Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-04
GOVERNMENTAL RELIEF.
The Johnstown Calamity Still Occupy.
ing the Attention Of the President.

GOVERNMENTAL RELIEF.
The Johnstown Calamity Still Occupy
ing the Attention Of the President.
HIS CONSULTATIONS WITH THE SECRETARY Oh
WAR AND, By WIRE, WITH oov.BRAvKR-FooD AND
CLOTHING MORE NEEDED THAN xoNEY-wHrrH
HOUSE CALLERS MEET WITH PooR SUCCESS.
The Presidents attention is still occupied by
the Johnstown disaster. Callers began to come
half an hour earlier this morning than usual.
The first Of them had hardly began to lay the
facts In their cases before him when Secretary
Halford came into the room with q message
from Governor Beaver. The President at once
excused himself from the callers, and, being
Joined by the Secretary Of War, went into the
telegraph-room, where he had a long confer
ence, by wire, with the governor, who is in
Harrisburg. The President, the Secretary OF
War and Governor Beaver consulted for about
an hour, and the callers did not again see the
President until nearly IL o'clock. His time
was fully occupied by matters relating to the
disaster. Several Of the callers got tired and
went away.
WHAT GOV. BEAVER SAYS Is NEEDED MOST.
The telegraphic talk between the President
and Gov. Beaver related to the public meeting
to be held here at 8 o'clock this afternoon, at
which the President will preside, and to the
general subject Of the needs of the Johnstown
sufferers. The governor said that the most &C
ceptable relief would be provisions and cloth
ing rather than money. The sufferers needed
food and clothes to supply their Immediate
wants. This is given as an announcement to
the public generally to guide them in their
contributions.
PoNTooN BRIDGES NEEDED.
The governor asked also IL the government
could furnish pontoon bridges, which are
greatly needed at the scene of the disaster
The Secretary of War made three trips between
the White House and the department in con-
sultation upon this subject. 1t is thought that
they will be able to send pontoon bridges from
Willetts Point and West Point.
Moneys received will probably be expended
for supplies and the supplies shipped to the
sufferers.
BAD TIME FOR WHITE HOUSE CALLERS.
When the President got back to his callers
he found to his satisfaction that there were not
very many of them. He did not have much
time to give them, and no cards were sent in
after IL o'clock. Representative-elect Watson,
OF Pennsylvania, called, but did not have time
to wait. A delegation from South Carolina
headed by ex-Representative Smalls and Mr..
Brlce were in waiting to urge the appointment
of Mr.. Webster, of Orangeburg, as collector Of
internal revenue for the South Carolina
district
The solicitor of the Treasury, Mr.. Hepburn,
who is about to start for Milwaukee to look
into the controversy over the selection of a
public-building site, had short talk with the
President this morning.
Mr.. Sawyer was the only Senator among the
callers The Representatives and Representa-
tives-elect were: Cheadle, Owen, Ewarts, Rus
Gan pfr g.. To IL 80 ~
G. NJ. Joseph; Thompson, Of Ohio; Farquhar,
and Wilson, of Kentucky.
The Postmaster-General and Assistant Post
master-General Clarkson called.
The only other callers were r. Symmes
Thaim of South Carolina; William R. Castle,
of Honolulu; S. I. Nichols, of Virginia; D. N.
Comingore, Of Kentucky; J. J. Landrau, Of
Kentucky; A. c. Lehman, of North Carolina,
and W. II. Mosley. OF Virginia.
MRS. GEN. LEW WALLACE.
Nothing is known at the White House about
Mrs. Lew Wallace being on the train that was
washed away near Johnstown. They had not
supposed she was in that vicinity.
The New Peril at Johnstown.
In his telegraphic interview with the Presi-
dent this morning Gen. Beaver said:
"a new peril confronts us at Johnstown.
There is danger of pestilence being added to
tue VI Tue sltuatlOu. DeaU DOQleS can
not be rescued from debris for burial, and are
fast decaying. The bridges for which
telegraphed last night necessary
to facilitate work. Am ordering troops and
employing every man available to assist in the
work. Communication with Wiliamsport and
other towns of west branch of Susquehanna
just opened; losses beyond computation and
thousands of people homeless and pennyless.
People of the country are responding nobly,
and think the necessities of the entire situa-
ton will be met in time.
Food ready for distribution most necessary
thing at Williamsport. If a few car loads could
be shipped direct in shape for immediate con-
homeless and hungry people here take all our
available supplies of groceries, and we can
send but little from here. Money and
clothing are needed at Johnstown and West
branch region. They also need disinfectants. {"
He said that he had just received another
dispatch asking for pontoon bridges.
THE PRESIDENT SAID
that he would give necessary orders for these
at Willett's Point and West Point, to furnish
pontoons, and that he would also ask the
Secretary of War if there was any
hard bread that could be sent. He
found, however, that the War department had
no hard bread. He informed the governor of
the meeting to be held at Wilards hall this
afternoon, and in the conclusion of the inter-
view he told the governor that he would try to
get food train from Washington tonight or
tomorrow morning
Ma. -Gen. Schofield is considering the best
means OF supplying rations and other assistance
to the Johnstown sufferers.