Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-08
THREE THREATENING DANGERS.
Diphtheria, Typhoid Fever and In
sanity Epidemics Feared.
CLEANING UP THE STREETS,
Thirty Thousand People to be Fed by
the Outside World.
THE ACTUAL SITUATION OF THE uNFoRruNArRs
IN THE coNEMAUoH VALLEY - YESTERDAY
AMONG THE DEAp-THK DAM ooNpEMNED-A
BRIaHrER FUTURE PREDICTED FoR yoHNsrowN.

Three dangers seem to threaten the I'M
happy survivors Of the food in the Conemaugh
valley-diphtheria, typhoid fever, and in
sanity. The typhoid fever epidemic has begun
to spread, and not q few diphtheria cases are
now being treated. The doctors in all the hos
pitfalls have their hands full of work. and the
Red Cross society, under the direction Of Miss
Clara Barton and DR.. j. W. O'Neil, has estab-
lished branch across Stony creek opposite
their headquarters, and already Dr. Byrne
DIR. Hollingsworth and Nurse Evans have
about . dozen cases Of diphtheria on their
hands. Undertaken Russell, who has charge of
the school-house morgue, says that the worst
is yet to come. The bodies which are now
being taken in have been decomposing since
last Saturday morning, and are in many cases
beyond recognition. The morgues present a
fearful spectacle of decsyed and bloated
bodies, and some of the handlers have been
poisoned, but still the anxious searchers linger
over the dangerous corpses in the hope of
identifying some dead relative or friend. The
stencil Is fearful and is being distributed all
through the town.
INSANITY HAS PRoKEN OUT.
Three cases Of insanity were developed yes
terday, and an expert on insanity says it is the
beginning of an outbreak of a disease that will
three cases are now under treatment. but the
victims stand poor chance of being cured
One OF the patients, a woman, has been
taken to Pittsburg for treatment by Dr. Alice
Bennett. Before starting DR.. Bennett said:
The three cases OF insanity that have been
called to our attention here are only the begin
ming of probably score of them that will turn
up within the next week. disaster of this
kind Is something unusual, and will leave be-
hind it a number of victims that would be bet
had L.
be dozens of minds that will be DESTROYED bv
the shock. People are just beginning to real
| lie the enormity of the accident and the reac-
ton has set in. A thing of this kind must GER
taniy e followed by an after-clap that destroys
the minds of those who have passed through
sensational and narrowing scenes Particu-
larry is this the case with people who are of a
highly nervous temperament. They brood over
their troubles, and the result of it is that their
minds give way. Whether they are durable or
OF could not say"
PROTECTING THE MILITIA.
1t was decided yesterday to guard against an
epidemic amongst the soldiers and the volun-
teer workman who are engaged in cleaning
the streets by taking prompt action Drs
Taylor, of Centre; Maxwell, of Chester. and
Kelly, OF Pittsburg, were appointed a COM
mittee to establish camp On hygiere and sani-
tary principles for the soldiers and laborers.
IL Will be on the most approved plan. DIR. A. f.
will furnish the men and carts. In order to
supply with provisions the militia and soldiers
it requires fifteen barrels of coffee two barrels
OF hams, three cases Of bread. four barrels OF
beans, three barrels of tomatoes and three
cases Of condensed milk.
CLEANING UP THE STREETS
| The work accomplished by the street clean.
ers is not short of marvellous. Many of the
principal streets are now passable, and ar
| tv nf dol rio
| out and burned. The storekeepers have gotten
| out large portion of their goods. but most OF
| it is ruined beyond all hopes Of redemption
| and will be destroyed. OF the eight jewellers
who were here and prosperous week age
| three are dead and their stock, aggregatinp
over S75, 900, scattered everywhere
But few articles of real value are reported a.
| being recovered, and it is not unlikely thai
more than ono workman will in the futur,
! sport gold watch and chain as a memento O.
| the Johnstown flood. Money in large and small
amounts is known to have been picked up. bu
| its lawful owners are seldom notified of its re
| covery. Of the 1000 laborers at work some
thing over 5000 are on the pay-rolls of the loca
bureau. and they will be paid partly or in full
| to-day. The other men are either volunteer,
| or they are being carried on the rolls of the
| various corporations and committees which
sent them here.
| THIRTY THOUSAND TO BE FED.
| special to the Philadelphia Press saws
| There are over 10000 people here who must be
| fed from the outside world. OF these IS OO(
arc natives OF the town that week ago had
| q, 500 inhabitants; all the others are dead OF
| have gone away. Over 1000 people are here
| engaged in cleaning the streets. burning the
dead, attending the sick, and feeding and
| sheltering the homeless; all these people have
to be fed at least three times a day. for davs
are very long i'll Johnstown just now They
begin at o'clock in the morning. two
hours before the whistles in the half-mired
Cambria iron company's building blow
and end just about the time the
sun is going down. If the people who are on
| the outside and who are engaged in the labor
of love of sending food that is keeping strength
| in JohnstOwns tired arms and the clothing that
Is covering her nakedness could understand
the situation as it is they would redouble theiI
| efforts. Johnstown cannot draw on the coun.
| try Immediately around about her for that was
| drained days ago. To be safe there should be
weeks supply of food ahead. At no time ha.
there been days supply or anything like it.
| WOMEN TOO PROUD TO BEG.
The Grand Army men have appointed com
| mlttee of women to assist in their work. The
women go from house to house ascertainine
| the number of people quartered there tn.
number of people lost from there in the flood
and the exact needs of the people. 1t was
| found necessary to have some such committee
| as this for there were women actually starving
who were too proud to take their places il
| lines with the other women with bag and bas
kets. Some of these people were rich befor;
| the flood. Now they are not worth a dollar
One man who was reported to be worth 500 OOt
| before the food Is now penniless and has Il
take his place in the line along with other.
| seeking the necessaries of life.
There is now no fear of food famine il
Johnstown. though of course everybody will
have to rough it for weeks. What is needed
most in this line is cooking utensils. Johns
| town people want stoves. kettles pans, knives
and forks. All the things that have been sen
SO far have been sent with the evident idea o
supplying an instant need. and that is RICH
and proper. But it would be well now it, in
stead o. some of the provisions that are
sent, cooking utensils should arrive
Fifty stoves arrived from Pittsbure
this morning. and it is said more are coming
At both the depots where the supplies are re
ceived and stored big rope line incloses then
in an impromptu yard, so as to give room t,
those having the supplies in charge to wall
around and see what they have got. On tn
inside of this line, too, stalk back and fortl
the soldiers, with their rifles on their shoulders
and by the side of the lines pressing agains
the ropes there stands every day from day
light until dawn a crowd of women with BIZ
baskets, who make piteous appeals to the sol
diers to give them food for their children a
once before the order Of the relief committee