The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-06-06
HORRORS REVEALED.
New Features OF tho Disaster
Brought t. Ligh: BY Workers.
NO ONE TO IDENTIFY THEM.
Eho Wholesale Destruction OF Families
Leaves No One to Tell w ho Many ladies
Were-Isev. Dr. Chapman Tells
His Thrilling Expszlsacs.

This has been day Of work, as the tw
preceding ones have oeen. Early thi
morning large parties of rescuers covered
che Conemaugh in skiffs that had been sem
from Pittsburgh. and were under the charg.
OF Capt. l.. n, CLARK, sho has been one o
the most faithful workers on the scene
Parties IN search of friends crossed early, anG
there WAS a continuation of the pItiful scene.
that have transpired xi1cc the beginning o:
the deluge
large corps of dostors Is on hand and
Che nutilated limbs are Strengthened, the
wounds about the head and face dressed ND
TO make the features recognizable. The
bodies are then carried to one of the school
rooms, which has been stripped of its furnI-
ture. and laid out decently in rows upon
trestles. Everything in this room is clean
and orderly, and parties of twelve at Il time
are allowed TO enter and eyamine tho corpses,
some of which are identified, but for tho
most part the signi6can: card 'Unknown"
lies upon their breasts. As the room fills up
the bodies are removed to one across the hall,
and carried to the burying- grounds,
the larger number being inferred at Morrell-
vile Cemetery. It is sad and significant
fact that the larger number of the bodies arc
unidentified. This shows that whole fam
lilies have been wiped out of existence-not
-.
AN INDEscRIDABLh ScNENE.
Many attempts will be made to describe
che wreck OF the central portion of the
city, but none will ever describe the
remains. For squares and squares fifty and
sixty-feet streets are filled as high as the Sec
end and third stories OF the houses with the
ruins Of shattered buildings driven
down the thoroughtares with fright
full force. Underneath !his are known
to be bodies of men, women and
aseores of carcasses Of animals The First
Methodist Church stands ON Franklin street
opposite to what was beautiful park. The
torrent coming down the valley split on this
church and divided its fury ou each side.
The structure fortunately withstood the shock
being large stone affair erected at o cost of
$75, 900. Its position saved the parsonage
Immediately below, in which were Rev Dir.
Chapman. the pastor, his wife, Mrs. Brin-
ker aud young man named Parker from
Connecticut.
DIR. cHArMANs's EXPERIENCE.
DR.. Chapman was seen to-day by your
correspondent Rs he was working about mis-
house cleaning portion of the mud out of
she rooms He gave vivid description of
his experience last Friday afternoon and
night. He said: ''The water had been ris-
ing all day and Mrs. Brinker who lived oppo-
site TO US came over and said she feared a
dood was coming. I tried to dispel her
PRESSED the old fear that the South Fork
reservoir would be caught. I could not
think such q catastrophe would happen,
and told her it had stood SO manv
years it would not break now.
With Mr.. Parker I started out through |
che city and found the water gaining |
IN such frightful rate that we sought |
safety at home. Reaching tho parlor saw |
che water coming into the yard and rising |
very rapidly until it reached the door step |
We then concluded to tear up the carpets
and began the work when all at once there
was roar and looking out saw o box
car coming pushing down the street with
tho speed of lightning express. On the
car was man. As he reached our house he
made ready to jump and with a wild spring
ae landed in tree in the yard. He
then swung from the tree onto tho porch
roof and climbed in window then
knew what was the matter and cried out that
the reservoir had broken and urged the
people to rush to the attic. We reached it in
lafety and then began such horrid sights as
I hope never again to witness. The grind
ng, crashing sounds on all sides was dcafen-
ng as the buildings were swept past in full
light with men, women and children
N the roofs and clinging to parts |
t the wreckage. The dreadful havoc
lid not continue for more than halt an
lour and the first thought as we looked
leEn that broad waste in front of US was.
They are all gone. No one can survive thai
,wful ride. am glad to know to-day that
many of my congregation were rescued. I
ave sent my family away and hardly know
nhat to do except stay here and render what
ssistance can to the poor people"
GETTING TO RIGHTS.
This was the experience of many in that
ortion of tine town.
7Hou. John M. Rose was seen to-day at mis-
ome on Stony Greek street scrubbing out
be rooms and trying to make them inhabit-
ble. His brother, Harry Rose, District
Attorney of Cambria county, had gone
own with the food his body having been
covered yesterday. Looking out over the
Freck and then up at his home, he said: "I
m rich; our home is still here and we are.
ninjured. This is terrible wreck, the
vent of thousand years. but Johnstown
rill rise again"
Up at the headquarters of the Citizens
Committee where Chairman Moxham had
lis Office things were moving along i'll excel
enr shape. As your correspondent arrived
here Postmaster John Larkin. of Pitts
'urgh, had Just come in with 5000
ash. the first contribution to reach
he place City Solicitor William
on on seeing this portly angel
4 money cried: God bless old Pittsburgh,
Tohnstown will never forget her llbera.ity." J
chairman Moxham was busy with rough
raft of the portion of the city yet standing
onsulting with his assistants as to tho Lest
noda of policing the place