Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-06-14
NEWS SUMMARY.
NOW THE PLAGUE.
THE PESTilENC5 HANGS OVER
CONEMEUGH VALLEY.
Wholesale AfFlction in the Valley
Threatened.
The Number of Dead.

devastating hood in the Concmaugh valley.
During the intervening time from 5000 to
lO,CJO men have been IL work clearing and
burning up the debris. Just how long il
will take TO clear away the vast amount of
timber and stun that has accumulated is
problem tina no one can solve There are
fully five acres of drift piled up at the bot
tom of the river around the stone bridge.
A force of 10000 men have been at work
day and night clearing away the debris.
and at present have succeeded in doing
great work, but almost nothing as com
pared with the work yet to be accomplish
ed before anything like order can be re-
stored.
The Pittsburg Times of the 10th inst.
presents the first accurate list of the identi
fled dead OF the johns town valey-Or those
virtually known 10 be dead-published.
This list was preplr by "A careful com
parsOn with the roster of the living, as
compared by the bureau of registration.
BY this IL is learned that fully fifty
persons heretofore accounted as dead are
really alive.
The number of the discovered dead is
constantly increasing, but the estimate OF
$500, as pub is the highest pos siblc
limit according TO all reports, and the de-
creaslng death list OF Johnstown proper
may possibly reduce the total 20 nearer
5000. The number of bodies unidentified
10 date is '4i, and there are hundreds of
vic inns yet whose bod es will never be re
half columns, double, that is, two or more
names TO the line.
The hot weather and humid atmosphere
threatens wholesale affection. Typhoid
fever and pneumonia prevail and physicians
and sanitarians dec are that nothing can
prevent an awful epidemic in the flooded
valley save wholesale cremation, and that
IL Is imperatively necessary that sentiment
must 81 place TO science.
Strong men who so far have held up un
der the 5 rain are beginning 10 be attac led
by all sorts of ailments, and il is no eXag-
geration TO say that there is hardly well
man in the enthe Couemaugh valley. All
have been hit in some manner or other
Cramps, sick hea Iaches and like complaints
are suffered by all, and quiuine and whis
key have become the most precious art!c es
in the world Nearly every body has a box
OF pills, and the way they are being aiken
TO ward of fevers is remarkable. Fear has
seized hold OF all, and the physicians &c.
clare that this fact alone will tend TO in
crease the fast multiplying army Of the
sick.
That the situation is serious none deny,
but how serious very few aside from the
members Of the state and national health
committees appear TO realize. There - not
man, woman or child who is not thor
Oughly worn out. Secondly, the great fall
OF rain, which has continued at intervals all
week, has kept the ground moist and tiled
the air with maleria. The tension TO which
all minds have been subjected has at last
given way, and many OF those who have
for days been literally living on their
nerves, have succumbed and taken to their
beds. Fourthly, the food which all are
compelled TO eat is Of itself enough TO kill
the delicately constituted, and lastly, the
hourly increasing stencil which emanates
from the mass of debris made up of all sorts
of polluted matter lying about IN the rivers
and lowlands has permeated the land for
miles around and made the very air over
towering and almost unbearable.
\ camp of the American national associa-
tion of the rel cross has been established
ana is under the direction of that noble
woman, Miss Clara Barton Of Washington,
the president of the organization in this
country. The camp is not more than
quarter Of "a mile from the scene of opera
tons, and, should pestilence attend upon
the horrors of the food this assembly Of
trained nurses and veteran physicians viii
be known all over the land That an cpl
demic of some sort will come there seems
10 be no question. The only thing which
can avert IL IS succession of cool days-a
possibility which is very remote
Miss Barton is a very plain looking WON
an dark compeXiOned and with face full
of tenderness, mingled with determination.
She wore "a simple gray gown. On her left
arm was the red cross that is the badge Of
her organization. over her gray gown was
a white apron. Her bonnet was little one
partly nurse cap and partly the cap OF u
sister OF charity. She said: ut seemed as
| if we were long time getting here. We
started on SUNDAY morning and only got
/ here on Tuesday even NJ, and then, think,
/ b. the special favor Of the Baltimore X
/ Ohio railroad. ! have here my staff,
consisting of y. }. b. Hubbell,
/ field agent; Gustav Augens Elm,
messenger; Miss L. l.. White, slenogra-
I pher and typewriter, and corps OF ID pny
/ sicans under the direction Of DR.. O'Neil of
1 Philadelphia. With the physicians are six
trained nurses. We we a complete quar-
termaster and kitchen department, and
have all the stores necessary for "a long
campaign on the field We have one large
hospital tent capable OF accommod ting 40
persons, four smaller tents which will hold
20 persons each, and four still smaller tents
which viii hold 10 persons each. We eX-
pect some mo c tents from Washington
and then we shall establish br nch hOspi-
tails in JOhnstown proper and in keInVlle
ON the farm Of Col. Hamilton at kernviilc
so | am told, an epidemic of diphther.a is
feared.
I'VE have organized system of house to
house caEva sing for the SICK and injured.
/ We have "A ready ten people sick on &C cunt
OF the Hood AT kernvile. and | SICK pc pie
in Youngstown near our tent. None of these
are seriously ILL., Most Of them are suffer
ing from the shock from which they have
, suffered.
II shall remain mere until there is 0bsO-
lutely no need Of my remaining longer,
either through the epidemic, If there is one,
or until all danger Of wholesale disease is
past
Contr buttons continue TO pour in from
every section of the country, not only of
money, but arloads of clothing,
bedding, food, and lumber. The
contributions are in the hands Of a thorough
~ organized committee, and are being very
judic.ously handled, 80 that ever cthiny is
being used To the best advantage. There il,
however, great need Of money aud food,
and the charitably disposed are urged not
to withhold or delay in giving.
The condition of affairs is much improved.
Adj. General Hastings says: al am very
much pleased with the w things are NOV
ing along. We are now in excellent shape
10 maintain proper discipline. Our men are
getting used 10 their dut es, aud the whole
condition Of affairs is much improv-
ed. There is not the least
trouble ON any source and the whole val
ley is like military camp the guards on
duty, the camp fires burning and every
thing quiet. 1 h We not heard anyth ng
from Gov. Beaver and IL is now settle
that he will not be here. at least for the
present. The whole work is moving along
in manner highly satisfactory TO all, and
when you consider the obstacles the men
have had TO meet and overcome, the work