Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-06-07
The Loss of Life viii Probably
Reach 10000.

which are being promptly replied to
by all humane people.
AS the work of the flood IL revealed
the detailed accounts grow more
sickening and the wonder at such a
providence becomes more inscrutable.
246 bodies were recovered last Wed
nesday, most of whom were identi-
fed. 1t is feared that the wife of
Gen. Lew Wallace is among the lost,
as she has never been heard from
since she left her home on a visit
day or two before the calamity.
JoHNsTowN, Pa, June 5-In the
midst of this scene of death aud desc
iation relenhng Providence seems TO
be exerting a subduing infl.ace. Six
days have elapsed since the great
disaster, and the temperature still
remains low and chilly in tho Cone
maugh Valley. When 1t is rcmem-
bered that in the ordinary June
weather of this locality from two to
three days are sufficient to bring All
unattended body to degree of decay
and putrefaction that wound render
it almost impossible to prevent the
spread of disease throughout the val
ley, the iuestimable benefits of this
cool weather are almost beyond APP
probation. The emenations from
the half mile debris above the bridge
are but little more offensive than yea
terday, and should this cool weather
continue few days longer, 1t is pos
sible hundreds of bodies may yet be
recovered from the wreck in such a
state of preservation as to render
Identification possible.
SIX THOUSAND sEARcHhRs.
The work of clearing up the wreck
and removing the bodies Is now be-
ing conducted most systematically.
Over 5000 men are at work in the
various portions of the valley, and
each little gang of twenty men Is di-
rected by foreman, who is under
orders from the general headquarters.
AS the rubbish is gone over and the
bodies and scattered articles of value
recovered, the debris is piled up in
one high mass and the torch applied.
In this way the valley is assuming
less devastated condition.
At the Johnstown station, on the
east side of the river, everything was
quiet, yet considerable work is being
done. This is the chief commissary
station, and this morning by 2 o'clock
$1,000 people were fed and about GOO
families furnished with provisions.
THE WORK OF REGISTRATION.
At the different registration places
$1,000 residents of the devastated dis
trict had registered as alive and well.
The total population of this district
was between 10000 and $4,000.
This morning 100 men arrived
here In charge of Phillip Flyn, and at
IL o'clock they had succeeded in do
ing more work at clearing away the
debris than has been done heretofore.
Seventy-five carpenters and twenty
carloads of provisions came with the
laboring men. This morning anoth-
Ell delegation of workmen came up
from Breddock.
Conservative men are Of the opin-
ion that the number of people de-
stroyed will reach from 1900 to
5000. 1t must be remembered that
a very large proportion OF this loss is
made up of children.
IN THE MoRGUE.
the little ones lie in dozens where the !
adults are in half dozens, but there
is and has been much greater diff
Guilty in recovering the bodies of the
Being lighter and smaller
they have often been swept into out
of. the-way recesses that are almost
inaccessible, as they are more easily
carried away. A very great proper
tion of the children have been swept
down the river and their bodies
driven in under overhanging banks,
under thickets and in other places
where there is only sparse popula-
ton aud where the search is not car
ried on in carefully organized man
ner. The drift of opinion among in
telligent men, physicians, engineers
and railroad men Is that from 1000
to 1900 of the bodies will never be
found.
A THOUSAND FUNERALS.
The gray mists had scarcely arisen
from the hills this morning until
thousand funerals were coursing
their green sides. There were no
hesrses, few mourners and as little
as formality. The major
ity of the collins were of rough pine.
The pall-bearers were strongfarmers,
and instead of six pall-bearers
to one coffin there were generally six
collins to one team. Silently the pro-
cessions moved, and silently they I'M
loaded their burdens In the lap of
mother earth. No minister of God
was there to pronounce a last bless
Ing as the clods ratified down, except
a few faithful priests who had fol-
lowed some mangled representatives
Of their faith 10 the grave.
AWFUL CONDITION OF THE coRrsEs.
A fact that has been heretofore
overlooked Ia the awful strain is the
loiled condition of the corpses. Full