Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-08-16
THE RED CROSS.
THE CoA1TISSARY, THE HOSPITAL,
AND THE HOUSE.

The food fortunately (?) did not carry
off all the cranks; there are few left
whose ideas are as pregnant with folly as
they are devoid of common sense. These
loud-speaking, senseless few see nothing
but mismanagement and lack of industry
in the various committees which labor un-
ceasingly in the interests of our people.
Even the Red Cross has rot escaped their
jargons, but in many instances was a spe-
cial object for their calumnious words.
Fearing that some of the reports might
have foundation in fact a reporter of this
paper yesterday visited all the institutions
under the flag of the Red Cross At the
hospital on Oak street, Hornerstown, one is
attracted by the arrangement of the tents,
their neatness, and the economy prscticed
throughout the entire camp. Several of
the inmates of the wards were interview
ed and each had nothing but words of
gratitude for the staff and nurses.
All said that nothing was left undone
to make them comfortable and happy,
which was endorsed by their smiling feat
ures. Not one had a care worn look.
There are now tifteen in the hospital :;
seven with typhoid fever, three with
bronchitis, two with malarial fever, two
with measles and one with scurvy. There
are bath tubs there which must be used
by each patient before he is allowed to
enter any of the wards, and if his disease
is dangerous his clothing is taken from him
and burned, and replaced by new clothing
when he is fit to wear it.
Toomuch cannot be said of the efficiency
and kindness of the staff of this hospital.
They are all from the city of Brotherly
Love, and their actions, though requited
by no emolumcnts, are a credit to their
city and an honor to themselves and the
organization they represent.
The staff consists of r. S. Wharton. NJ.
D., Commandant NJ. W. Gillmer. NJ. D..
Chief of Staff and Surgeon in Charge
Charles s. Harvey, Commissary S. II.
Evans, Quartermaster Miss Isabella
Irwin, Matrou Nurses, Mrs. Schuur,
Mrs. Gage, Miss Zacharias, Ma Sangree
and Mr. Montgomery The ambulance
driver is Mr., William Williams, who has
done more for JohnstoNn than any two
men init. Mr., Williams was in Phlladel-
phia when the food occurred He is a
rigger by trade, but left his occupation
and at once started for Johnstown. No
idle curiosity brought him here, for be
fore he left Philadelphia he provided
himself with graphing irons to rescue
the bodies from the flood. What
work he did will never re-
ally be known. Alone and unaided
he brought out two hundred bodies be.
tween sandyvaie Cemetery and the Penn.
sylvania Railroad bridge. For all this
work be has not received one penny, and
when offered money said with u serious
laugh: "NIy friends, my services you
cannot buy, but if you ever speak of
money again I'll pack my goods and go
home.' He looks as simple and unassum-
ing as a child, and when asked how he
got here so quickly after the flood, said
Oh, ! got on freight car with my irons
and then when we could go no further on
account of washouts ! hired a wagon. "
He paid his own expenses coming, and
since here has spent two hundred and
fifty dollars in charities. 1t is sufficient
recommendation of his work to say that
81 ,T D,I
organization, they became acquainted
with him through his heroic work, and
since then he has been rs one of their own
At the Red Cross Commissary. or
posite the Company store, there are a
number of employees as busy as farmers
in harvest time. Bustle here and hurry
there is the order of the day. In little
room to one side, separated from the
other apartments by curtain, sits the
person who directs it all. You enter the
apartment and there before few plain
boards, which serve as an excuse for Il
desk, sets humble Clara Barton. She has
a goodnatured smile and kind word for
everyone. She is a woman of more
thought than words She speaks slowly
and elegantly. In fact from her speech
one can see her character She is more
for action than Tor talk. As the saying Is
she talks by acts. In her conversation
she never used one word too much, which
shows the thorough business woman that
she is. Five minutes in her presence is
enough to convince any one that she
certainly is the guardian angel Of the
Valley of Death No air Of self
importance, no collaboration can be de-
tected in the least of her acts. Not salts
fed with providing shelter for the home
less and destitute she has even gone so
far as to provide amusement for them.
This she did by suggesting to Mr.. Morgan
the proprieiy Of having a piano in the
Red Cross Hotel. She argued that two.
thirds Of those there have been accus-
toned to pianos at their homes, and
many Of them can play By means of
little music in the evenings the harrassing