The Portland daily press., 1889-06-11
YESTERDAY ON THE CONEMAUGH.
Steam Engines WrenchIng Apart the
Piles OF Debris.
A Cheering Bulletin From the State
Board of Health.
What an Expert Says Of the CONNER
ciaI Outlook.

JoHNsTowN, Pa, June 10.-The progress
OF the work at the stone bridge today was
more satisfactory and more was accomplish
ed in removing the debris than in any three
other days. The stationary engine on the
bridge has done more work than fifty men.
Huge masses of broken and bent iron and
immense timbers which the men were trying
to move for days, were lifted from their
places and moved with ease. Fourteen
more of these great helpers have been sent
for and will be here tomorrow. This will
make "a doing excellent work. A large force
OF men heretofore employed at this point
have been taken to other points. and a small
force with the aid OF the engine are doing
more efficient work. A heavy charge Of
dynamite was put off today, aud did a great
deal Of good, demonstrating that heavy
charges must be used. Three bodies were
found laying close together today near the
stone bridge. Ten or twelve have been
found in that vicinity. All the commissary
staff were kept busy as usual.
AT Cambria, vast amount OF provisions
and clothing have been distributed. Long
lines of sufferers stood in the rain waiting
their turn. No one without an order re-
ceives anything. Every department is under
the strictest discipline. The Pennsylvania
Railroad Company is about to reach Mineral
Point with construction train. The wash
out between the stone bridge and the Penn
sylvania station is almost filled and trains
are running over both tracks. The hurried
burial Of the dead ia the cemetery at Pros
pect Hill Is causing residents OF that beauti-
ful suburb Of Johnstown. a great deal of
anxiety. The bodies were placed in cheap
coffins, none secure and the odor from the
decomp0sed bodies rises to the surface.
This attracts number Of dogs who make
night hideous by bowling and paving over
the graves. The coffins were put only three
feet under ground.
Thirty-five bodies were recovered today.
THOSE taken out of the water were in much
better condition than those found among the
debris. The latter were horribly bl0ated
ana destroyed in feature, and decomposition
had set In. The bodies are now almost be-
yond recognition. The undertakers will all
leave tomorrow. Petty jealousies made it
unpleasant for some to work with others and
now the State is to take charge and the vol
unteer service will be relieved. They say
the State can and must hire undertakers to
bury the dead.
The report of DIR. Debut addressed to DR..
Croft gives the total Of bodies recovered as
1889 The official bulletin of the State Board
OF Health today says: "The favorable condi-
tion stated in the first report continues. No
contagious diseases Of any kind prevails
mild tSe Of measles. but but no signs
Of any epidemic are manifest. The
State Board Of Health is fully prepared to
meet all emergencies as they arise. As a
precautionary measure hospital for conta-
gious diseases has been established The
air continues pure and wholesome and the
water pure. The bodies still In the wreck
are so covered with earth as not to be dam
gerous to health. Every precaution is being
taken to prevent the contamination of the
water supply for towns below Johnstown.
There Is no ground whatever for alarm in
TINS matter at present. The bodies in the
river are covered with mud. The weather is
cool and favorable and at present there is
every reason to be encouraged"
James b. Scott said this afternoon: "Work
will continue as it has until Wednesday
morning and then everything will be handed
over to the State. Relief must be given un-
tll the people can take hold for themselves.
When the Cambria coal works and other
mills resume the people will be able to earn
money. The great aim at present is to give
the survivors work. The State is to open a
commissary department where goods will be
sold until merchants are able again to get on
their feet. We are building store houses along
the Baltimore q Ohio where supplies will be
Kept until 1t Is necessary to use them. This
evil will soon be remedied but supplies are
still in demand"
j. N. Munden In charge Of the removal Of
bodies from the ruins says that up to date he
has found over 5000 in money in the pockets
of victims. The largest sum was S3li4. He
states that the robbing of stores and the dead
bodies still continues, Notwithstanding that
guard was placed over the ruins by the
civil authorities.