The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-06-13

make wagon road for the bodies to bo
hauled away from the morgue. In front Of
the school house Is posted list Of the dead.
In this part Of the town isalocated tho
Irish Catholic church and convent. A re-
marlable story IL told about these sisters.
The mother Of the convent saw the wave
coming, which she says was mountain high.
She at once called al the sistcys into the
chapel. Hcrc the dozen npns began 70 pray
q they possibly never, preysd before for
struck the building It shattered the entire
structure and every room except the one
where the sisters knelt in prayer. f,tr
engines have constantly played on tho burn
ing ruins. At times tina Are saems almost
extnguished, but Atfuly hamea suddenly
break out afresh in some new quarter. The
sensation Of the day was the united 10
moostrance Of the physiciAnS against the
extinguishment Of the burning wreck. They
maintain that hundreds X not Thousands q
Hfoless and decaying bodies lie beneath this
mass OF burning ruins. 1T would be b.
ter" they say, ITO permit natures greatest
scavenger-the fiames-to pursue his work
unmolested than to further decay the horde
Of purifying bodies that lie beneath this
debris. There can be but one result. DAYS
will elapse before the debris can be sum-
ciently removed to permit the recovery Of
these bodies, and long ere that every corpse
will be putrid mass, yielding forth those
frghtful emanations of decaying human
flesh that can give but one result-the
dreadful typhus Every battle field has
demonstrated the necessity Of the hasty in
terment Of decaying bodies, and the stencil
that already arises is forerunner Of the
impending danger. Burn the wreckw
A loud cry of Indignation arose from the
lips Of the vast multitude and the warnings
OF science were lost in the eager demands Of
those who sought the remains of friends.
The hose was again turned upon the kissing
mass and rapidly the flames yielded to the
water. 1t is almost impossible to conceive
the extent Of these smoking ruins An area
of eight or ten acres above the dam is COW
cred to depth of forty feet with shattered
houses, borne from the resident center Of
Johnstown. In each of these houses 1t is
estimated there were from one to twenty
Ave people. This is accepted as data upon
which to estimate the number that perished
on this spot, and If the data be correct the
bodies that lie beneath these ruins must
number hundreds, If not thousands.
II
m. Of Thursday, May 80, the storm burst
upon the city Of Johnstown and continued
until II 80 a. N. Friday. At eight a. M the
torrent began to pour into the city from the
creeks and rivers. At ten u. m. there was
no outlet for the people. The first message
from the lake Mt South Fork was received
at ten a. IN. Friday, that the dam was weak
enlng. But the people, or the few who
heard the report, laughed to scorn this mes
sage, saying they had heard such news be-
fore. The second came at II 80 a. m. twas
to the effect that the dam was likely to burst
AT any moment. At 2:30 the final message
was received, advising the people to flee to
the mountains for their lives as the dam
must surely burst within the hour.
The messages were held by few officials
about the railroad, who neglected to sound
the alarm until ii was too late. At that
time the water had reached the second story
of some OF the dwellings in the lower part
OF the city. All bridges had been swept
away by the avalanche of water pouring
through the city. The warnings, which
were received in ample time for all to have
escaped, were sneered at and cast aside as
being an old story. At $3.50 the whistles
and bells gave warning that the dam had
broken, but then it was too late. There
was roaring sound, and before the people
could realize the danger the water was
upon them in mass, carrying every thing
before it. Had they taken the warning in
the morning from the messages received,
thousands Of lives would have been saved.
Yesterday corn patch Of about an acre
In extent at Nineveh was dug over by vol
unteer force and 13S corpses were uncov-
cred. The manner in which the ghastly
find was made was purely accidental. A
man walking over the eldl1icked at clump
Of garland; overturned it and uncovered a
woman's face. This indicated a rich find
and the people around were called to assist
with the results above stated. This in.
creases the list of dead at Nineveh to $50
The dead were found under about four feet
Of alluvial deposit.
PITTSBURGH, June 4.-There have been be-
tween ZOO and 5000 coffins sent or ordered
to be sent from Pittsburgh. OF these 1900
were sent yesterday morning. At noon an
order was given for 1900 more. The relief
committee has receiveda telegram from the
New York and Brooklyn Casket Company
Offering two car loads of caskets and all the
help necessary to handle them. Only the
caskets are being sent TO Johnstown, a. the
force Of undertskers has NO time to handle
rough boxes. Another firm has shipped 100
caskets and 500 shrouds. Tho statement
that there ID cofan famine II untrue. Two
car loads Of caslets shipped from CiacinnaA
were sent 70 Johnstown on the Baltimore &
Ohio road yesterday. I.,. /, w NV,
Tho secretary Of the South Forls FisAias
Club stated yesterday that The club had nct
1led an indemnity bond and - complaints
had ever been made about The AAmp saSsty.
HARRIsBuR0, Pa, yuae "a nsssaeewss
received ct the PsnnsylvsuiA raiirsa1 ~,
0on at this point yesterday fsueh Winielnsr
port stating that meeting hAA beeu haA y,
that city during the aftpSpooA - wAieA ~
following was anthorissd - " iseuSd toths
public: ''Ihe citv Of Williaznspstt ~ bssa'
sorsy stricken by The mept eevsre noed
ever known In tAe State a penAsylvHAiA
All hsve suffered great id6s. LArup aun.
bsrs Of our oitisens ere wholly a1s@it0ts aad
suffering for the necesssries Df ~ TAoes
Of our people able 70 DO % NJ elvtng WApl
they can, but ase unable 70 'fpylleb ~ -
lisf npedaA We appeal toa gsiisuos pub
~ u ~ nans of God 70 help -. Lst Svss3
sa!ae sestss = easaAEee - M!ll1alske :! =.