davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
MILES OF COUNTRY LAID WASTE.
Still Greater Reports Of Loss Come From
the Juniata Valley,


HUNTINGDON, June THE immense de-
struction to property in the Juniata Valley by
the raging floods can now be pretty correctly es-
timated since the receding waters have enabled
couriers to report from various sections. This
county's loss in the destruction of $50 dwellings,
109 barns 50 bridges, crops, farming property
and manufacturing property will reach over
$1,000 900. Lewistown. the county seat Of Mif-
fin county. is the next largest sufferer. The
tracks of the East Broad TOP Railroad, run
ming to Orbsonla from the main line at Mount
Union, are destroyed, and the Rock
Hill Iron and Coal Company's plant at
Orbisonia has suffered loss of $4,000. Lucy
Furnace, at Mount Union, was partially
wrecked Glamorgan Furnace was submerged
and ruined. The large machine shops
were swept away and not single
house or barn located along
the river for six miles west of Dewistown re-
mains standing From the mouth of the Ju-
niata river to Tyrone, distance Of LIZ miles,
not a bridge crossing the river is left
The complete isolation of all the Juniata
Valley towns has compelled the local mer-
chants to dispose of goods only in limited
quantities to individual purchasers. In Hunt
ingdon war prices prevail, and the lack o. suf-
ficient relief has left the sufferers in pitable
plight. Many of the needy are having their
wants supplied at the State Reformatory. Pas
senger travel on the Huntingdon and Broad
Top Railroad was resumed to-day, making
Baltimore and Ohio, connecting at Cumber-
land.
1t will require weeks yet before regular
travel will be resumed on the Pennsylvania,
and many months before permanent tracks can
be laid
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
MENQUITWORK.
Volunteers Are eLeaVing
JOhnStOWn in Dr0VeS
Every Day,
FEARING AN EPIDEMIC
The Situation Now Growing
Worse, and Workers
Discouraged.
FEARING AN EPIDEMIC
0NE0F THE URGENT NEEDS
rrRoN A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. !

JoHNsTowN, June 1.-THE volunteer
forces are likely to be withdrawn from
Johnstown," said Mr. Hartman, of the
Hartman Steel Works, at Beaver, Pa. 81
have talked with Mr.. Finn and Captain
Jones, and at meeting last night it was
decided that q week from Saturday
the volunteer workers would be taken
away. 1t is necessary to show just where
the town stands, both to the people of the
place and those of the country at large. No
workmen will stay here under present condi-
tions They are leaving in droves and the
number coming in barely fills the gap made
by those who go.
'The proper way to have taken care of
these men would have been to build tracks
out on the ground and run in box cars for
the men to live In instead of tents.
A New Plan Necessity.
'The present arrangement is very bad,
and should little warm weather come the
men would die like flies. In the box cars
5000 men could have been cared for much
more easily than the present number in
tents Superintendent Patton would have
had the tracks put in for us, and said he
would take every box car off his lines to
accommodate our men. But the others did
not see it at the time as did. They do
now.
Saying nothing about anything else, it
must be very apparent that the living of
such population as there is in Johnstown
without any system of sewerage whatever is
certain to breed disease. The mere living
of several thousand men in tents would be
enough to do this. People who have not
been here have not the slightest conception
of the desperate situation of the place. Com
paratively few here realize it.
Work for Thousands of Men.
Governor Beaver certainly doesn t under
stand it or he would take some step to aid
the town and its inhabitants. took gang
of 200 men over to Kernville yesterday to
see what could be done toward cleaning it
up. We worked two hours and withdrew
them disheartened. There was work there
Tor l 900 men for months.
'In short time there will be desperate
state Of affairs in Johnstown. Perhaps the
only way to prevent great evil will be to
perpet trate lesser one, and apply the torch
to the piles of rubbish. After it is reasona-
bly, Pertain that no bodies can be recovered
from the dam at the bridge it ought to be
fired. The firing of the rest of the rubbish
may endanger the town, but it is the only
thing that will save it from something
worse" SIMPSON.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
THE VALUE OF SOAPSTONE.N y

