Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-06-10
LANCASTER, PA, June 10, 1889.
The State In Charge.

We note with satisfaction that sense
seems 10 have seized the heads at Johns
town, and that the state proposes to take
charge of the administration and to as
sume the cost of clearing the valley of
its incumbrance. We do not know that
truth will permit us TO flatter our gov
ernor that il was his head that evolved
this transformation, hut il certainly ap-
peared at Johnstown with his head.
1t probably came about from
realization that matters were not pro-
crossing very rapidly. Vice Presi-
dent Frank Thomson got 90 the scene
with the governor, and he wanted way
for his railroad. II was noted that the
Pittsburg contractors who were hauling
away at the debris, were not getting
ahead very well and that Dictator
Scott was not securing wonderful
results from his overfiowing power.
There seems to have been some one to
suggest, just at this time, that IL would
be we'll to try going ahead in an orderly
way, with some recollection that we
have a government over us, and some
idea that engineering work should have
engineers directing the contractors. To
that date there did not appear to
have been state officer, but
the adjutant general, on deck; aud
no engineer had been seen until the
United States engineers put down their
pontoon trains. And doubtless IL was
the observation Of the dispatch with
which they did their work that sug-
gested the propriety of getting somebody,
educated to the business, to take hold Of
its engineering feats. The amiable and
energetic Pittsburg gentleman had be-
come satisfied that engergy without
knowledge accomplished little when it
takes job out Of its line. Captain
Jones, the worlds wonder as a mill
manager, found himself of little account
!. in restoring f'ood-torn valley and Mr..
Flynn, great and good rs he is at Re.
publican primaries and street grading,
retires i'm despair from the Johnstown
debris; and the great Scott is in a bigger
than he was to put it on.
And the governor takes charge through
a commission, on which he will have
the adjutant general, and which will
employ first rate engineers, and let them
60 ahead with free supply Of every
thing they want. The governors con
clusion that it is the state duty to clean
to think, is sound IL there was high.
way through il there would he no
doubt about il ; and there are highways
on the Johnstown section. We do not
place much stress upon the idea tina,
there is any possible contagion of tn.
water to be avoided, il now being under
stood that there is too little decaying
matter left in the valley waters To scri
: Ously trouble them. But the state
should come to the relief of its highways
ats cities, and open and raise them
he marked feature about this WORK
lch the state now assumes, II that il
largely for the benefit of the Pennsyl
wanna railroad, by whose act this cN
pense to the state is incurred. II may not
have wrongfully built the stone bridge
that has piled up all this great mass oi
wreckage behind il which it is
to cost us SO much to remove but
il is quite probable that il did.
The bridge replaced, we believe,
an iron one that would not have proved
an obstruction in the path of the food
The company exercises the power to ele.
vate or depress its road bed and il.
bridges without asking leave of anyone
as i'm building its stone bridge over tho
Conestoga here, and running its cut of
thence To DiIlerville over highways and
turnpikes at its own sweet pleasure
Doubtless II was so done at the Johns
town bridge, and if the matter come.
under legal scrutiny it may appear that
II is responsible for the damage done, be
cause Of the nuisance of that bridge.
But it is right for the state TO 20 ahead
clean up the valley and inquire after,
ward whether the bill can he collected
from anyone else. If the South Fork
charter enables the South Fork stock
holders to he reached individually, there
is plenty of money in the party To pay
the whole bill. Certainly there should
he punishment visited somcw here foI
the great stupidity, if it was nothinl
worse, that stands at the base of thi'
gigantic calamity. There never was
greater disaster from smaller cause.