Evening journal., 1889-06-04

the dreadful tyohas Every battlefield has |
demonstrated the necessity Of the hasty in
terment of decaying bodies, and the stencil |
that already arises Is forerunner OF the inn
pending danger Burn the wreck Burn the
wreckr
A loud cry Of indignation arose from the
lips OF the vast multitude, and the warnings
of science were lost in the eager demands Of
those that sought the remains of friends.
The hose was again turned on the kissing
flame, and again the flames yielded to the
supremacy OF water.
Eight Acres of Burping Ruins.
1t Is almost impossible to conceive the OK
tent OF these smoking ruins An area Of
eight or ten acres above the dam is covered
to depth OF forty feet with shattered HOUSES
borne from the resident center OF Johnstown.
In each OF these houses IL Is estimated there
were from five TO twenty-five people. This
Is accepted as data upon which TO estimate
the number that perished on the spot, and II
the data be correct, tho bodies that lie be
meath these ruins must number into the thou
sands
The scence at the lower erd OF the city Is
beyond description. The half has not heen
told, and never can DO, as TO the extent OF
the awful wreck. The town is now under
martial law, and every one who goes about
the place is challenged and required TO give
an account OF himself. The water has sub
sided TO a great extent, and the streets in the
main part OF the town are free from water.
FrightfuI Revelations.
The falling water has laid bare the terrible
work of the flood. and the full extent OF the
disaster is only being ascertained now The
streets are une sickening, foul smelling mas
OF wood and debris, and the work Of search
1 Na.r 1.s,.l. f..f.
latest estimates put the loss Of life at 10000
TO 1900
Baltimore and Ohio Conductor Frank Nc
Donald witnessed the first awful crash
against the stone bridge He said when he
first saw the flood II was thirty feet high,
and gradually rose 10 at least forty feet.
II certainly think l saw 1000 bodies 90
over the bridge The first house that came
down struck the bridge and at once took fire
and as fast as the others came down they
were consumed. believe / am safe In say-
ing | saw a thousand bodies burn Ii remind
cd me Of lot Of flies on fly paper. struggling
TO get away, with no hope and no chance 10
ave them.n
The Directory win Tell the Tale.
just one month ago the work OF taking a
census of the city for a new directory was
completed, and showed exactly 20, 400 people
claiming residence in Johnstown. The book
il now in the printers hands at Altoona An
effort will be made TO secure copy OF the
directory, make a new canvass OF the city,
and in this manner ascertain, 70 a reasonable
degre Of certainty, the number that met
death in this terrible disaster.
A regular hospital has been opened on Bed
ford street. DR.. Foster, of Pittsburg, IS in
charge; DIR. Alex. f. McCandless, the sheriff,
Is his assistant The physicians have been
divided into regular hospital corps and placed
in charge Of the various departments. Al
drug store has been opened in tine rear Of the
hospital, containing a large quantity of sur
gical supplies.
Railroad workmeu will probably have the
chasm between the stone bridge and the city
Z proper trestled and running trains into the
I city inside Of twelve hours An unsuocess
full effort was made 70 span the river with
Z rope bridge during the afternoon, and tire,
:, men who went into the river narrowly Is
4 capped drowning
i A report Is again in circulation that two o
e the palace coaches Of the limited expires
2 were wrecked, caught fire and were totally
:, destroyed at Conemaugh. Whether the pas
= sengers were killed or escaped it is impossible
= TO ascertain.
Horrible Sights in Depot.
, Two hundred and fifteen bodies were re-
ceived at the Pennsylvania railroad depo
: during the day. After being washed they
:. were placed in caskets and arranged ia long
Z rows on the depot platform for Identification
|, Only few of the number were recognized
I Some were SO terribly disfgured as to b
= wholly unrecognizable The waiting room
in which the embalming was done presented
l l a sickening sight Human forms frightfully
: : burned, or cut or bruised, were laid upon
rough board table, washed and cofined. i
they were not recognized in a very shor
time they were placed ON wagons and takeI
to the Adams street schoolhouse, where they
n win he kept as long as possible, and then bur
led in grave bearing the legend Unknown,
e nIiracuious Escapes.
o There were some remarkable escapes, Mrs
4 John Gels was standing on Main street as th,
II flood struck the houses, and portion q I
n brick house fell on her She was rescueC
It through one Of the windows
/ Mamie Greenwood was in her house talking
n 10 her sister when the building was struck
l. and her father, mother and two sisters wer,
n drowned, while she was caught in an eddy
5. and whirled around into safety.
d Mrs. Dr. John K Lea, whose husband 4
It lost, hung by her arms suspended for foul
hours in the water, supporting at the sam,
Il time her aged mother, until both were res
il cued
e The most pathetic case yet brought to light
Ir Is that of James Elgin. He has come L
d Johnstown to attend the wedding Of his sis
r, ter Ellen, which was to have taken place or
l. Monday. He knew Of the fact that terribl,
disaster had taken place, but had no idea thai
his family was involved His agony may N
< imagined rather than described when learn
ing on his arrival that his mother and three
4 sisters had been drowned and his father haC
i gone demented over the terrible Affections
! The old gentleman was crying like a child
!. and asking those he met: "Did you see them
y Did you see them go downi They will com,
< back for the wedding tonight She is gon,
Z for her bridal wreath
Dr. II. Phillips, Of the East End, Pittsburg
I has returned TO that city. He was visiting
|, his mother, AID there were five people in the
house besides himself when the food came
+ DIR. Phillips was the only person who escaped
. death, and he was only rescued after being
\ in the water for seventeen hours
d TROOPS READY IF NECESSARY.
IS Several Regiments Prepared TO Go q
( Johnstown at Moments Notice.
:. HARRISntJRG Pa Jine 4-Adit %,