The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1889-06-05
The IoIlnsfown Horror.

" ~ HCftSA Vi shhC WV
ments as as occurred in the Cone
maugh Valley of Western Penn
sylvania Friday night, human pow
ers are paralyzed and helpless. In
a few hours a valley, in which was
situated a town of &c, OOOinhabitants,
was swept clear of every living
thing. Scarce a vestige of what
was once a thriving and prosper
Gus city is left as reminder of the
horror. The loss of life will be, it
is estimated, between 5000 and
10000 Had the catastrophe been
delayed a few hours, had the city of
Johnstogn been sleeping when the
mighty food, without warning,
decended upon it, the loss of life
might have been thrice as large.
AS it is, the whole world will shud-
der and stand appalled, at the ex-
tent of this calamity, and the awful
sweeping of human souls into eter-
nifty.
The horror was mainly confined
to one place, namely, at the fork of
the Conemaugh, where Johnstown
is situated, although the storm area
covered the whole of Western
Pennsylvania, extending far down
into West Virginia. The Johns
town calamity was caused by the
bursting of dams above the town,
which completely obliterated that
city and flooded the whole of the
Conemaugh and Kiskiminetas Val
legs.
This awful catastrophe may be
be charged up to the neglect of the
pnblic officials of that section. 1t
seems that the unsafe condition of
the dam above Johnstown had been
known for years, but long famil-
iarity with their danger had lulled
the people into a sense of security.
The dam, or lake, as it was called,
had been built to height of about
100 feet above the city, thus forcing
the water high above its natural
bed for distance of three miles.
This great dam was defective. The
mighty force of the water accumu-
lated from the great storm of Fri
day naturally bursted it as if it had
been pasteboard, letting the mighty
volume of water down in an irresis-
tible torrent upon the homes of
10000 people. The awful loss of
life under these circumstances is
not TO be greatly wondered at.
That it may not exceed the enor-
nous figures given, is cause for
thanksgiving.
Our latest special dispatches put
me number of dead in the Cone
maugh Valley at between 5000 and
10000. This is the estimate of the
Relief Executive Committee of
Johnstown. Scores of the bodies of
drowned human beings have fioated
past Pittsburgh, which the specta-
tors on the banks were powerless to
reclaim from the angry flood, which
at late hour last night was still
fast rising at that point.
But this unprecedented loss of
life is not the worst of the horror
Tens of thousands of people arc
without shelter, food, or adequate
clothing. They have been, in a few
hours, deprived of their all, are alb
solutely destitute and homeless
The wires tell us that Pittsburgh
has quickly responded to the wants
of these poor people with noble lib
crafty, but Pittsburgh can not do
half enough. Too much, in fact, can
not be done for this stricken com
munity which is now in want of the
immediate necessaries of life
Wheeling, the Register is assured,
will respond quickly and generously.
We once had occasion to call upon
the country for aid in similar, but
not nearly SO dire catastrophe, and
the country responded nobly. We
have now chance to repay a por-
ton of our debt. A hasty meeting
was held last night at which the
Mayor presided. The upshot was
that the Mayor of Pittsburgh was
notified that $1,000 was deposited
here subject to his order for the re-
lief of the sufferers, and resolutions
were adopted to the effect that what
ever relief was given should be
given Immediately. Preparations
were made for a public meeting, in
the Grand Opera House at o'clock
this afternoon. The Register earn
estly urges all who possibly can at
tend to do SO. These hungry, desti-
tute and homeless people need help
now. They can not wait, but must
have food and shelter Immediately.
Wheeling will respond with alacrity
to the dire needs of this sorely
stricken sister city.
-D-S-0-