Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-05

tute in Johnstown proper this morning by
their outrageous conduct Some men em-
ployed by J. s. Chetten, local contractor,
were put 10 work at rescuing bodies shortly
after daylight. Two Of the home soldiers were
patrollng the place. and when they saw the
men at work they told them they would have
to stop operations Immediately. This they
fused to do. saying they had been
employed by the citizens committee 10
do the work. The soldiers gave
them one minute to get away from the place.
As they were in no hurry to obey the guards
fired two shots but did not succeed in hitting
the workmen, who STARVED on a run for General
Hastings headquarters. No one was there at
the time, but the matter was reported to the
general, and he stated that the shooters would
be courtmartialled Immediately il caught.
AN ESTIMATE OF THE LOST.
Conservative men are OF the opinion that the
number of people destroyed will reach from
II, 600 to $4,000. This view of it is based on
many fragments of evidence obtained from
over 100 citizens being careful to select as in
telligent men and women could be found.
They were chosen from many occupations
as possible, and from as many social
classes They were asked TO estimate the
percentage of loss to the total population: to
tell how many people of their acquaintance
have disappeared; how the gatherings of resi-
dents on the streets and in public places COM
pare with the same IN former times Their
eItttHltuls Ol lect anu estimates were proved as
lar as could be- and the pendulum of calcula-
ton seems to be beating time when they swing
from twelve thousand to fifteen thousand.
THE LARGE NUMBER OF CHILDREN LOST.
1t must be remembered that very large pro-
portion of this loss is made up of children.
How strikingly frequent is the reference in the
death list to Mrs. Jones and six children"
Mrs. Smith and five children" In the morgue
the little ones lie in dozens where the adults
IOZeps- hnt fhara is md haS h.a
much greater difficulty in recovering the
bodies of the children. Being lighter
and smaller they have often been swept
into out-of-the-way recesses, that are
almost inaccessible, and are more easily
carried away. very great proportion of the
children have been swept down the river and
their bodies driven in under overhanging
banks, under thickets and i'll other places
where there Is only sparse population and
where the search Is not carried on in a careful
and organized manner.
AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THIS.
just above New Florence some fragments of
clothing were in full view of the path on the
river bank. Hundreds of people passed the
place for three DAYS looking for bodies but
thought 1t was only shreds OF worthless cloth
they were looking at. Finally, somebody poked
at the rags with stick and swirl il the cur
rent brought two-year-old babe to the surface
The drift OF opinion among intelligent men.
physicians, engineers and railroad men is that
from 900 to 800 OF the bodies will never be
found.
At IL o'clock this morning Adjt-Gen. Hast
ings sent the following Telegram to Gov.
Beaver:
Cor. Bedoa', HARRISBURG:
Fully three thousand men are at work clear
ing on debris; bodies are now being rescued in
large numbers The citizens committee is or
ganized and the working is systematized A
detachment OF twenty of the fourteenth regi-
LII Loot 81
supply trains. Provisions are pouring in,
and 1t is difficult to take care OF them. There
Is no suffering from want of food or shelter
Contributions of money are more desirable
than anything else.
(Signed ID. III. HASTINGS,
Adjutant-General.
THE FIRST BODY TAKEN FROM THE RUINS
to-day was that of boy named Davis, who was
found in the debris near the bridge. He was
badly bruised and burned The remains were
taken to the undertaking rooms at the Penn
sylvania railroad station, where they were
identified as that of Willie Davis. The bov S
mother has been making tour of the different
morgues for the past few days. and WAS Just
going through the undertaking rooms when
she saw the rel tains of her boy being brought
in. She ran up and demanded Der child She
seemed to have lost her mind and caused
quite scene by her actions. She
stated that she had lost her husband
and six children in the food and that this was
the first one of the family that had been re-
covered.
The bodies of little girl named Bracken,
and Theresa and Katie Downs, OF Clinton
street, were taken out near where the remains
of Willie Davis were found
The state officers of the ROYAL Arcanum have
called a meeting for this afternoon at Prospect
Hill. They will provide for the families of the
victims of the flood who are members of the
order.