Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-13
UNDER MILITARY RULE.
The State Takes Control of Affairs at
Johnstown.

JoHNsTowN, Pa, June 12-The borough
OF Johnstown and surrounding towns are
now under military rule AT Z o'clock this
morning General Hastings took charge ana
soldiers were placed on guard at all the COM
missary departments and morgues. A slight
rain has been falling all the morning and the
city presents dismal appearance. Every
thing is In turmoil aud confusion and little
or no work is being done. However, all the
men ut the morgues and relief committees
are still hard at work.
General Hastings states that the work of
clearing away the debris, under the direc-
tion OF the state, will commence earnest
tomorrow morning. James Mcknight has
been selected as one of the contractors, and
he will have two thousand men at work to-
morrow morning.
For the first time since the calam-
lty, the people are commencing to
talk of their financial losses and
this seems to worry them as much as any
thing clse To say that great number of
former merchants are disheartened is putting
1t mildly. Pittsburg wholesale merchants
ure here trying to comfort them. They are
offering old merchants inducements TO start
up again.
Eight hundred special policemen en-
ployed here by the sheriff were discharged
this morning and soldiers put In their places.
General Hastings gave orders to permit
all persons wearing press badges to go any
been making house to house canvass will
be ready to report this evening. After this
a second canvass will be made to verify the
first, and as this will take over u week there
will be no correct list of the living until that
time.
But few bodies were recovered this morn.
ing, owing to the chaotic condition of affairs
pending the transfer of authority. The re
are only about one hundred and fifty men at
work.
Order is coming out of chaos and military
discipline has shown its effects at the end of
the first day. AT citizens meeting this
afternoon resolution was passed bidding
General Hastings God speed and ordering
the city officials to keep hands off. A grand
exodus of workmen has been going on all
day. AS fast as their money was handed
out of the paymaster's window the workmen
boarded the trains on which their picks and
carts were loaded and left Johnstown with
out any expressed regrets.
Work upon the uins has been nearly at a
standstill all day, but tomorrow morning
General Hastings expects to have $500 men
at work. The new plan of canvassing the
city ana systematzing the distribution OF
supplies is meeting with general favor. Pro-
visions and supplies continue to come in
freely. There is little change IN the health
situation.
A meeting was held in Alma hall by the
citizens of Johnstown to-day, at which the
leading business men who survived the flood
were present Remarks were made by sew
eral of those present touching the great work
before them, and the necessity of united and
individual action to rebuild the town,
and the cultivation of fortitude to bear
up under the burdens so suddenly thrust
| upon them. Resolutions were adopted thank
ing James Scott for his uatiring efforts to
bring order out of chaos, the people of Pitts
burg in particular and the citizens of the
United States generally for their prompt and
generous assistance.
The bureau ofregistration reported to-day
that 1868 survivors had registered. Many
registered twice and some half dozen times,
which caused the list to run up to $1,000.
| To-day scarcely twenty names were regis
tered, showing the work is approaching COM
| pleton The number of bodies recovered is
I,l92, of which 62S have been identified.