The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-06-05
RUIN AND pEsoLArIoN NOW REIGN.
Not One stick of Timber Nor One Brick On
Ton Of Another a Lnft.

Top of Another 10 Left.
JoHNsTowN, Pa, June 2-When Supt. Pit
eairn telegraphed to Pittsburg Friday night
that Johnstown was annihilated he came very
close 10 the facts of the case, although he had
not seen the Inflated city.
To say that Johnstown is q wreck is but
stating the facts OF the case. Nothing like
Il has ever been seen in this country.
Where long rows of dwelling-houses and bust
ness blocks stood forty-eight hours ago, ruin
and desolatiou now reign supreme. Probably
fifteen thousand houses have been swept away
from the face of the earth as completely as if
they had never been erected. Main-st., from
end 10 end is piled fifteen to twenty feet high
with debris, and in some instances it is as high
as the roof of the houses This great of
wreckage fills the street from curb TO curb, and
frequently has crushed the fronts of the build
iugs in and filed the space with reminders of
the terrible calamity.
There is probably not man IN the place who
can give any reliable estimate of the number
of houses that has been swept away. City
Solicitor Kuhn, who should be very good au-
fhority in this matter, places the number at
1900. From the wooden mill above the island
90 the bridge, distance OF probably two miles,
q strip of territory nearly half a mile in width
has been swept clean. Not one stick OF timber
the most complete wreck that imagination
could portray.
All day long men, women and children were
plodding about the desOlate waste, trying in
vain 10 locate the boundaries of their former
homes. Nothing but a wide expanse OF mud,
ornaInented here and there with heaps OF drift
wood remained for their contemplation. II is
perfectly safe to say that every house IN the
city that not located well up on the hill
side was either swept completely away or
wrecked so badly that rebuilding will be abso-
1utely necessary.
The loss is. however, as nothing compared to
The frightful sacrifices Of precious human lives
10 he seen on every hand. During all this SOL
smn Sunday JOhnstown has been drenched
with the tears of stricken mortals and the air
is filed VIII sobs and signs that come
from breaking hearts. There are scenes
enacted here every hour and er-
profoundly. When brave men die IN battle
for country or for principle, their loss can be
reconcled to the stern destinies of life. When
homes are torn asunder IN an instant and the
loved ones hurled from the arms OF loving and
devoted mothers then ia an element OF sadness
connected with the tragedies that touches every
heart.
An utterly wretched woman named Mrs.
Fem stood by a muddy pool OF water, trying
70 find some trace of a once happy home. She
was half crszed with grief, and her eyes were
red and swollen. As the writer stepped 20 her
side she raised her pale and haggard face and
remarked: They are all gone. o God, be
merciful TO them. My husband and my seven
dear little children have been swept
down with the food and | am left alone.
We were driven by the raging flood into the
garrett but the waters followed US there. Inch
bv inch il kept rising until our heads were
crushing against the root. 1t was death to
remain so | raised window and one by one
] placed my darlings on some driftwoOd, trust
ing TO the great Creator. As / liberated the
last one my sweet little boy, he looked at me
and said: Mamma, you always told me
that the Lord would care Tor me; will He
away with his loving face turned toward me,
and, with prayer on my lips for his deliver
ance. he passed from sight forever. The next
moment the roof crashed IN and hoated out
side. to be rescued four or five hours later from
the roof of house in Keansville. If you
only find one of my darlings could bow to the
will Of God. But they are all gone. | have
lost everything on earth now but my life, and
will now return to my old Virginia home and
lay me down for my last great sleep"
A handsome woman, with hair as black as
ravens wing, walked through the depot where
dozen or more bodies were awaiting burial.
Passing from one 10 the other she finally lifted
the paper covering from the face OF woman,
young and with traces of beauty showing
through the stains OF muddy water. With
cry of anguish she reeled backward to be caught
BY a rugged man who CHANGED 10 be passing.
In a moment or so she had Gained herself suf-
of her dead. She stood gazing at the unfortu-
nate a. il dumb. Finally, turning away with
another wild burst of grief, she said: "And her
beautiful hair all matted, and her sweet face
so bruised and stained with mud and water"
The dead woman was the sister of the mourner.
The body was placed in q coffin few minutes
later and sent away to its narrow house.
These incide are but samples of the scenes
familiar 10 every turn in the stricken city. The
less Of life is simply dreadful. The most con-
sentative people declare that the number will
reach $500. The streets have been full of men
carrying bodies 20 various places, where they
swat Identification, since morning and the
work has only Just begun. Every hour or so
the forces of men working on the various heaps
of debris find numbers of bodies buried in the
mud and wreckage. 1t is believed that when
the flames are extinguished in the wreckage at
the bridge and the same is removed that hun
dreds and hundreds of victims will be dscOv
cred. In fact, this seems certain, as dozens OF
bodies have already been found on the out
skirts of the huge mass Of broken timber.
Reports from outside points are also appal-
ling. Up 70 9 o'clock tonight $50 bodies had
been embalmed at Ninevah, and there is re-
port that 200 more have been discovered half
buried IN the mud on an island between New
Florence and Ninevah.
Shocking sights have become so common
that they have lost their terrOrs, and the find
ing Of q body here and there attracts little or
no attention from the great crowds that con-
stantly line the river banks and crowd all other
accessible places.
As this is being written hundreds and hun
dreds of homeless men, women and children
are stopping on the hills and under tents that
we're sent from Pittsburg and other places
about the country.
The Pennsylvania railway has succeeded in
getting track through to the city, and pro-
visions enough 10 meet all immediate wants
have arrived. Adj-Gen. Hastings is in charge
of the police and the various relief corps and
he is doing excellent work for the sufferers.
Those people who were not disabled are
working earnestly for the revival Of the striek-
eD city, but it will take months of work to come
anywhere near repairing the fearful damage,
While il is about certain that the list OF the lost
viii never be made complete. The supply of
cofins sent IN from Pttsburg and other points
is so great that the relief committee telegraphed
last evening not to send any more until or
dered. No funds have yet been received from
Philadelphia. but the authorities are confident
that when telegraphic communication is re-
stored thew will get liberal contributions from
that city. Dozens Of smaller sums have already
been sent IN generous amounts, and the
people are encouraged TO believe that
all their more pressing wants win be
provided for. IL will require sc veral days yet
10 ascertain definite idea as to the loss of life,
but it will certainly reach up into the thou
sands. Every hour brings fresh evidences OF
the fact that the disaster eclipses anything Of
the kind 10 the history of the country, and no
one can say what the final result will be.
slide, series Of frightful losses from side
20 side, run and you had crossed the narrow