St. Paul daily globe., 1889-06-03
KEEP THE CROWD AWAY.
A Request That the Morbidiy
Curious Remain AWAY,

A Request That the Morbidiy
Curious Remain Away.
JOHNsTowN. Pa. June "A promi-
nent member of the Johnstown safety
committee said to Post reporter this
evening:
s'For Gods sake tell them at Pitts
burg to stop the rush of sight-seers to
this stricken locality. There is enough
here to last for weeks. and the morbid
curiosity of those people can just as
well be gratitied later as now. The
crowds of curious have greatly embar-
rassed us to-day. The authorities must
stop it,
Gen. Hastings headquarters are at
the Pennsylvania railroad depot. A
supply depot has been established at
this point, and many needy people are
being relieved. Bodies that are dug
out of the flat lie in the station until
coffin can be obtained. They are buried
unidentified on Prospect hill. James
Mcmillan, vice president of the Cambria
Iron works, was met this afternoon. He
is completely unnerved by the terrible
disaster. In conversation he said:
II do not know what our loss is. I
cannot even estimate, as l have not the
faintest idea what it may be. The upper
mill is total Wreck-damaged beyond
all repairs. The lower mill is damaged
to such an extent that all the machinery
and buildings are useless. The mills
will be rebuilt Immediately. I have
sent out orders that all men that can
must report at the mill tomorrow to
commence cleaning up. do not think
that the building is insured against
flood. The great thing we want is to
rQf 10
Estimates of the losses of tine Cambria
Iron company give them from s2,OOO,-
600 to S2,5OO,0O0. But little of this can
be recovered. A slide, series of
frightful tosses from side to side, run.
and you had crossed the narrow rope
bridge which
SPAWNED THE CHASM
dug by the waters between the stone
bridge and JOhnstOwn. Crossing the
bridge was an exciting task. Yet many
women accomplish it rather than
remain in Johnstown. The bridge
pitched like ship in storm. Within
two inches of your feet rushed the mud
dy waters of the Conemaugh. There
were no ropes to easily guide, and
creeping was more convenient than
walking. One had to cross the Cone
maugh at a second point in order to
1C0Cit tOOluSlOW1l PlOpCIs HIS was d.
complished by skiff ferry. The ferry
man clung to rope and pulled the load
over. After landing, one walks across
a desolate sea of mud, in which there
is inferred the remains of many
human bodies. 1t was once
the handsomest portion of the
town. The cellars are filled with mud
so that person who has never seen the
city can hardly imagine that houses
ever stood where they did. Four streets
sOlidly built up with houses have been
swept away. Nothing but small two
story frame house remains. 1t was near
the edge of the wave, and the house es-
capped. One side was taken up and it
hangs to one side, making a picture of
misery. The walk up to the wrecks of
houses was interrupted in many places
by small branch streams. Occasionally
across the fats could be seen the re-
mains of victim. The stencil from the
mud is sickening to an extreme degree.
Along the route were strewn utensils,
pieces of machinery, iron pipes, and
every conceivable kind of stores. In
the midst Of the wreck clothing dunn
my with hand in position of beckoning
to person stands erect and uninjured.
The artist had succeeded in outlining a
distorted grin, but it now had smile OF
fendiSh mOckery.