II Il Employed In Many Manufactures, and
Often as an AduIternnf.
One of the valuable minerals of this
country Of which the output is largely in
creasing is tale, or soapstone. 1t is used
for dressing skins, leather gloves and sim
liar purposes, but its greatest use is as an
adulterant For this it is peculiarly fitted
on account Of its lightness being employed
as a filler chiefly in the manufacture Of
soap paper, and rubber, and to a certain
extent as a lubricant with other sub
stances.
1t is also used for making slate pencil.
crayons, stoves, ovens, lime kiln Innings
and hearths, and also, being acid proof, for
sizing rollers in cotton factories. In Ala.
bama it is used for headstones. The Amer
lean aborigines used it for culinary articles,
and the Chinese for the carving of their
idols. Its lightness and its fbrous charac-
ter admit of its almost entire Incorporation
600 per cent? with paper stock, while elays
and other materials which it replaces are
only available to the extent of 30 to 40 per
cent. It is known to commerce by such
names as pulp, mineral pulp, agalite as
bestine pulp, and others of the same char,
acter,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
NOTHING BUT DIRT.
The Dam, Which in Giving
Way, Caused Such
AND DIRE DISASTER.
No Attempt Mudc to Prove That the Waste
Gates ut the Bottom of the Dam Weren't
Closed-Why the Break Was Bound to
Occur, Sooner or Later.
isrrcrAI rrLrenAM TO THE prsrArcH.,

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE pIsPArcH.i
NEW YORK, June 7.-The Sun will say in the
morning: The South Fork Fishing and Hunt
ing Club people are squirming under
the SUMS plain statement of the
facts In reference to the character
of the dirt heap, the giving way Of which was
the cause of the desolation of the Conemaugh
Valley. They have about two columns q
day of interviews in the Pittsburg
papers in defense of the dam and
of themselves. After attempting, however,
by ambiguous references to waste-ways, sluice-
ways and other things about the dam to con-
fuse the public mind, they have had to admit
the Suns statement that the waste gates
at the bottom of the dam had been closed ever
since the club leased the lake.
The attempt is made to belittle the effort
these gates could have had in lowering the
water in the lake. but that is a matter too easily
calculated to be an issue in the affair. People
in the vicinity say the waste gates let the water
through five pipes,
Each as Big as n Hogshead.
The remains of the arch through which they
ran still to be seen at. the dam, show that it
was about 20 feet wide and probably half as
high. 1t certainly was no smaller than that
This indicates the correctness of the peoples
statement Of the capacity Of the gates.
how fast water would pass through five pipes,
each as large as hogshead, with 70 feet
head of water behind them. is a problem that
any engineer can solve. and the answer will
be figure large enough to effectually dispose
of the statement that the waste gates were Of no
practical use for permitting the escape Of sur
plus water.
Great stress Is also laid upon the size of the
waste weir at the side of the dam. 1t is said to
have been 10 feet deep and 70 feet long.
Such waste weir, even IL though situated
as this was, would be able to carry off all the
water that would naturally be expected to get
into the lake above the normal level, but In
dams, bridges, and such works Of engineering.
the rule is
Not to Meet the Exact Demand
but to provide factor of safety greatly above
any possible demand. The event shows that
the factor Of safety in the Conemaugh Lake
dam was precisely nothing.
1t is likely that the actual surplus water in
the lake was not vastly beyond the capacity of
the weir. but the construction of the dam was
such that the moment the water reached
the level Of its top the dam was
bound to go. There was nothing
but dirt to hold 1t back, and no power on earth
could have prevented breach which every
moment afterward increased. Had the waste
gates been new five pipes each four or five
feet in diameter would have been spouting
out water under pressure of 75 feet head. 1t
will be hard to make people believe that this
would not have been relief enough to have kept
the water below the top Of the dam.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
AZ CASES OF PNEUMONIA
reported on Prospect Hill and Physician.
Greatly Fear an Epidemic.
TFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT

