Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-06-11
THE DES0LATE CITY.
Bodies Hastily Buried in Shall
low Graves.
Stationary Engines Work at the
Stone Bridge.
Many Bodies Found Yesterday at the
Fires Of Cremation Started by Unknown
Hands.

| ne lFbgIess OF iIt Work at the stone
bridge today was more satisfactory, snd
more was accomplished in removing the de-
bris than on any of the three other DAYS A
stationary engine on the bridge has done the
work of more than fifty men. Huge masses
of broken and bent iron and immense tim
bers, which the men have been irving TO
move for days, were lifted from their places
and moved with ease. Fourteen more of
these great helpers have been sent for and
will be here tomorrow. This will make
twenty four doing excellent work
The large force of men heretofore EN-
ployed at this point have been taken to other
points. small force of men with the aid OF
the engine, doing more efficient work
heavy charge OF dynamite was put of
today and d great deal of good demon
sttatins that heavy charges must be used
Three bodies were found lying close togeth-
er today near the stone bridge, making ten
or twelve found in that vicinity
All the cOmmlssary staff are kept busy as
usual. At Cambria vast amount of pro
visions and clothing are being distributed.
Long lines OF sufferers stood in the rain
waiting their turn. No one without an order
receives anything Every department is un-
der the strictest discipline. Most excellent
work is being done By the Pennsylvania Rail
road Co.. which is ahout To reach Mineral
?Oiut with a construction train.
The wa-hout between the stone bridge and
the PENNSYLVANIA station is almost filled and
trains ar running over bo h tracks The
hurried bur AZ uf the dead in the cemetery
on Prospect liill is causing the residents
of that beautiful suburb of Johnstown a
great deal of Al Siety
The bodies ate placed in cheap coffns
s LT.,t.,
the decomposed bodies rises to the surface
a. attracts uunber of dogs who make the
night hideous by their bowling and paving
over the graves The cofins are only put three
feet under the ground as there is not time to
dig tlIr graves deeper Il is found necessary
To plste guards IN the little cemetery con
tanning POO graves to drive the dogs away.
To-day Dr Miller OF the volunteer staff of
the Cambria hospital instructed the Ameri-
Gus club mcm9prs in the camp near the
cemetery caring for some refugees To Sc
cure disnfectauts at oace and place it on the
graves to kill the odor. The funeral of the
hrst flood victim, which might be truly
called such, in which the corpse was taken
10 the cemetery IN a conveyance, was held
today, the body beng borne in wagon and
accompanied by mourners in carriages.
Burial services were held over the remains
Thirty-tive bodies were recovered today,
II at the stone bridge. Those taken out of
the water were in much better condition
than those found among the debris The
latter were horribly bloated and distorted in
feature. Decomposition had set in and the
bodies are now almost beyond reco4 nj o..
The under,akers Will all leave tomorrow
Petty iealousies made it un, leasant for
some TO work with others. Now the State is
to TAKE charge and the volunteer service re-
Geved, They say that the State can and
must hire und. rtakers to bury the dead.
The report that DIR Sbbett addressed to DR.
Croft gives the total number of bodies re
covered as 1889.
Official bulletin of the State board of
health today The favorable condition
stated in the first report continues
No contagious diseases of any kind pre-
walls. few cases of a mild type of mea-
sles but no signs of any epidemic is manifest
The S ate Board Of Health is fully prepared
to meet all emergencies as they may arise,
As precautionary measure hospital for
contagious diseases has been established.
The air continues pure and wholesome and
water pure Bo lies still in the wrecks are so
covered with ca tn not to be dangerous to
hea!ih Every prtcauiion is being taken to
prevent contamination of the water supply
for tow ms below Johnstown, There is no
ground whatever for alarm in this matter at
present The bodies in the river are cover
ed with mud and earth. The weather is cool
and favorable. At present there is every
reason to be encouraged.
James b. Scott said this afternoon THE
week will continue as it has until Wednesday
morning. Everything will be handed over
to the State. Relief must be given until the
people can take hold for themselves When
the Cambria iron orks and the other mills
resume the people Will be able TO earn more
money. The great aim at present is to give
the survivors work. The State is to open a
commissary department where goods will be
sold until the merchants are able again to
get on their feet We are building store
houses all along the Baltimore and Ohio
where supplies will be kept until it is neces-
, sary to use them. Thus evils will soon be
remedied. Supplies are still in demand
J. n, Munden, in charge of the removal of
the bodies from the ruins, ss,s up to date he
has found over $1,000 in money in the pocket
of victims. The largest sum was SO, ia.
/ He states that the robbing of stores and dead
bodies still continufs notwithstanding the
guard placed over the ruins by the civil
authorities The Johnsons Switch Co, whose
/ works were entirely swept away from Wood
! Vile. are preparing to rebuild the switch
works plant on an extended scale at MOxham,
three miles up the stream, entirely away
| from any possibility of a recurrence Of the
| disaster overtaken their works here. They
1 employ from 1000 10 1900 men