Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-14
GEN. HASTINGS PLEASED.
He and Col. Douglass Satisfied With
Their First Days Work.


CLEAR AWAY THE DEBRIS A PROTEST FROM ruE
woMEN's SANITARY coMxrrrfK-A fiaHr BE-
TWEEN pocfoRs-BusISKss HOUSES AT WORK.
General Hastings and Colonel Douglass were
both immensely pleased at the end of yesterday
when they received the reports from the ensi-
neers in the several districts Colonel Doug
lass said that the progress made through the
day had been very satisfactory. Il have been
over the entire town several times to-day"
said he. while we have not as many men at
work as We need, We have more than we ex-
pected. The progress that has been made has
pleased me greatly. Take the raft. for instance.
We have those hosting machines in there and
in one day we have made more progress than
during the whole time since the food. feel
sure that We can cut the channel through the
raft thirty feet wide by Saturday if the plan to
burn it with petroleum is not carried out
would be in favor Of burning the raft. but we
would oppose the firing Of any portion of the
town. That will not be necessary and II would
be dangerous expedient. Is it might spread
and get beyond our control. We have been
using dynamite very extensively to loosen up
The intention last night was to solve the raft
problem with petroleum and the torch. Yes
terday> for the third time, the drift was fired.
aud 1t is still burning fiercely but if it is not
DESTROYED fifty barrels of coal oil will be
emptied on to-day and the whole mass will go
up IN big bonfire. The point will be made
that the objections of the relatives who have
friends buried in the drift can no longer stand
IN the way Of public health.
PROTEST FROM A SANITARY COMMITTEE.
The women's sanitary committee will make
protest to the state board Of health against the
pernicious practice Of many of the Johnstown
women of digging old carpets out Of the mud
along the banks of the Conemaugh river and
stony creek and washing them for use. The
physicians say that the excavating of these ar
ticles is conducive 10 typhoid fever. and If not
immediately stopped will spread that disease
throughout the town. Scores OF women have
been prodding the muddy banks of the streams
all day, and the sight is as novel as it is dis
agreeable. II has already resulted in a uum-
Der OF severe cases Of sore throat, which are
likely at any moment to turn to pneumonia.
DisEAsE-BREEDINa MUD.
The mud on the streets is also beginning to
breed disease. 1t now lies several inches deep
and is foul. black mass OF puddle. strongly
suggestive in its stencil Of filthy pig-pen. and
far more powerful than the disinfectants with
which it is literally mixed The work of clean
ing the houses in Grubtown, kernvile and
YOUNGSTOWN goes on slowly and the inhabi-
tants OF those places are badly in need of house
hold goods. The roofs of the houses are pic
turesque with drying carpets and bed-elothes.
while all kinds of broken and muddy furniture
htters the lower floors and yards. The heavy
morning rains have heretofore greatly inter-
fered with work but the bright sun yesterday
did much to dry up the debris.
BUSINESS STARTING ANEW.
A number Of stores, with their wares inside.
We're started in business anew yesterday, and
large sales of flooded goods were effected The
goods were bought chiefly as relics. The peo-
pie are making heroic efforts to clean out their
houses to fit them for habitation. Numbers
have combined to reset houses on their founda-
tions and to remove the accumulation of dirt
and rubbish which bar the entrance to their
doors. The sewer pipes are all awry, and the
cellars are all full of water
There is need for engines to pump out the
water as soon as possible. Syphoning has been
tried, but with no success, as the cellars are
much lower than the ground.
The Cambria company started out a corps of
surveyors yesterday afternoon to locate lines of
demarkation for the rebuilding and repair of
their demolished plant.
FIGHT BETWEEN DOCTORS
There is a fight between Doctor Matthews. of
the state board of health, and Kate A. Bush
NELL NJ. D., of Illinois, who is at Johnstown.
Miss Bushnell claims that she has been APP
pointed to supervise the sanitation of homes
by the state board of health, and this DIR.
Matthews denies
Miss Bushnell issued a circular to the women
of Johnstown requesting them to meet at head
quarters OF the Chlldrens aid society at the
corner OF Main and Jackson streets at 10 80 a.
m, yesterday, to devise means for putting the
homes Of Johnstown in good sanitary condition
In note at the bottom of the circular she stated
that the work would be done by friends from a
distance in cooperation with the state board
of health.
When DIR. Matthews saw the circular he was
considerably agitated. and stated that Miss
Bushnell had no authority to call such a meet
ing.
The meeting was held at the headquarters of
the Western Pennsylvania aid society Dr.
Kate c. Bushnell and her corps Of workers were
present, with about twenty-five resident women
of Johnstown. DIR. Bushnell detailed one
woman OF her corps and about three of the resi-
dents to each district of their own selection,
and the resident women will report to the
corps The condition Of their district A call
will then be made for women with brushes and
water to render the now standing houses fit for
habitation.
GOV. BEAVERS PLAN ADOPTED.
A conference took place yesterday afternoon
at the Lafayette hotel, Philadelphia. between
Gov. Beaver and the following-named gentle
men, members of the citizens relief committee
of Philadelphia, who had been selected TO meet
the governor: Mayor Edwin II. Filter. chair
man. Thomas Dolan, Robert c. Ogden, John
Y. Huber and Francis b. Reeves The for
mutation of plan for the concentration
and distribution Of the various funds now
being collected for the benefit of the suf-
erers by the recent floods had been left to
Gov. Beaver, and he laid before the meeting
q letter addressed TO Mayor Filter containing
his opinion as to how the money should be
used.
In this letter the governor said: "After care
full consideration and consultation 1 have APP
pointed as a commission to aid me in this work
the following gentlemen: Edwin II. Filter,
Thomas Dolan. Robert C. Ogden, John Y. HUI
Der and Francis b. Reeves. Philadelphia: Jas.
b. Scott. Reuben Miller, S. s. Marvin, Pitts
burg; John Fulton. Johnstown, and III. J. Cum
mems. Williamsport. 1 respectfully suggest
that these gentlemen should visit the stricken
districts at once and SO determine the direc-
tions in which the funds entrusted 10 them
should go beyond the supply of food, clothing,
bedding. &c, which is regularly and systemat-
caily going on"
The governors plan, as set forth in the
above communication, was then discussed and
unanimously adopted. and it was decided that
the Philadelphia members of the commission
would be ready to start on the tour next Mon
day.
Gov. Beaver announced that lie had aban-
dOned the idea of using Il 900 600 out of the