Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-12
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
Some Small Incidents of the Days Succeed
Ing the Grent Disaster.

Some Small Incidents of the Days Succeed-
Ing the Great Disaster.
INooNGRUoUs incidents have come to light
in great numbers amid the horrors and fearful
scenes at Johnstown. Their incongrulty- little
bits of curious color against q hideously black
background-seems to justify the telling Of
some of them.
For instance, two days after the food had de-
vastated Johnstown, Mr.. Oliver 8. Richardson.
the Pittsburg attorney, was serving out clay
pipes and tobacco, which some kind hearted
soul had sent out among the relief stores, when
young woman presented herself before him.
The line, of course, had been made up of men
prior to this, and Mr.. Richardson asked the
girl, who was extremely pretty and refined in
appearance. what she wanted with pipe She
blushed and repeated that she wanted pipe.
"Why, you do not smoker" said Mr. Richard
son.
mo, but please give me pipe"
"1f you will tell me what you are going to do
with it, I'll give you one"
The girl hesitated, and then raising her hand
to her bangs, which hung limp over her fore
head, she said, 81 want to curl theseP'
She got the stem of broken pipe and went
away laughing, and yet she had only been
rescued "A hours from the wreck at the bridge,
was almost on the verge of starvation. and
evidently badly in need of clothing.
ONE Of the ladies who are doing the noblest
kind of charitable work in Johnstown spent
Monday at her home, and while there told a
good deal about the Johnstown sufferers that
has present value.
"You would be astonished," she said to me,
ITO see the very bad Judgment and lack of
thought displayed in the selection Of clothing
sent by some to the poor people up at Johns
town, In one package which opened found
the remains of a green silk dress, cut low in
the neck; a ball dress composed principally Of
very dirty lace, cut low with square corsage
and no sleeves to speak of; pair
of worn out tennis shoes and two
silk handkerchiefs so full of holes
that it would require great dexterity to put
them to their proper USE These things were
literally useless; yet they were evidently sent
by wealthy,woman. But they were not alone
There was very great deal of fimsy finery in
the mass Of stuff sent. There is need still of
sensible gifts of clothing. Underwear of any
kind for women is particularly desirable"
This was on Monday, and it is presumable
that great deal of useful clothing has been
sent by the churches and individuals. Still it
is better to send too much clothing than too
little.
#x&
THE number of sightseers or illegitimate
visitors who were turned back from Johnstown
must have been enormous, until the report that
such persons would be set to work on the
ruins upon arrival became noised abroad.
A Pennsylvania Railroad official told me that
one day last week in the train which took him
to Johnsrown we're a curious looking couple.
The man had a large Photographic camera,
while with him was young woman carrying
banjo. They were both sent back TO Pittsburg
Of course. What the woman intended dong
with the banjo amid the ruins and graves at
Johnstown cannot even hazard guess.
49,
THE sanguine persons who are reckoning on
the Pennsylvania Railroad to be open for
through traffic In week or so should have
heard gentleman relating to me conversa-
tion he had had with one of the highest execu-
tive officers of that road, who had come through
from Philadelphia on handcars, locomotives.
ferry boats and wagons over what was the
grandest railroad track in America.
According to this authority there are five
bridges broken down by the floods in the
Juniata and Susquehanna Valleys between
Harrisburg and Altoona. The damage done to
the roadbed about Johnstown has been more
than paralleled at dozen other points along
the middle division, and in some places miles
of track will have to be rebuilt One thing is
pleasant to think of; the triumphant piece of
railroad engineering known as the Horseshoe
Bend is not bit the worse for the storms.