The National tribune., 1889-06-06
GREATER THAN PoMPEIr.

For ages the destruction Of Pompeii has
stood as the worlds monumental disaster.
No sudden calamity in all history has ap-
preached in horror the quick obliteration by
an eruption of mud. ashes and lava the beau
tiful little pleasure city that nestled under
the treacherous shadow of the crater of We
suvius. Aug. "a, 1910 years ago, the PAM
pered patricians of ancient Rome were
feasting and making merry in their luxuri-
Gus villas on the vine-clad shores of the
beautiful Tyrrhenian Sea, when the founda-
tons of the earth trembled and lurid death
swallowed them up, even while they pressed
the cup of pleasure TO their lips. Husbands
and wives, parents and children, masters
and servants. the stern sentinel, helmet on
head and spear in hand, were swept at once
into eternity, and the possessions upon which
they built their luxury and pride, Joined in
the universal ruin.
To-day we shudder at a greater calamity
than befell Pompeii Vastly more human
lives, and inconceivably more wealth than
were destroyed by the Vesuvian eruption of
70 have been swept out of existence by the
bursting of dam which confined the waters
Of an artificial lake in the mountains of
Pennsylvania. The food has been more
cruel than the widest work of the pent-up
fires which rage in the bowels of the earth.
The awful spectacle, at which the world has
shuddered for nearly - centuries. of torrent
OF fire sweeping down mountain-side, upon
populous cities at its base, has at last been
outdone by that of deluge of mad waters
rolling through narrow gorge filed with
people busy in all the vocations of life, hurl-
ing them by thousands into eternity in the
twinkling of an eye and spreading destruc-
ton over their smiling land.
The greatness Of the death and destruction
is simply inconceiyable. Figures give no
idea whatever Words are ridiculously
weak and incapable At one moment we
have happy, prosperous city of 10000 peo-
pie, with suburbs and outlying villages con-
tanning thousands more. They have beau
tiful homes, splendid business buildings.
school-houses and churches stores filled
with costly stuffs and the necessaries of life,
great rolling-mills and factories throbbing
with powerful and complicated machinery.
Then huge wall of water, 80 feet high,
moving with the resistless power given by a
descent of 800 feet, rolls across, and Death
and Ruin glut themselves. Before such a
spectacle the most vivid imagination falls
unnerYed. The most sanguinary battlefield
the world ever saw could not approach its
horrors. The pestilenee which has stalked
at MONDAY in ours and foreign lands has
been much more merciful. 1t is simply I'M
paralleled among the calamities of history.
The question which instinctiyely leaps to
the lips of everyone of our generous, synpa-
thetic people is " What can be done to help
mitigate the awfulness of this disaster? "
Unfortunately there cannot be much done.
If bouudless human sympathy and unstinted
money could restore the lives of these peo-
pie, and replace their ruined homes it would
not be long of accomplishment, for the hearts
and wealth of the whole country would be
devoted TO it.
Yet there viii be abundant opportunity
for the employment of the money which
will be freely offered from all sections
There will be orphans to be provided for
and educated, MANNED and broken to be
cared for, people suddenly stript of their all
to be supported temporarily Of
mouths to be supplied with food, thousands
of the homeless and destitute to be given
shelter raiment, and medicines
We will not say we hope that the contri
buttons of money and other necessaries viii
be prompt and generous. We know they
viii be. Emergencies of far less gravity
than this have touched our peoples sympa
thies to their depth, and brought a quicken
ing shower of money. To touch an Ameri
cans sympathies is to open his pocketbook
and he is the most cheerful giver that tn
} Lord ever loved. There is certain to b
speedily offered all the money that can b
properly used for the alienation of the mis-
cry in and around Johnstown, and thos
whose hearts impeI them to have hand il
Thu benefcent work should not let the SUI
go down upon their unfulflled purpose t
contribute their share
A UNIFORM FOR THE W.R.C.