The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-02

chael Reese, mother Of John Reese; Pear
son Fisher, wife and six children.
OH, THE HORROR AND INFINITE PITY
OF ii all. What journey! What n Jour
ney has been that OF tho last half hour.
Swollen, awful corpses lay there in piles Of
cross-ties or on the river banks among tho
tangled shrubbery II was about 90 clock
when the first passenger train since Friday
came TO the New Florence depot with its
load OF eager passengers. They were no
idle travellers, but each had a mission.
Here and there men were staring out OF
the windows with red eyes, and among
them were tough.looking Hungarians and
Italians who had lost friends near Ninevah,
while women were weeping on all sides.
Two of the passengers on the train were
man and wife, from Johnstown. lie was
quiet and digniiicd and more or less self
possessed. She was petite, anxious and
tried hard 10 control her feelings. "0urs
is n big new brick house." said she, with
grave effort, but with loving brown eyes
moist aud red lips trembling "It'sa three
story house, and don't think there is any
trouble, do your" she said 10 me and
without waiting for my answer, she contin.
ued with n sob There are my four chill
dren in the house, and, and guess
father and mother will go over to the house
don't youY' In few moments all those
in the car know the story Of the pair, and
many a plying glance was cast at them.
| Their house was one Of the first 30 20.
Just before reaching Sang Hollow, now
the cnd Of the main line Of the Pennsylya-
mia Railroad, Is "Ss" signal tower, and the
mon in il told stories of what they saw, so
| piteous | couldn't listen 10 half OF IL and
command my attention. Here are some
little odds and ends OF happenings they
told me Of:
SOME rIrIPUL sroRlEs.
A beautiful girl came down ON the roof
Of building which was swung in near the
tower. She screamed 10 tho operators to
save her, and one big, Drawn, brave fellow
walked out into the river as far as he
could aud shouted 10 her 10 try TO guide
herself into shore with bit Of plank. She
was plucky girl, full of nerve and energy,
and stood upon her irail support In evident
obedience 10 the command OF tho operator.
She made two or three bold strokes, and
actually stopped tho course OF the raft for
an instant Then II swervod and went out
from under her She tried To swim ashore,
but in few seconds sho was lost in the
swrling water. Something hit her, for
she lay on her back with face pallid aud
exprcssionloss. Men aud women. IN
dozens, in pairs, singly. children, boys,
big and little, aud wee babies woro there
Ia among the awful confusion OF water,
drowning, gasping, struggling and fighting
desperately Tor life. Two men ON raft shot
into the swiitcst part Of the current They
crouched slolidly, looking nj tho shores,
while between them, dressed In white and
| knecling with her face turned heaven
ward, was a girl six or soycn years old.
She seemed stricken with paralysis until
she came opposite the towsr, aud then she
turned her face TO the operator. She was
80 close they could see big toap on her
face. The helpless men on shore shouted
10 her 10 keep up her courage, and she ~.
sumcd her dcyout attitude aud disappeared
under the trees Of projecting point a
short distance below. We could not soc
her come out again, said the operator, and
that was all 10 II. DO you soc that fringe
OF trees, said the operator. pointing 10 the
place where the little girl had gone out OF
sight" "Wcll, We saw scores OF children
swept in there. believe that when the
time comes they will lind almost hun
drcd bodies Of children In there among
those bushes"
Just above New Fl6rcnce Is tho little
town OF Nincyah. II was hero that
found
ruE Figsr cnARNEL HOUSE,.
Ono hundred and nino dead were here,
the larger portion Of which were women.
Here il was that the awful work OF the
ircshct could 10 realized What have
been fertile farms look like worn out brick
yards. Great trees have been twisted aud
torn like weeds. and the broken house.
hold goods Of hundreds Of houses line the
shores Tor miles Thieves Of the vilcst
sort, those who steal from the dead aud
the unfortunate, have been busily ut work
/ rObbing the trunks, boxes. articles Of fur
nilurc, and there Is nothing worth taking
/ left, except lumber. Every now aud then
/ CHASTITY outlines could DO seen Ia the
water being swept down stream. Two
miles from 49, tower u the "Sx" tower
Of the Pennsylvania Railroad, aud here Il
h that the greatest railroad In the world
ends suddenly Ia the river. For more than
| 1900 feet the entire track u wiped out,
rails, ties and even ballast. The north
| tack IA entirely washed away
This il the nearest telegraph point q
Johnslown, aud the delay in gritng oil
news dispatches has been fairly madden.
ing. The Associated Press expedition was
the irsi on the field, and was ready with
thousands OF words OF specials. but no
wirs could be- bad from II O'Clock am.
until almost o'clock pm. No special
trains could be- hired, no locomotives could
be- bought and the situation can DO apprc'