Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-06-04
JOHNSTONA CALAMITY.
Proclamation of the
Governor.
APPEAL OF THE GOVERNOR
FOR AID.
Conservative Estimate of Losses-5,OOO
Lives and a.5,oOO,OOO In Properly.
PEsTILENCE THREATENED FROM
DECoMPosISG MATTER
Tho situation as Outlined by Press
Despatch es-.,.OO Bodies Re-
covered.
APPEAL OF THE GOVERNOR
FOR AID.
PEsTILENCE THREATENED FROM
DECoMPosISG MATTER.

HARRIsBURa, June 3.-The Governor
tonight issued the following:
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA,
Executive Chamber, Harrisburg, Pa,
June 3, lSSY.-To the People of the
United states: The Executive OF the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has re-
Trained hitherto from making any appeal
To the people for their beneiactions IN
,rjer hat he might receive definite and
reliable information from the centres of
disaster during the late floods, which
have been unprecedented In the history
oil the State or Nation. Communication
by wire has been established with Johns
town to-day. The civil authorities are
In control, the Adj ut Ut General OF he
State cooperating with them. Order has
been restored and is likely to continue.
Newspaper reports as to the loss OF life
and property have not been exaggerated.
The valley OF the Conemaugh, which il
pecu la, has been swept from one end to
the her as with the bosom of destruc-
tion. IL contained a population OF 40,-
COO to 80, COO people, living for the most
part along the tanks of n small river,
confined within it's narrow Limits.
The most conservative estimates place
the less OF life at S. % human beinL aud
of property at SIS, ,O00,000. Whole towns
have been utterly estroyed, not YES
tige remaining. In the more subsi antal
towns the better buildings, to a certain
extent, remain, but In n damaged conji.
ton. These who are least able to bear II
have suffered the loss oil everything. The
most pressing needs so far as food is con-
ce ned have been supplied. Shues and
plnthinU N all for IA
children are greatly needed. Money is
also urgently required to remove the
debris, bury the dead snd care tenn
pora lily for widows aud orphans, and for
the homeless generally. Other localities
have BufiI IrGd TO some extent in the came
way, but not In the same degree.
Late advices would seem to indicate
that there is great loss OF life and dt-
struction OF property along the west
branch of the Susquehanna and In local.
ties from which we can get no definite
info rmation. What does come, howev, r,
is of the most appalling character, and 1t
ls expected that the details Will add new
horrors to the situation. The responses
rom within and without the 3 ate have
been most generous and cheering. North
and South, East and West, from the
| United States and from England there
comes the same hearty, generous response
OF sympathy and h,lp. The President,
Governors of States, Mayors oI cities, In
dividua and committees, private and
municipal corporations seem to vie with
each o.hcr in their expressions of sympa-
thy and In their contributions OF substan-
| I al aid.
But gratifying as are these responses,
there is no danger OF their exceeding the
necessities OF the situation. A careful
| organic alton has been nude upon this
ground for the distribution of whatever
assistance Is furnished IN kind. Tee
Adju,ant-tiencra! OF the State is there as
| representative OF tie State authorities,
and Is giving perional attention, In con-
nection with the Ohief Burgess OF Johns
town ard a committee OF relief, to the
distribution OF the help which is fura-
ished. Funds contributed in aid of the
sufferers can be deposited with Drexel IL
Co., Philadelphia; Jacob G. Bomberger,
banker, Harrisburg; or vii lam X.
Thompson & Co., bankers, Pittsburg.
All money contributed will be used care
fully and judiciously. Pre-; ent wants
are fairly met. A large force will be en-
ployed at once TO remove the debris and
bury the dead, so as to avoid disease and
epidemic.
The people OF the comm onwealih and
others whose unselish generosity is here
by helrtlly appreciated and acknowledged
may be assured that their contributions
will be made to bring Their benefactl MS
to the immediate aud direct relief of
those for whose benefit they are intended.
JAMES A. BEAVER.
By the Governor:
Charles w. Stone, Secretary of the
Commonwealth.
PRESS DISPATCHES.
JouNsTowN, Pa, June 3.-The de-
velopments of every hour make 1t more
and more apparent that the exact num-
Der OF lives lost in the Johbstown horror
will never be known. All estimates that
have been made up to this time are con-
servGtlve, and, when all Is known, will
doubtless be found to have been too
small. Over !, ,0C0 bodies have teen
found since sunrise to-day, az d the most
skeplical concede that the remains of
thousands more rest ben ath the debris
above Johnstown bridge
The population OF Johnstown, the sur
rounding suburbs and the porti In Of the
valley affected by the flood is, or was,
500 0 to 5000. Associated Press re-
presentatives to-day interviewed numer-
Gus leading citizens OF Johnstown who
survived the h3od, and the Concensus Of
opinion was that fully 80 per cent, OF the
residents of Joknstown and Cambria had
heen victims OF the continued disasters Of
fire and water II this be true the total
loss of lie In the entire valley cannot be
less than 1000 or 5000, and possibly
much greater.
OF the tho lsands who were devoured
by the flames, and whose ashes rest be-
meath the smoking debris above Johns.
town bridge, no definite information can
ever be obtained. As little will be learn
ed of the hundreds who sank beneath
the current and were borne swiftly down
the Conemaugh, only to be deposited
hundreds of miles below on the banks
and In the driitwood of the raging Ohio.
Probably one-third OF the dead will
never be recovered.
"All indications point to the fact that
the death list will reach over 5000 names,
and. In my opinion, the missing will
reach 5000 In numbers," declared Gen.
eral d. Ii. Hastings o-night.
At present there are said to be 1900 re-
covered bodies. The great difficulties ex-
peIienced In getting a correct list is the
great number of morgues
BODIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
At 0 O'Clock In the evening the 613th
body had been recove ed at the Cambria