TFRoM STAFF coRREsPoNDENT.I
JoHNsTowN, June 7-Notwithstanding the
iact that the corps of sanitary inspectors have
stated that there was no danger of
an epidemic, the fact that there are
over two score cases Of pneumonia on
Prospect Hill remains. Dr. Golf stated to your
correspondent to-day that there was no sick
any probability Of contagion. Another member
Ine corps, who Is on the
SS.ate Board Of Health, came in from Millville
Dorough tonight and said there were AZ cases
ol pneumonia on Prospect Hill, which is right
opposite the Pennsylvania Railroad station and
apoVe camp Hastings. The member who made
tne statement was DR.. Sweet, of Philadelphia,
VINO is on DR.. GOff's staff. The doctor reported
.hat ne had personally investigated 42 cases OF
sne 9lsease, and it was spreading among the
residents. In conversation with a DISPATCH
correspondent DIR. Sweet said:
oldn't think there was any sickness in the
Mtcinlty NC until went up on top of that hill above
tne railroad station. l think it is called Pros
Pect Hill, and there is quite cluster of
nvuses about 1t. / made report to.
niIgnt that there were 40 cases there
alone, with some diphtheria among them. There
are any number of cases inside the hospital,
a,iu al tne disease is spreading outside. We have
al tne patients in the hospital that we have
Deen able to accommodate. am notan alarm
nt, put would greatly fear an epidemic. The
people may as well know it now as any other
time and prepare themselves accordingly. If
au epidemic breaks out we will have to take
extreme measures to prevent it."
another member of the corps said to-day:
?. am greatly IN fear Of this warm weather.
II n IL should continue the men could not stand
IN Gne odor and would have to drop the work.
~. ne disease germs which we are now trying to
keep down would spread, and there would be
notnlng left for US to do but to set fire to the
wnoie town. This is desperate remedy, but it
ls tne only way to prevent the spread of an
epidemic. Yes, the bodies that are in the ruins
would have to 60 in the flames"
McSWIQAN,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
MEN WITHOUT HEARTS.
Greedy Spectators Trying to Persuade
Sufferers to Sell Their Lands for Lit
tie or rNOthinR-Plucky Citizens
Who Stand by JOhnstoWu,
rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENCE

rFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
JoHNSTowN, June Its an i'll wind
that blows nobody good. Horrible as was
the disaster of one week ago, and frightful
as is the plight of its survivors tonight,
there are those mean enough to take ad-
vantage of the situation for their own profit
This afternoon quite number of real estate
speculators arrived on the scene and set to
work to buy up all She land obtainable.
Owing to the present condition of affairs
there are hundreds of halfcrazed men and
women here who, having lost everyone they
held dear, are willing to part with the little
homes, which to them represent the accu-
mutation of lifetime, for a song.
It is on this class of people, who. had
they time to think, would probably not part
with their land for love or money, that the
heartless spectators are preying, and un-
less some prompt measures are taken to
stop it hundreds will be without even so
much as place to build home, md with
but pittance for the land that once was
theirs. The real estate agents are using all
kinds of arguments to secure cheap proper
ties, and reverend gentleman, whose name
has escaped me, says they would have sue
ceeded in purchasing some valuable lots of
q number Of his parishioners to-day had he
not interfered. He is of the opinion that
Johnstown will go up like a second Chi
cago, and that it would be the worst of folly
for anyone to part with their possessions
unless they received fair value for them.
On the other hand there are those here
who declare that they could never live in
Johnstown now, with all its wealth OF hor-
rible recollections, and who are willing to
sell at any cost. Others fear a pestilence,
and want to get away to avoid it, while still
others think it will be better for them from
financial standpoint to locate elsewhere
Among this latter class some one wrongfully
placed Mr.. A. j. Haws. That gentleman
says he has lived in Johnstown too long to
forsaxe it now. CoNNELIY.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
DAVID AIKEN DEAD.

An Ex- Councilman and Fire Commissioner
of the City Passes Away.
Mr.. David Aiken. Jr., died this morning at
Is minutes past II o'clock, at his residence on
Anderson near Ellsworth avenue.
The deceased was well known in this city, his
connections with business men especially being
very extensive. He was member Of Councils
during the time many improvements were
made in the East End and tor many years
thereafter. He was also member of the Fire
Commission, and for two terms he acted as
President Of that body.
Mr.. Aiken was a very successful man and
considered quite wealthy.
He had been connected with many public in
terests in Pittsburg. He was in the Goth year
of his age
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
The Mary Tobin Mystery.

