, 1889-06-06
IN THE WAKE.
Deaths Avarice Can be but
Partially Estimated.
The Herculean Task of Relief
Goes Nobly Forward.
Ghastiy RELICS swiftly Borne to Their
Final Rest--The Heart of Humani-
~ Universally Touched.

JoHssrowN, Pa, June 5.-The first re.
lief train bearing thousands OF pounds of
provisions for the suffering and 1000 cof.
fms for the dead passed over the Johns
town bridge on an inprovised trestle to
the Johnstown depot. For the first time
railroad cOmmun cation is re established
between the stricken city and the outside
world.
Hour by hour the calamity grows
Every moment now the body OF some poor
victim 10 taken from the debris and the
town WAS one vast chnrnel house. The
are hey ond descriptl on in ghastliness.
while the moans and grosns oT the
suffering survivors, tossing In agony with
bruised and msngled bodies, or rsvlng in
the delirium OF fever in the numerous
temporary hospitals, make even the stout
hearted quail with terror. Nearly two
thousand bodies have already been recov-
cred and a. the work OF examining wreck
ages progresses, the conviction grows that
the magnitude OF the calamity has not Yet
been apprOximated. Conservative estimates
this morning put ths number lost at
1000, and many men OF calm judgm ent,
not wont to exsggersts, " no have been upon
the ground from the outset, place the num-
Der at 10000. Many bodies recovered in
Johnstown to-day have been
RoBBED BY THE aHouLs
that hOok to the scene. II Is known that
on Q lady had several hundred dollars in
her possession just before the disaster but
when her body was recovered, not q cent
was In her pocket. Huns attacked the sup
ply wagon between Morrelleviils and Cam
bria City to-day. The drivers repulsei
them, but they again returned. A second
fight ensued, but, after lively scrambling,
the Huns we're again driven away. Alter
that the drivers and guards Of the supply
train were permitted to 20 armed. Regis
ters are being opened in Johnstown and
AL ra rSnn m sfa In,
order to give information Of their safety to
iLquiring friends.
-Four days have elapsed since the angel
Of death swept down through the valley Of
the Conemaugh, but no ray Of sunshine
has yet lightened the scene OF horror at
Johnstown bridge. The sky is still overcast
with heavy clouds. and the sun rise behind
seems menacing Psllas. though reluctant
to view the handiwork OF his potent ele-
ments. In the city for the last six hours
the fire engines have played upon the
smoking ruins above the bridge. but the
flames break out afresh at frequent inter-
walls, 10 defy the subduing force Of the
water. Nearly 1000 men are employed in
different parts Of the valley, clearing up
the ruins and prosecuting the
sEAncH yoR UNDISCOVERED DEAD. -s..--
Investigations are not without fruitful re.
suits, for bodies of charred victims Of the
food and tire are discovered with undi.
minished frequency. II becomes hourly
more and more apparent that not single
vestige will ever be recognized OF hundreds
roasted in the flames above the bridge
Since the last sentence was penned party
Of searchers unesrthed q charred aud uu-
slightly mass from the smouldering debris
within thirty yards of the Associated Press
headquarters. 1t required ths authorita-
tive verdict OF physician to demonstrate
that the ghastly discovery was the charred
remains Of human being. Only the
trunk remained, roasted beyond all re-
semblance to flesh. Five minutes work
revealed fragments Of q skull, that at once
disintegrated Of its own weight when ex-
posed to the air, no single piece being
larger than y half dollar. and the whole
resembling remnants Of shattered char
coal. Within the last hour and = halt a
dozen discoveries none any less horrify-
ing, have been made by searchers 81 they
RAKE WIT II PICKS AND HOOKS
In the smoking ruins. So difficult is it at
times to determine whether the remains
are those OF human beings 1t Is apparent
that hundred. will be- fairly burned to
ashes. Thus the number that have found
o last resting place beneath these ruins can
be AT least never more than approximated
notice that the secretary of the South
Fork fishing club said yesterday that the
club had not filled the indemnity bond as
claimed by a citizen Of Ebensburg, and that
complaints had never been made about
the safety OF the dam by any of the John.
stown citizens. He is undoubtedly correct
an to the bond, but In misleading as to the
second uart OF his statement There Is no
shadow of doubt but that the citizens of
Cambria county frequently complained,
and at the time the dam WAS constructed
very vigorous efforts were made to put q
stop to the work. 1t Is true That the leader
I,,. in ,hi" movement ,~nm..n,v, was s,, not not 1 a
and is u large niine owner IN Cambria
county. This mine adioins the reservoir
property. He related to me Saturday the
story of his iabors In the e-effort TO protect
the lives and property OF the people In that
valley. lie was frequently on the spot
and his own engineer inspected the work.
He says the embankment was principally
shale and clay and that straw was used TO
stop the leaking Of water. While the work
wss going on lie called On the sheriff of
Cambria county and told him 1t was his
duty to apply to the court for an injunc-
tion, The sheriff promised to give ths
matter his attention. but instead of going
before court he went to the Cambria Iron
Company for consultation. An employe
WINS
SENT UP TO MAKE AN INSPECTION,
and ss his report was not favorable to the
reservoir work, the sheriff went no farther,
but the gentleman referred to said he had
not failed to make public his protest ut the
time, and to renew " frequently. This
recommendation for an injunction and the
protest were spoken of by citizens OF AL
to6na ~ y hack neyed subject. COnhrms-
ton was certainly had at South Fork,
Oonemsugh, Miilvsle and Johnstown on
that fatal night. A rumor Of the expected
break was prevalent at these places early
in the day, hut the citizens remarked that
the -umor WAS . familiar incident Of an
nual fre-hets. IL was the old story
o: wolff wolfr' They gave up
the first floors to the water,
and retired up stairs to wait until
the river should recede, as they bad done
often beiore, scouting the oft.,old story of