The Penn's Grove record., 1889-06-08

Trains Will pr0DaDly Dc running Dy 10
morrow morning. Not less than Is, 00C
strangers are here.
HARRISBURG. June 3.-The Gov.
ernor to night issued the following:
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNsYL.
vANIA, Executive Chamber, Harris
burg, Pa. June 8, 1S89.--TO the
people of the United States: The
Executive of the Commonwealth OF
Pennsylvania has refrained hitler to
from making any appeal to the people
for their benefactions In order that he
might receive definite and reliable In.
formation from the centres OF disaster
during the late floods, which have been
unprecedented in the history of the
State or nation. Communication by
wire has been established with Johns.
town to-day. The civil authorities are
In control. the Adjutant General of the
State cooperating with them. Order
has been restored and is likely to Con
tinue.
Newspaper reports as to the loss Of
life and property have not been ex-
aggerated. The valley of the Cone.
mauch, which is peculiar, has been
swept from one end to the other as
with the bosom of destruction. 1t con-
tained a population Of 10000 to so ,000
people, living for the most part along
the banks Of a small river, confined
within Its narrow limits.
The most conservatives estimates
place the loss of life at 5000 human
beings and Of property at $25. 900, 600.
Whole towns have been utterly de-
stroyed, not a vestige remaining. In
the more substantial towns the better
buildings, to a certain extent, remain,
but In a damaged condition. Those
who are least able to bear it have suf-
fered the loss of everything. The most
pressing needs so far; as food is con-
cerned have been supplied. Shoes and
clothing of all sorts for men. women
and children are greatly needed.
Money is also urgently required to
remove the debris, bury the dead and
care temporarily for widows and Or
phans, and for the homeless generally.
Other localities have suffered to some
extent in the same way, but not In the
same degree.
Late advices would seem to indicate
that there Is q great loss OF life and
destruction OF property along the west
branch OF the SusQuehanna and in
localities from which we can get no
definite information. What does come,
however, is of the most appalling char.
acter, and 1t Is expected that the
details will add new horrors to the sit.
uatIon. The responses from within
and without the State have been most
generous and cheering. North and
south, east and west, from the United
States and from England there comes
the same hearty, generous response of
sympathy and help. The President.
Governors of States, Mayors Of cities,
individuals and committees, private
and municipal corporations seem
to vie with each other In their express
sions Of sympathy and In their con-
tributions of substantial aid.
But gratifying as are these respOn-
ses, there is no danger Of their exceed
ing the necessities of the situation. A
Careful organization has been made
upon the ground for the distribution
of whatever assistance Is furnished 10
kind. The Adjutant General Of the
State Ia there as representative Of the
State authorities, and Is giving per-
sonal attention, In connection with the
Chief Burgess of Johnstown and a
committee of relief, to the distribution
of the help which is furnished. Funds
contributed IN aid OF the sufferers can
be deposited with Drexel & Co., Phila-
delphia; Jacob G. Bomberger, banker.
Harrisburg; or William R. Thompson
& Co., bankers, P .ttsburg. All money
contributed will be used carefully and
'judiciOusly. Present ants are fairly
met. A large force will be employed
at Once to remove the debris and bury
the dead, so as to avoid disease and
epidemic.
The people Of the Commonwealth
and others whose unsel6sh generosity
Is hereby heartily appreciated and
acknowledged may be assured that
their contributions will be made to
bring their be~nefactions in the imme.
dIate and direct relief Of those for
whose benefit they III intended.
JAMES A. BEAVER.
By the Governor:
Charles W. Stone, Secretary of the
Commonwealth.
JoHNsTowN, Pa, June 3.-The de-
velopment Of every hour makes 1t more
and more apparent that the exact num-
Der of lives lost in the JOhnst0wn hor'
ror will never be known. All estimates
that have been made up to this time
are conservative, and, when all is
known, will doubtless be found 10 have
been too small. Over 1000 bodies have
been found since sunrise to-day. and
the most skeptieal concede that the
remains of thousands more rest beneath
the debris above JOhnstown bridge.
The population of JohnstOwn. the
surrounding suburbs and the portion
Of the valley affected by the flood is. OF
was $4,000 to So 200. Associated Press
representatives to day interviewed
numerous leading citizens Of Johns
town who survived the food, and the
concensus of opinion vas that fully
30 per cent. of the residents of Johns
town and Cambria had been victims OF
the continued disasters of fire and
water. If this be true the total loss Of
life In the entire valley cannot be less
than 1000 oil 5000, and possibly much
greater.
or the thousands who were devoured
by the flames, and whose ashes rest
beneath the smoking debris above
Johnstown bridge, no definite informa'
ton can ever be obtained. As little
will be learned of the hundreds who
sank beneath the current and were
borne swiftly down the Conemaugh,
only to be deposited hundreds Of mile:
below on the banks and in the drift
wood of the raging Ohio Probably
one-third of the deal will never be re
covered, and 1t will take a list Of tht
missing weeks hence to enable even
close estimate to be made Of The
number of bodies that were Il
be seer floating In the river II
the brief hour. That this estimate
can never be accurate Is under
stood when 1t is remembered that
in many instances, whole familie!
and their relatives were SWEEP
away and found a common grave
beneath the wild waste of waters
The total destr uctlon of the city leave'
no data to ever demonstrate that thu
names OF these unforlunates v Q founc
place on the pages Of eternity's history.