Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-13

from the smoldering debris within
thirty yards of the Associated
Press headquarters. Unused to such
frightful discoveries the leader of the
gang pronounced the remains to be a
blackened log and it required the authori-
tative verdict of a physician to demon
strate that the CHASTITY discovery was the
charred remains Of human being. Only
the trunk remained and it was roasted be-
yond all semblance to flesh. Five min-
utes' search revealed fragments of a skull
that at once disintegrated of its own
weight when exposed to the air, no single
piece being larger than a half dollar and
the whole resembling the remains of shat
tered charcoal Within the last hour a
half dozen discoveries no less horrifying
have been made. 1t is thought that hum
dreds must be fairly burnt to ashes.
Moxham, the iron manufacturer, Is
mayor pro tenn. of Johnstown to-day.
Although for days without sleep, he still
sticks nObly to his task. Hundreds of
others are like him. Men fall to the earth
from sheer fatigue. There are many who
have not closed an eye in sleep since they
awoke on Friday morning. They are
hollow-eyed, pitiful-looking lot
Some unfortunates endeavored to obtain
dour from the wrecked stores in Johns.
town. One dealer was charging IS a sack
for -four and was getting it. When the
crowd heard of the occurrence several
men went to the store and doled the flour
gratuitously to the homeless and stricken.
Another dealer was selling -four at $1.60
a sack. Otherwise he would not allow
any one to go near it, guarding his store
with shotgun.
Bodies were recovered in Johnstown
yesterday that had been robbed by the
ghouls. The HungArians attacked a sup
ply wagon between Morrellville and Cam
bria City. The drivers Of the wagons
rspulsed them, but they again returned.
A second fight ensued, but after a lively
scramble the Hungarians were again
driven away. After that drivers and
guards of supply wagons were permitted
to go armed.
Registers are being opened in Johns
town and all survivors are requested to
register their names in order to give in
formation of their safety to inquiring
friends. Post-off1ces were opened In
Kearnville and the Fourth ward of Johns
town. The first mail got in at $3.50 yester-
day morning and was enormous.
The suggestion made by the physicians
several days ago that the bodies in the de-
bris above the bridge be allowed to be
cremated. in the interest of public health,
and which aroused such a storm of indig-
nation among the surviving populace, is
viewed with more calmness to-day and
there is a growing sentiment that it 10
after all the best solution of the problem.
Weeks, months will be required to re.
move the stupendous mass by artificial
means, and meantime the rotting, putre.
flying remains of poor humanity buried
therein would be dealing pollution and
death to all the surrounding country.
Thomas Williams, who lost his wife and
family, recovered his wife's remains and
took them up the mountain where he dug
q grave and buried them himself.
Mrs. Fredericks, an aged woman, was
rescued alive from the attic in her house.
The house had foatsd from Vine street to
the foot Of the mountains. Mrs. Freder.
icks' experience was terrible. She saw
hundreds of men, women and children
floating down the torrent, some praying.
Others had become raving maniacs.
In addition to large quantity of cooked
food, as we'll as -four and other provisions
the relief committee br ought out 100 com.
plete outfits of clothing for women and q
similar number for girls and miscellane-
Gus lot for men and boys.
What is needed here more than any
thing else is grave-diggers- Yesterday
hundreds of bodies were lying around and
there was no one to dig graves.
Yesterday morning at least fifty
funeral professions passed the Asso.
ciated Press headquarters. 1t was not an
unusual sight to see two or three collins
going along one after another followed
by a number Of mourners all in the same
family. 1t was an impossibility to secure
wagons or conveyances of any kind, con-
sequently all funeral PROFESSIONS were on
foot sas
Twenty five registry offices were open ed
yesterday. Up to noon g. 600 out of "a, 900
were registered.
Conservative estimates put the number
of lost at Z. 600, and many men OF calm
judgment place the number at 10 600.