Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-06-08
A Stream Of Corpses.
THE DEATH LIST GROWING.

PITTsBURG, June at was stated at the
Office of the Pennsylvania railroad at an
early hour this morning that the deaths
would run up into the thousands rather than
the hundreds, as vas at first supposed. From
private dispatches 1t is said that the stream
OF human beings that was swept before the
floods was something most pitiful to behold.
Men, women and children were carried along
frantically shrieking fer help, but their cries
availed them nothing. Rescue was impossi-
BILE. 1t was said at the depot that II was i'm
possible TO estimate the number lost in the
flood. IL will simply be a matter OF c~onjec-
ture for several days as to who were lost and
who escaped. The Pennsylvania people are
exerting every energy TO save both lives and
property, but as yet little or nothing can be
done.
Johnstown is a sort OF hollow between two
rivers and the lake must have swept over the
city at a depth OF forty feet. Thousands of
people must have lost their lives. The body
of a Welsh woman, 60 years of age, was
taken from the river near the Suspension
bridge In this city at 10 o'clock this morning.
Four other bodies we're seen, but owing to
the mass Of wreckage which is coming down
the river they could not be recovered and
passed Town the Ohio river. A citizens
meeting has been called to advise means to
aid the sufferers of the YOUNGSTOWN food. The
Pennsylvania railroad officials have already
placed cars for the purpose Of receiving pro-
visions and clothing, and up to a late hour
many prominent merchants have made dopa-
lions.
In this city today there was but one topic
OF conversation and that is the Johnstown de.
luge. Crowds Of eager watchers all day long
besieged the newspaper bulletin boards and
rendered the streets impossible. Many of
| them had friends or relatives In the stricken
district, and names was their cry, but
there were no names. The storm which
had perhaps swept way the lives of their
loved ones had also carried away all
means OF communication, and their vigil
was unrewarded. To show the state 10
which the telegraph is reduced 1t Is sufficient
TO state that 1t IS not yet known whether the
telegraph operator at Johnstown is dead or
alive. The nearest point to that city which
can be reached tonight is New Florence, and
the one wire there is used almost constantly
by orders for collins, e%mbalming fluid and
preparing special cars TO carry the recovered
dead to their homes. Along the banks of
the now turbulent Allegheny were placed
watchers, and all wreckage was carefully
scanned for dead. Tho result OF this vigi.
lance was The recovery Of one body, that Of "a
woman. Seven other bodies were seen, but
could not be reached owing TO the swift NOV
ing wreckage by which they were sur
rounded.
Measures for relief were promptly taken.
The mayors Of both Pittsburg and Ale
eheny issued calls for mass meetings, which
were responded to by throngs OF ~Pittsburg's
wealthlest men. Al | p. m. $50, 600 was in
hand, and at ) the sum was swelied to
800, 900.
A special train was chartered by the news
papers to carry provisions, medicine and
clothing 10 the nearest possible point to
Johustown. A railroad conductor who ar