The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-02
HOUSES FOR THE HOMELESS.
Clara Barton and the Red Cross Society to
Take Charge of the Work at JOhnstOwn.

JoHNsTowN, Pa, July LIN response to
the request of the citizens finance commit
tse to take charge of the putting up of the
houses, Clara Barton, of the Red Cross So
ciety, answered to-day in the following
letter:
conference.-the great courtesy shown me by
your request that the Orgapization over which
have the honor to preside shall unite its efforts
with yours in securing immediate shelter for the
homeless people of this afflicted town. and your
offer to cooperate in every way possible to that
end, has left me practically without
s Worus Win wnicn 10 express either my
wonder that should have taken a few hours in
which to look the situation In the face, and at
tempt to form some Judgment as to the probable
aid which we might be able to render. If the
need were less imperative the decision might
well acmit of the situation, but the pressing ne
cess1ty OF the people who wait and suffer on the
one hand, and the great and perplexng burden
of you who have undertaken and are stirring
their relief on the other admit of no reserve,
but demand every energy and every risk, and,
God helping us, our organization will assume
these, and. looking to the aid OF your great
hearted public, whose generosity is equalled only
by its sympathy and its abundance we will labor
hand hand to hand With you for the erection of the
little homes which shall quickly take these dazed,
bereft and homeless people up from the ground
and shelter them from the sun and the storms
under a roof they may regard as their own. The
whole country will be glad of the click of the
hammer on the hillsides of Johnstown, and
every stanch lumberman. from Maine to Mich
igan and the mills of Iowa, from the Pine-tree
state TO the Rio Grande, will he proud of the
little plain cottage that he has helped to in
the Gonemaugh valley. L have the honor to be,
gentlemen, Most respectfully,
CLARA BARTON,
President of the National Red Cross of America.
The State commissary department will
be turned over to the citizens tomorrow;
Major spangerb b.vsr eommissaFygen ssa
the work Of distributing relief Ts was
only. begun and his first act
would be to tell the people everywhere to
send on their money so that it might be APP
piled to the people here who are sorely in
worthy tribute to General Hastings for his
efficient work.
Governor Beaver has ordered two hun
dred two-story houses built as soon as pos
sible. and the work will be commenced to,
morrow. Governor Beaver was surprised
to. find that the citizens committee was
doing precisely the same work that the
State committee agent, Judge Cummins,
had proposed doing. and the Governor re-
quested Judge Cummins to come here at
once.
Two witnesses testified before the coro-
ner's jury, this afternoon. in regard to the
South Fork dam. John Rorabaugh said
the dam was running over from IL o'clock
until when broke doI He said ahnnS the waste s
plenty wide enough. and was
clogged by drift He also stated
that at the break in 1881 the earth was only
dumped in. and he put in two loads of hay
adjourned @ do until ii thursday evening. when h6
it will take the testimony of Lieutenant
Reese. L.. $. A, and expect to give a verdict
that night.
Six more bodies were recovered to-day,
Iron Company, being the only one identi-