Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-09
CITIZENS MUCH ALARMED.
The Sanitary Condition OF JohnsfowH Causes
General Uneasiness-Great Reason
for Fear-Hundreds of Bodies
Still In the Wreck.

IFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
JoHNsrowN, June 8.-There is an un-
usual activity in town to-day. Notwith-
standing all reports to the contrary, the
authorities are thoroughly alarmed at the
present situation. Calls for additional
workmen were posted, and orders to rush
the work of removing drift were issued. 1t
is rumored that all occupants of houses in
the lower parts of town are to be removed to
tenements and tents on the hillsides.
The article in THE DISPATCH of this
morning on the necessities of the situation
has provoked widespread and favorable
comment. In conversation with your cor
respondent to-day W. II. Devore, sanitary
expert and funeral director, in charge OF the
Pennsylvania Railroad morgue, said:
''The article expresses my views exactly.
The danger is close at hand. In four or five
DAYS it will be impossible for men to work
exhuming the dead. Even now it is fire.
quently the case that men not used to the
work are obliged to relinquish 1t owing to
the condition of some Of the bodies.
An Awful Situation.
ST shudder to think of the consequences
in case warm weather should set in at once
and continue. Rains, like that of this
morning, are also to be dreaded, as they
have the effect of bursting the gall bladders,
after which the bodies will decompose very
rapidly. If fairly cool weather will only
continue, and the work OF recovering is
pushed rapidly, as advocated, we may
escape the immediate danger.
"But there is another question that does
net seem 10 have been taken into eonsidera-
ton. In my opinion there are hundreds OF
bodies, both of human beings and animals
that will never be found, being buried out
of the reach of the searchers, but which will
make themselves disagreeable when prepar-
ations for rebuilding are commenced. do
not candidIy consider that Johnstown will
be habitable for the next five years. I do
not advocate the use OF fire to remove the
debris until the last possible moment, as
many bodies are in such position that the
flames would not reach them."
Prof. G. H. Blow, of Chicago, who has
charge ofthe embalming corps at the Fourth
ward morgue, says:
Fear of Warm Weather.
"The condition of the town is bad. In
case unfavorable weather should set in the
state of affairs would be simply appalling.
immediately back of us is stable, where
there are purifying bodies Of half hun
dred cows, pigs and horses, the odor from
which is at times almost unbearable Also,
in the ruins in the immediate vicinity are a
number of bodies, variously estimated at
from 500 to 1000, which we cant hope to
get at for week at least. Think of what
their condition will be when recovered"
Rev. Mr.. Potter, custodian of valuables
found on the bodies, says:
'"The statements of Prof. Blow. are the
same as my own would be. THE Dis
PATCH has my thanks for urging the i'm
portanee of haste in recovering the dead"
DIR. r. 8. Huidekooper, Surgeon General
on the staff of Cove rnor Beaver, was of the
opinion that the sanitar condition of the
town was good, considering the eircum-
stances. He said
The Greatest Danger to Come.
'I consider that the greatest danger is to
be looked fof in a week or ten days. when |
the people recover from the present excite
nent. 1 am afraid that the reaction will |
result in hundreds of cases of nervous ex-
temporary insanity and perhaps
till more serious diseases. ] hope this will |
not prove the case, but lam anxious. Never |
in all my experience did 1 see or hear of
such condition of things. However. we
ire prepared for the worst, and shall do all |
in our power to prevent an epidemic"
A visit to the Red Cross Society disclosed |
.he fact that there are AZ cases OF sickness in
heir hospital, divided as follows: Diph- |
iberia, 10, gain OF 8 since yesterday; !
nervous prostration, 25; pneumonia, 3; pre- |
nature birth, 8; broken ribs. 1. The society
has thoroughly efficient staff OF surgeons |
and nurses and q large supply OF medi- |
zine, instruments, etc. They are prepared /
% remain upon the ground until all danger
IF an epidemic is passed. MORTON,