamation to the people of the
city in which be says:
81 have this day returned to my loved city and
find widespread desolation. its homes shaken to
their foundations many of them utterly
wrecked, and few without serious injuries, and l
find many of you, my fellow-citizens with your
dear ana tender families, living and sleeping
still under frail shelters. and some under the
sky, with the recent terrible calamity and its
awful suspense still lingering in your minds
Amid the ruins of this far-reaching and terrible
calamity am profoundly thankful that so much
Of life and property has been spared. and re-
joice that the same fortitude and heroic patience
that, in the trust of God and His providence, has
a wzx ahara zp6 ic hair
stay in this time Of dire trouble. and 1 am thank
ful TO add that in this past week of disaster the
good order and helpful cooperation of all classes
of our citizens has conduced to the maintenance
of the public veal It is inspiring to behold,
amid these grave difficulties, the resumption Of
the business life Of our city and the quenchless
faith of our people in the future. The open ex-
changes, banks and leading houses in all depart
ments of business, the uninterrupted COM
merce of railroads, steamships and sail
Ing fleets, and the ready wharves, the
busy workshops and usual routine of all the
vocations and employments of our city, pro-
claim that we are already going forward to new
future That future is based work, not Idle
ness, and I call on every one to seek work in
every way possible Although the situation is
critical it is not insurmountable. It demands
from every citizen in our midst calm Judgment,
the broadcast charity, and resolved determine
ton in word and act and unfaltering trust in
God to tide over the unparalleled calamity that
has unexpectedly come upon us. This disaster.
city, can only be met and overcome by the moral
courage and the united effort of the whole peo-
ple The immediate and serious duty before US
as the protection and succor of the houseless,
the sick and the INDECENT, the unfortunate and
the helpless that crowd around US. AS the
executive of the city, it is my duty to create
organization looking to dealing with the differ
ent problems before as, and as l have to act at
once, / have therefore initiated this work by
asking the services of some of my fellow-citi
In a worthy attempt to organize such plans as
will mitigate the suffering and distress so uni
versaliy surrounding US. and which threatens
such serious consequences to many OF our people,
The plans will be explained and if found in any
way wanting in completeness the work pro-
crosses, will be amended. In this effort it is a
source Of gratitude to us to know that we
not polling with this unspeakable disaster
alone. The sympGnby of this whole Union of
States has touchaaee.s deeply, and the spontan-
giving of practical and speedy aid in this
our struggle, shows that the large and true
heart Of the people of this great country beats
with US now as it will hereafter. In this hope,
and cheered with this promising feature
part of great peop.c whose helping hands
outstretcbed to us, let us turn mantully to our
heritage, and as many times in the past on this
very spot, work out, under the blessing of God,
a new future for our now shattered but dearly
loved city"
Yesterday prominent architect and builder
from New York, who was passing through the
city, INDUCED in a stroll through the streets and
took occasion to examine some of the heaps of
mortar and brick. ''It seems to me-" he said,
'That good Deal of the destruction in Charles
ton is due to careless and imperfect work
have noticed in very many instances that the
mortar used in the construction of dwellings
here is of very inferior kind In some in
stances there are hardly any traces of lime and
cement. Bricks which are laid in that kind of
in in io1a
shock. The city ought TO have an official to in
spect building material. There are builders, not
only in Charleston, but all over the world, who
will take advantage of people and use cheap ma
aerial. have noticed several brick buildings
standing, the walls of which are put up with an
inferior kind of mortar that will not hold bricks
together and that is the kind that suspect has
been used in many of the buildings that are
shattered. l notice a good deal Of this peculiar
kind of mortar all over the city in the heaps of
debris. I don't mean to say that houses built
with proper mortar would have stood the shock
of the earthquake you had in Charleston but
am certain that the destruction would not have
been as great.
The Mayor has appointed board of engineers
and architects, with Capt. W. B, Bixby, United
States Engineer Corps, as chairman, to examine
and report upon dangerous buildings for re-
moval.
Four coored infants have died from exposure
to-day, and one man. There was some rain to-
day, but ths weather tonight Is fine and clear
Mayor Courtenay 10 working energetically and
is ably seconded by the local relief committee.
He is subdividing the city into districts with
the aid Of clergymen of all shades of religious
belief and is carefully distributing the funds re-
mitted to him. Money!, and plenty Of it, is
urgently needed to meet pressing wants. A
general feeling of insecurity prevails. and the
residents camp in the open lots and along the
battery, as well as the borders of the Rut-
ledge-street lakes foul sickening odor, rising
from the assures in the streets and the omen
sewers and inlets, pervades the city There is
a latent dread of Sickness and the most
energetic efforts are being made to clear the