Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-06-06
The Pennsylvania Disaster.

The enormity of the devastation wrought
by the Conemaugh flood is becoming more
apparent with every fort of the laborers to
resolve order out of chaos. A large force
all day yesterday were engaged in an effort
to clear passage from the death bridge up
wards through the debris that blocks the
Conemaugh for nearly half mile. Every
ingenuity known to man has been resorted
10 by this crew. Dynamite was brought
into requisition, and at frequent intervals
the roar of explosions reverberated through
the valley, and sticks, stones and logs
would fly high in the air. Gradually few
of the heaviest timbers we're demolished and
The fragments permitted to float downward
through the centre arch. At nightfail, how
ever, The clear space above the bridge did
not exceed an area of GO feet in length by 40
feet in width. Fully 5. 600 men are ct WORK
clearing eff debris. Bodies are now being
rescued in large numbers. 1t ia only in defer
ence 10 the unreasoning mandate of grief that
the labor of clearing the river by dynamite
and the derrick is persisted in. There ls NO
hone that this task can be pursued to the end.
There are many conservative minds that
recommend the use of the torch 10 this work
of clearing tbs river. Most of the bodies, 1t
is thought, will be found in the jam above
the railroad bridge and in that near the
clubhouse in Conemaugh. Those who saw
the flood estimate that five thousand bodies
are in the former place. and those who es-
capped from the latter say that persons were
drowning all about them. 1t will take
10 900 uen thirty days to clear the ground
20 that the streets shall be passable and the
work OF rebuilding can be begun.
The latest estimates are that the death
oss will rot be over 100 600 In twenty-four
hours more every mass of rubbish will prob.
eby have been searched, and tie investi.
cations will be confined to the smoking
wreck above Johnstown bridge.
By sunrise at Jamestown yesterday
thousand funerals were coursing the green
sides of the mountains. There were no
hearses, few m0urners, and as little solem-
nifty as formality. The majority of the cof.
fms were of rough pine. TIE pail bearers
were strong OK teams and instead of ak
pail bearers to one coffin there were gener-
ally six cotIius to one team. Two hundred
and fifty bodies were recovered yesterday,
making the pnmber 20 far found nearly
three thousand Fully one-third of those
recovered have been so manged, bruised or
charred thai Identification was impossible.
Considerable sickness hss occurred from ex-
posure to wet and cold. The greatest dan
ger to public health is feared from over.
crowding and filth in inhabitabie parts of
the town.
Over 500 900 is new in the hands Of Gov
ernor Beaver for the relief of the sufferers
The relief work has been go systematized
that there is no confusion. At the distrib
uting depois, hundreds assemble morning,
noon and night, and, forming in line, are
supplied with provisions.
Although the loss of the Cambria Iron
Company will foot up into the miiiona, the
destruction of their plant is not as bad as
reported at first, and officers of the compa-
ny now say they expect to resume opera
lions within thirty days.
As the waters of the Junata river recede
great damage is apparent, the loss being es-
timated OF 100000 at LewistoWn, S200,00
at MapIeton and $500. 1000 at Saxton.
The relief train fer Jamestown. loaded
with provisions and clothing, left Washing
ton last last night.