The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-07


sued as far North as Baltimore, while many of
the refugees go to Atlanta, Nashville, etc. The
members of the committee say the best solution
OF Of the. the question OF assisting destitute
out of the city. Quite number Of persons who
can help themselves too trifiing to merit
any favor, apply for assistance but assistance is
often refused when requested in the form OF rail-
road courtesy. The same class Of opposition is
eneoun tered in the issuance of orders for ratious.
The line is drawn and Determinations are made
when it may be advisable to get rid of i'm
poster by sending him or her out of the city.
When strong, able-bodied man applies for aid
for himself he is asked why he does not go to
work. as there is plenty of work for laborers in
clearing away debris at from ST. 70 to 81 per day.
The patent reply is: II am afraid to go to work;
| am afraid of quakes" A reporter was told by
a member Of the relief committee, this after
noon, tina: there are 10, 900 negroes in the city
who claim they are too much frightened to work.
The committee is growing impatient at this exhi-
oltlon or weakness, and is suspicious of much
feiening by indolents. The City Hall and the adj
jacent streets have been filled with destituta
sufferers. and many linger about tho place to-
night When Mayor Courtenay arrives. to-mor
row, more definite arrangements Will be made
for the distribution of aid The Chamber OF
Commerce, Cotton Exchange, the city officers,
secret societies and other organizations are re-
ceiving and distributing provisions, etc. 1t ia
the purpose to appoint an executive committee
of three men, through whose hands assistance
shall pass, or who shall know OF all assistance OF
whatever character granted. This is for the
purpose of preventing frauds in the way OF
duplicatio~, and trpcation of orders. Now an
INDECENT person may go from place to place and
receive each time he or she applies.
It is also expected that some definite action
will be taken, when the Mayor arrives for the law
full condemnation and destruction of dangerous
buildings. Under the provisions of the Revised
Statutes of the State the Mayor and chief OF
police of cities constitute board to condemn
hN ovN1 NkNAo h1nN -
nothing has been done to secure the advantages
of this law. However, hundreds of property
owners are going right ahead, and ars
tearing down their shattered structures All
the laborers available find ready employment in
this work. and thousands more could find lucra-
tive employ if they would come In some
instances as much as So 80 day for common
labor is paid. Some of the most enterprislng
citizens who want to put the city in business
like condition, are complaining because the act
ing Mayor and chief of police have not exercised
the authority vested in them, and ordered down
the dangerous buildings. 1t is said these offcers
refuse to do anything in this direction till disin
terested outside architects indicate what build
ings should be torn down. because, first, they do
not want to invite the displeasure of citzsua
owning the condemned property; and secondly.
do not want TO assume the risk of suits
for damages. They will have no fear
however, in executing the directions ol
the government architect sent by the Treasury
ing performed in tearing down buildings, and il
will be remarkable if many serious accidents dc
not occur. The steeple on ST Philips Church is
about 22o feet high. Seventy five feet of the up
per portion is above platform lookout. and il
sustained by seven pillars and central iror
post The shocks of earthquake broke down
four of the seven pillars, and people wondered
how the steeple could stand. 1t seemed that
nothing held it up. The citizens demanded
that the upper portion of the structure should
be pulled down, it heavy that it might
do great damage were it to fall. This morning
local contractor and builder made many hearts
beat fast by going up to the broken columns and
making a critical examination When he
descended he announced that he could
save the steeple by pulling out the debris and
building four new pillars. He found that
the steeple was kept from topping over by the
center post, although the shock of removing the
debris or the pressure of gust of wind might
make it fall. Certainly such en- accident would
mean death to all at work about the building
At this writing the debris has been cleared
away, and the work of building new pillars has
progressed finely. All day great crowd viewed
the wreck from the streets, and people were
made TO shudder they contemplated the dan
ger of the men on the dizzy height. walking and
hammering on the totteriag honeycombed
steepe, seventyfve feet high. beginning 125
feet from the ground, and weighing very many
tons.
More danger is anticipated from wind than
anything else just now. A stiff breeze. such as
would make the windows in firm buildings
rattle, would send crashing TO the earth hun
dreds Of buildings in this city which are now
cracked and racked. Architects say but very
few of the brick buildings car be repaired, as
they are go old that the brick and mortar are
rotten. Not per cent. of the buildings are less
than twenty years DID, while a majority arc
over fifty years. A third OF them are quarter
of century of age, and number were con-
structed far back in the eighteenth century.
There is little new paint, and build
lngs here. like meerschaum pipes
and bourbon" are valuable according
to age. A gentleman upon being approached
to-day in reference to the sale of his residence,
said: "The house is forty years old 1t cost $l2
600. l will take $17 900 for it, since it is dam
aged" The age of the building, like the pedi
gree OF blooded animals, always goes with the
transfers, and the owners never lose sight Of
them.
Great concern is yet felt for the welfare
of that ancient landmark. st. Michael's
gated it's condition gives an encourag
ing account Of the state of affairs in the old
church. in that it was found that the damage
which it has certainly and evidently suffered,
will not necessarily involve the demolition Of the
famous steeple, or perhaps of any considerable
part of the rest of the building.
The Right Rev. w. B. Howe, Bishop of South
Carolina. has issued an appeal for help to repair
the Episcopal churches here damaged by the
earthquake. He thus sums up the needs.
St Philips Church and church home arc both much
injured. St Philips is the mother church of the do
cese and parish since 1878. st. Michaels Church is
colonial church, built in 1857. The damage is very
serious ST Paul's Church, the largest in the city,
built in 1916 is very badly damaged. St Luke's il
seriously injured. but Is needing repairs Colon
Church. free church for coored people, is seriously
hurt. st. Timothys Church needs rebuilding. Yester
day worshiped in the open air. With their
houses not habAble how these people repair their
churchesl Any money sent to Bishop Howe for the
above purposes win be distributed according to my
best Judgment unless otherwise directed I think
we will needs least 800, 900.
The Columbia, S. c., Board of Trade have ap-
pointed relief committee to go To every train
from Charleston and Summerviile to meet rcfu-
gees from these stricken cities and take them to
comfortable quarters. There are about six hun
dred refugees in Columbia, but the citizens in
vte many more to come
S, G.. Pinckney, who lives in South street, q
few doors east of Grace Church. was in New
York when the earthnnake CAME He Statea