The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-06-05
ESTIMATES OF THE Loss OF LIFE.
Nearly n Thousand Bodies Lying in the I'm
provised Morgues in Johnstown.


JOHNsTowS, Pa, June 1.-The situation
here has not changed and yesterdays estimates
of the loss of life do not seem to be exaggerated.
Six hundred bodies are now lying in Johns
town and a large number have already been
buried. Four immense relief trains arrived
last night and the survivors are being well cared
for. 4 portion of the police force of Pittsburg
and Allegheny are on duty and better order is
maintained than prevailed yesterday. There is
an absence of pillaging. Communication has
been restored between Cambria City and Johns
town by a foot bridge. The work of repairing
the track between Sang Hollow and Johns
town is going on rapidly and trains will prob
ably be running by tomorrow morning. Not
less than fifteen thousand strangers are here.
The handsome brick high-school building is
damaged to such an extent that it will have TO
be rebuilt The water attained the hight of
the window stills of the second floor. Its upper
stories formed a refuge for many persons. All
Saturday afternoon two little girls could be
seen at the windows, franticaly calling for aid.
They had spent all night and the day in the
building, cut off from all aid. Without food
and drinking water their condition was lament
able. Late in the evening the children we're
removed to higher ground and properly cared
for. 4 number of persons had been taken from
this building earlier in the day, but IN the ex-
element the children were forgotten. Their
names could not be obtained.
MOrrell institute was q beautiful building,
and the old homestead of the MOrrell family is
totally ruined. The water has weakened the
walls and foundations to such an extent that
there is danger of its collapsing. Many families
took refuge in this building and we're saved.
Now that the waters have receded there is
great danger from falling walls. All day long
the crashing of walls could be heard across the
river Before daybreak this morning the sounds
could not but make one shudder at the very
thoughts OF the horrible deaths that awaited
many who had escaped the devastating flood.
Library hall was another OF the fine build
ings of the many In the city that Is destroyed.
OF the episcopal church not a vestlge remains.
Where il once stood there Is now placid lake.
The parsonage is swept away and the rector OF
I the church, the Rev. Mr.. Dillon, was drowned
The church was one of the first buildings to
fall. IL carried with il several of the surround
ing houses. Many of them were occupied. The
victims were swept into the comparatively still
waters at the bridge and there met death either
/ by fire or water.
James NJ Walters an attorney, spent the
! night in Alma hall and relates thrilling story.
One of the most curious occurrences OF the
whole disaster was how Mr.. Walters cot TO the
/ hail. lie has his Office on the second floor.
! His home is at 49, Walnut-st. He says he was
/ in the house with his family when the waters
struck it. All vas carried away. Mr.. Wal
ters' family dTifted on a roof in another direc-
ton. He passed down several streets and
alleys until he came to the hall. His dwelling
struck that ediice and he thrown into his
own Office. About two hundred persons had
taken refuge in the hall and were on
the second, third and fourth stories.
/ The men held a meeting and drew Up some
j rules which all were bound TO respect. Mr..
Walters was chosen president the Rev. Mr..
IL r-l,., IL,
Hart OF the second door, and Dr.. Matthews of
the fourth floor. No lights were allowed and
the whole night was spent in darkness The
sick were cared for.. The weaker women and
children had the best accommodations that
could be had while the others had to wait.
The scenes were most agonizing; heart-rend-
ing shrieks, sobs and means pierced the gloomy
darkness The crying of children mingled
with the suppressed sobs OF the women. Un-
der the guardianship of the men all took more
hope. No one slept during all the long, dark
night. Many knelt for hours in prayer, their
supplications Iningling with the roar of the
the waters and the shrieks of the dying in the
/ surrounding houses. In all this misery two
women gave premature birth TO children.
Dr. Matthews is a hero. Several of his ribs
I were crushed by falling timber and his pains
I were most severe yet he attended all the sick.
/ When two women in a house across the street
shouted for help, he, with two other brave
| young men, climbed across the drift and minis
/ tered to their wants.
No one died during the night but women
/ and children surrendered their lives on the
succeeding day as a result of terror and fatigue.
Miss Rose Young, one OF the young ladies in
! the hail. was frghtfuly cut and bruised. Mrs.
] Young had a leg broken. All OF Mr.. Walters
/ family were saved. Col Norman Smith of
| Pttsbnrg, while returning to JohnstOwn after a
! visit TO Adjt. Gen. Hastings was knocked down
/ from the temporary bridge into the river, and
/ was carried down stream couple OF hundred
yards before he was able TO swim ashore. He
was not hurt Gen Hastings countermanded
the ordering out of the Eighteenth regiment.
I The order was not authorized, and the militia
are not needed.
This afternoon a spring wagon came slowly
[ from the ruins in what was once Cambria. In
| it on a board and covered by muddy cloth
were the remains OF Editor G. I. Schubert of
/ the JohnstOwn Free Press, German. Behind
the wagon walked his friend, Benjamin Gribble.
i Editor Schubert was one OF the most popular
and well-known Germans in the city. Thurs
day he had sent his three sons to COnemaugh-
borough, and Friday afternoon he and his wife
and six other children called at Mr.. Gribbles
residence They noticed the rise OF the water,
/ but not until the flood from the burst dam
washed the city did they anticipate danger. All
fed from the first to the second floor. Then,
as the water rose, they went into the attic and
Mr.. Schubert hastily prepared a raft upon
which all embarked. Just as the raft reached
the bridge heavy piece Of timber raised from
/ the water and swept the editor beneath the sur
face. The raft then glided through and all the
rest were rescued. MIR. Schubert's remains were
( found this afternoon beneath pile OF broken
timbers. This evening his coffin was carried ia
/ his widow and children at the house OF a friend
/ in Morrellville.
A tour of the west bank OF the river for dis
tapce Of two miles leaves the mind confused
I There are not over a hundred bodies to be seen,
! but while a mass of people walked back and
forth they were strangers. Not one person IN
I ten that one met resident Of this vicinity.
1t leads 20 the belief that hundreds. perhaps
thousands, are still buried in the mud and
debris. burned in the awful furnace at the
stone bridge or lodged further down than the
! searchers have yet gone. That many are buried
yet is also indicated by fresh find every few
hours. Though no thorough search in the
| mud and debris has yet been made, the belief
that many are there buried is strengthened by
! the unmistakable Odor that rises from the acres
OF fire on the river bank.
I The work of getting the bodies together for
/ easy identification began this afternoon. The
| central point was MorreIlville. On Fairfield
ave. is a large vacant lot belonging to Frank
| Lechy. At o'clock this was almost entirely
! covered with collins, while between them and
! STOPPING over them were weeping men and
women. Although the number was short oil
one hundred at o'clock. others will come in
and there is no telling what the total will be
In one rough box was a piece OF paper with
the words Three children" Tonight they
were lifted out and all three placed in one cot
fin. The little bodies were almost naked and
the purple faces bruised and cut Many OF
the bodies had not been identified. Among
those who had are the following;