The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-06-06
AMONG THE DEAD.
Solemn Funerals Where No Mourners Are
Scenes About tho Morgues.

had scarcely arisen from the hills this
morning until q thousand funerals were
coursing their green sides. There were no
hearses, few mourners, and as little solem-
nifty as fOrmality. The majority of the cof-
fins were of rough pine. The pall-bearers
were strong farmers teams and instead of
six pall-bearers to one coffin. there were
generally six coffins to one team. Silently
the professions moved, and silently they
unloaded their burdens in the lap of mother
earth. No minister of God was there to
pronounce last blessing as the clods rat
tied down, except a few faithful priests
who had followed some mangled represent
atives of their faith to the grave.
A fact that has been heretofore over
looked in the awful strain is the sordid con-
dition of the corpses. Fully one-third of
those recovered have been SO mangled,
bruised or charred that identification was
impossible. In an ordinary food this would
not have been the case, but here human
bodies were but the filling in of a mount
ain-lke mass of houses, railroad tracks,
trains and other debrls which went crunch
ing and crashing through a valley three
miles long. How any of life's clay retained
form or semblance is enigmatical All day
long the corpses were being hurried below
ground. The unidentified bodies were
grouped on a high hill west Of the doomed
city. where one epitaph must do
for all, and that the word Unknown"
There are hundreds of these graves al
ready, and each day will increase the pro-
portion. The possibility of Identification
diminishes every hour. Fires are raging
over the tangled graves of hundreds, and
the partial cremation of many bodies is in
evitable. Others are becoming so black
through putrefaction. that grinning
skeleton would show as much resemblance
to the persons in life as they.
Almost every stroke of the pick in some
portions of the city. to-day, resulted in the
discovery of another victim, and although
the funerals of the morning relieved the
morgues of their crush, before night they
were as full of the sinking dead as ever
Wherever one turns, the melancholy
view of coffin is met. Every train into
Johnstown was laden with them, the better
ones being generally accompanied by
friends of the dead. Men could be seen
staggering over the ruins with shining
mahogany caskets on their shoulders.
Several stumbled and fell into the abound
ing man-pits. The hollow houses of the
dead went bounding over the stones like
drums in a funeral march. The coffin
famine appears to have been alleviated.
Two hundred bodies were recovered from
the ruins to-day. Some werG identified,
but the majority were not. J ais number
included all the morgues-the one at the
Pennsylvania railroad station, the Fourth
ward school, Cambria City, MOrrellville,
Kernville, and the Presbyterian Church.
affairs exists. The first fioor has been
washed out completely, and. the second.
while submerged, was badly damaged, but
not ruined. The walls, floors and pews
were drenched, and the mud has collected
on the mattings and carpets an inch deep.
Walking is attended with much difficulty.
and the undertakers and attendants with
arms barred, slide about the slippery surface
at tremendous rate. The chancil is filled
with coffins, strips of muslin, boards and
all undertaking accessories. Lying across
the tops of the pews are dozen pine boxes,
each containing a victim of the flood.
Printed cards are tackled on each. Upon
them a full description of the inclosed body
is written, with the name, If known.
One of the most nauseating sights to
these unaccustOmed to scenes of death is
the lunching arrangements for the under
takers. These men are working so hard
and cOnscientiously that they have no time
for meals. and huge boilers of steaming
coffee, loaves of bread, dried meat and pre-
serves are carried into the charnel-housc.
and placed at the disposal of the workers.
Along comes one weary toiler, his sleeves
rolled up, an apron in front and perspiring
profusely despite the cold. damp weather.
He has iHst finished washing a cIammy
corpse, has daubed it with cold water,
manipulated it about on the boards. and in
the interval before the body of another
wretch Is brought in gets cup
of coffee and a sandwich.
With dripping hands he eats his
lunch with relish, setting his cup occasion
ally beside the hideous face of q decompos-
ing corpse, and totally oblivious to his hor-
rible surroundings.
At the Fourth ward school-house, where
most of the undertaking work is done,
there was some slight trouble over the
question of liquor. The Rev. Mr.. Beal. of
the Presbyterian Church. has charge OF this
morgue. and objected to the undertakers
drinking whisky. lnasmuch as man with
a cast-iron constitution could not work at
anything in this place necessarily without
stimulants of some kind, the undertakers
| protested against Mr.. Beals unreasonable
prejudice. 1t h said. and threatened TO cease