Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-03
In A FLOOD OF TEARS
Weeping and wailing in Water
swept Johnstown.
MOTHERS DUMB WITH SORROW.
Fathers Cropping Heart-broken
Amid the Ruins.
LITTLE CHILDREN AWE-STRUCK.
Rich and Poor Sleeping in Tents on
the Hillside.
PLUNDERING THE DEAD BODIES.
Hcartless Hungarians Quarrel Like
Wild Beasts Over the Spoiis-ln-
dignant Citizens Kill Several
of the Ghouls.
LUNDERING THE DEAD BODIES
Digging Trenches For the Dead.

Digging Trenches For the Dead.
JoHNsTowN, Pa, June 2.-Men were ut
work in the lower Yoder Catholic cemetery
and the Grand View Protestant cemetery,
this afternoon, digging trenches. The
bodies that were exposed when the waters
begun falling are in bad condition. Some
have already been inferred. In the haste
and excitement no definite arrangements
seem to have been made for the funeral SER
vices The only suggestion that could be
obtained at Morrellville was that all the
bodies would be buried and general memo.
rial services held after the present suffering
is alleviated.
CONDUCTORS STORY.
In a talk, to-day, Conductor Bell, of the
first section of the day express, laid up at
Conemaugh on the night of the disaster,
said: "The first and second sections stopped
side by side at Conemaugh, Friday after
noon, on account of the washout at Lillys
The second section was next to the hill,
the first on the outside. Suddenly |
saw what looked like wall of
water. 1t was thirty feet high. We barely
had time to notify the passengers, and they
nearly all fed up the hillside. One old man
who with his son returned, for some reason,
was drowned Two cars went down in the
current. l do not know how many were
drowned. We saw two persons on top of the
cars. The water set fire to a lot of lime and
the fire caught two Pullman cars, which
were destroyed, but no person was burned,
all the passengers having left the train be-
fore the cars took fire. There were about
one hundred persons on my section, which
was made up of day coaches The passengers
went back to the cars, and later were cared
for by the people of Conemaugh. Afterward
they were taken to Ebensburg. They ex-
pected to go east to Altoona. this afternoon.
The friends of those in the Chicago limited
need feel no anxiety, as it was not in the
flood at al.n
THE SITUATION UNCHANGED.
The situation here has not changed, and
yesterdays estimates of the loss of life do
not seem to be exaggerated. Six hundred
bodies are now lying in Johnstown, and u
large namber have already been buried
Four immense relief trains arrived last
night, and the survivors are being well cared
for.
A portion of the police force of Pittsburg
and Allegheny are on duty and better order
is maintained than prevailed yesterday.
Communication will be restored between
Cambria City ana Johnstown by foot bridge
HV "oih VI VIC biaSho DCVWCcl
Sang Hollow and lohnstown is going on rap
idly and trains will probably be running by
tomorrow morning Not less than 10, 900
strangers are here.
The handsome brick high school building
Is damaged to such an extent that it will have
10 be rebuilt. The waters attained the
height of the windows of the second floor.
It's upper stories formed refuge for many
persons All Saturday afternoon two little
girls could be seen at the windows franti-
cally calling for aid They had spent all
night aud day in the building, cut off from
all aid, without food or drinking water.
Their condition was ptiablc. Late in the
evening the children were removed to higher
ground and properly cared for A number
of persons had been taken from this building
earlier in the day, but in the excitement the
children were forgotten.
Now that the waters have receded there is
great danger from falling walls. All day
long the crashing of walls could be heard
across the river.
Library hall was another OF the fine
buildings of many IN the city that is de-.
stroyed. OF the Episcopal church not YES.
Jige remains. The parsonage is swept away,
and the rector Of the church, Rev. Dillon,
was drowned.
NJ WI dH dbtOrIey, spent une
night in Alta hall, ana relates a thrilling
story. One of the most curious occurrences
of the whole disaster was how Walters got Ia
the hall. He has his office on the second
floor. His home is at 1875 Walnut street He
says he was in the house with
his family when the waters struck
it. All was carried away Walters
family drifted on the roof in another
direction. He passed down several streets
and alleys until he come to the hall His
dwelling struck that edifcc, and he was
thrown into his own Office About two hun
dred persons had taken refuge in the hall
pnd were on the second. third and fourth
stories. The men held Il meeting and drew
up some rules which ali were bound to re-
spect, Walters was chosen president, Rev
Bcale was put in charge of the first floor, A.
Nj. Hart of the second, and DR.. Matthews OF
the fourth floor, No lights were allowed, and
the whole night was spent in dark
ness. The scenes were most agonia-
ing. Heartrendng shrieks and sob:
and means pierced the gloomy darkness
ahe crying of children, mingled with
the suppressed sobs of the women No one
slept during ali the dark night. Many knelt
for hours in prayer, their supplicaton.
minglng with the roar OF the waters and
shitehs VI tne uyHlS III the surrounding
houses. In ali This misery two women gave
premature birth 10 children.
HEROIC DOCTOR.
DIR. Mathews is the hero His ribs were
crushed By falling timber, and his pains
were most severe, yet through IT al he at
tended the sick Wien the two women IL
the house across the street shouted for help
he, with two other brave young men, climbed
across the drift and mnisteral to theil
wants. No ono died during the night, bur
the women and children surrendered theii
lives on the succeeding day from terror
and fatigue. Miss Rose Young, on,
OF the young ladies' in the hall
was frshtfully cut and bruised
Mrs. Young had q lsg broken. 4 loar o