NEW YORK, June 7-Dr. William Bryan, who
was engaged to Mary E. Tobin, whose
mysterious death is being investigated
by the State authorities, to-day turned
over to Coroner Hughes at Rosebank
the small picture of DR.. Bryan, which Miss
Tobin wore attached TO ribbon about her
neck. DR.. Bryan, who had just returned from
Franklin, Pa. where Miss Tobin's relatives
live, also gave the Coroner letter which
he had been asked to deliver by a
sister of Miss Tobin. In this letter
the writer said she fonnd in her sisters trunk
tached to a ribbon about her neck, and in
which she carried the money she had when she
left DR.. Robinson's. A memorandum was
fo1nd in the trunk she owned that DIR. Robin
son had made a settlement with Miss Tobin
when she left his employ.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
GOVERNMENT BRIDGE BUILDERS
At Work Erecting n Structure Between
Johnstown and KernyilIe.

lei
JoHNsTowN, June THE work of construct
ing pontoon bridge across Stony creek, con-
Meeting Johnstown with Kernville, was com.
menced this evening at 8 o'clock. The work
will continue all night, and it is be.
lieved that the bridge will be ready
by noon tomorrow. One train contain
ing the material, arrived over the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad from Willet's Point and
another over the Pennsylvania Railroad from
West Point. One hundred members of the
battalion of engineers, in charge of Captain
Bergland. of Willet's Point, and Lieutenant
Biddle. of West Point, are doing the work
The construction is being superIntended by
Captain Sears, of the corps of engineers at
Washington, and was ordered by the War
Department
But little work has been done at Kernville
owing to the difficulty of reaching the town.
The full extent of the great disaster will not
be known until the huge mass of debris cover
ing thousands Of dead bodies isremoved. 1t is
said that but very small minority of the in
habitants of this little town escaped with their
lives. Rain began falling at o'clock and at
midnight the soldiers at work on the bridge
were drenched. LUTY.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
MORE WORKERS ON RAND.
Over 1000 Laborers Now Engaged-Dick
Brophy's $40. 600 Pillow.

Br0phy'8 S4O.OOO Pillow.
IFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
JoHNsTowN. June 7-Sidney H. Totten, of
the office of Superintendent of Police in Pitts
burg, has been appointed chief of the account
ing department and took charge at noon to
day. He stated this afternoon that 700
laborers 800 police and 30 messengers had re-
ported. This, he thought, was about one-half
OF the total number OF men at work, excepting
those employed by Booth & Finn, the men from
Beaver Falls, Braddock, McKeesportand other
places The men who went to work before
wednesday will be paid tomorrow. Those
who engaged themselves since then will be
paid week from tomorrow.
The Finance Committee was to have held a
meeting this afternoon, for the purpose of tix-
ing the rate Of wages to be paid the men in the
different departments. 1t Is thought the COM
mon laborers will continue to be paid $2 per
day and their board. Joseph H. Wilson has
been appointed foreman Of timekeepers. Jas.
ID. Duncan, the wellknown street railway con-
tractor, has been placed in charge Of all paid
men not included in the Booth & Finn gangs
He held conference this afternoon for the
purpose of making re-division of the work,
which he found to be too heavy for him.
Captain Richard Brophy, of Pittsburg, had
$4,000 pillow under his head last night. The
money belonged to the Johnstown Steel Com
pany. and was to be used in paying off the COM
pany's old employees E. o. Evans arrived here
from Pittsburg under the care of Captain Bro
ply and paid the men off to-day. The money
was in gold, and Captain BrOphy had to lie
guard over it. McSwIGAN.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
DELAYED PASSENGERS GO WESTWARD.
Nineteen Leave Altoona to Continue Their
Journey by Circuitous Routes.

Nineteen Leave Altoona to Continue Their
Journey by Circuitous Routes.
ALTOONA, June T. Eighteen west,bound
passengers started from here this morning.
Two of them will go from Ebensbarg to Indiana
by train, and seven to South Fork by train.
From there they will walk to Johnstown. So
far as the railroad agent at Altoona is aware
this closes up the west-bound movement of
passengers who were laid up at Altoona There
are tsw passengers still at Altoona who can
not stand the journey, and who will therefore
remain here for the present Following are
the names of the Is who left this morning:
Mrs. De B. Keims Reading, Pa; Mrs Nelson
Bowman, Brownsville, Pa; Miss A. G. Bowen.
Washington D. c.. Mrs. P. w. Fleming, Frank,
lin, Pa; w. Z. Hermann. Philadelphia; George
Myers, Mountville, Pa; Mrs. WIN. Crommies
and Mrs. Samuel Culp, Carlisle, Pa: Miss r.
c. Washington, Philadelphia: Adam Neff and
Ellen Neff, Springfield, O.; ]. M. Darnell and
two daughters, Memphis. Tenn; s. D. Jackson
Washington, d. G.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
SELLING FOOD he BEGGED.
A scoundrelIy Fellow With Charity Sand
witches to Barter Away.
lFRoM A sTAFF CoRREsPoNpENT.


lFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
JoHNsTowN, June T.-Even here, where
charity is unbounded, impecunious and avari-
cious ones are plying mnney-making schemes.
One of the most detestable instances
was one your correspondent saw to-day.
A pseudo sufferer from the flood appealingly
asked for food at the different relief stations
and was accommodated amply, for which he
was obsequiously grateful to the workers
I saw him at several of the stations. and in each
case he asked for bread and ham, which he got
This afternoon 1 was skirmishing about town
and feeling of hunger overlook me, or it.
heard the welcome voice of one crying sand
witches and coffee" approached the vender
to buy, when recognized in my beneficiary the
self-same sufferer" who had made a Clara
Morris impression of distress at the agencies
asked him his name but he was suspicious of
me, seeing nv badge, and skulked off.
told Ben Vandergrift. who has charge of
the Americus relief station. and he immedi-
ately sent several soldiers in search OF the
imposter. / understand there are many of the
same iIk doing lucrative business here, for
the reason that you cannot buy anything; as
the poor and suffering are attended to before
the visitors. KANE.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
NOT ALL SERENE.
Many Undertakers Leave for Home Be-
caBse of DIssntisla crion-some Of
Them Talk of the Grenf Work
They Have Done With
TFRoM A sTAFF CoRREsPoNDENr.]


rFRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENCE
JoHNsTowN, June 7.-Eighteen under
takers, nearly all Pittsburgers, left Johns
town to-day for Pittsburg. 1t was reported
they were leaving because of dissatisfaction
with the action Of two undertakers
of Pittsburg in pushing themselves forward
and claiming the lions share of the credit.
Mr.. Flannery, of Pittsburg, admitted that
there had been some feeling on this point,
but denied that the undertakers were leaving
because of it. ''Friday," he said, 'is always
o busy day with US at home. That is the
reason we want to be home tonight. There
is no trouble whatever. The greater part Of
the work is now at an end; bodies recovered
from this time on must be buried at once
They will be too badly decomposed to
embalm. The undertakers
Volunteered Their Services Freely,
and with one or two exceptions will accept
no pay. Here is Mr.. Murphy, all the way
from Syracuse, and he will not accept q
cent. and has paid his own expenses here
and back. If the undertakers had not gone
to JOhnstown as promptly as they did, the
danger from contsgion would have been
greatly increased. The people were too.
dazed to do anything for themselves.
"Not only have we given our services
free" said Mr.. Murphy, "but when we get
home we will raise money among ourselves
to set the Johnstown undertakers up in bus
iness."
'"There are % undertakers left in Johns
town." said Mr.. Flsnnery, "and if there.
is any need of US we are coming back"
The Police Have Grievance.
The Pittsburg policemen who have been
on duty in Johnstown left for home this af-.
ternoon. 1t was reported in this case also
that there was great dissatisfaction because
of the prominent part in guarding the town
taken by the militia. Roger 0'Mara denied
it. He said there had been no trouble at
all from first to last, and that the men were
Withdrawn simply because they were not
needed, now that the military had taken
hold Nevertheless, he didn't exactly see
what the particular need of the military for
guard duty was. SIMPSON.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-08
HEROIC HOSPITAL WORKERS.
The Red Cross Society Doing Its Best to
Relieve the Suffering.
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENCE


IFRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT
.JoHNsrowN, June THE Red Cross So
ciety with Miss Clara Barton. the famous
President Of the National Board of Charity,
at the head. is located half mile from town.
There are q people representing the society,
including physicians, nurses and attendants.
DR.. ]. W. ONeill, Surgeon of the First Penn
sylvania Regiment, is in charge of the corps of
physicians. and Gilbert H. Prindle, the heroic
nurse of the Plymouth Hospital during the
typhoid fever epidemic, is ready to render any
service he is capable of. The society has its
quarters in two cars, which are practically hos
pitals on wheels. Diphtheria and typhoid fever
have broken out. as has already been stated, and
the society has established a hospital for the
treatment of such cases in Kernville. The
patients are being taken there.
II. Stoner. Assistant Superintendent of the
Adams Express Company at Pittsburg, secured
a location. and has furnished wagons and
horses for the benefit of the society gratis, with
the additional invitation to call on him for any,
thing in his line of assistance. The society is
the original Red Cross organization, which has
agencies all over the world. KANE.