The evening world., 1889-06-06
POMPElI DID NOT EQUAL IT.
JOHNS1OwNS DISASTER TAKES RANK AS
THE GREATER CALAMITY.

Parallels Between the DcptFuctiou Wrought
by tho Water from south Fork Dam an,
the Rain oT Ashes from vesuNIns Pom
peITs Popuintion Less Than 10000, The
Valleys 10000.
The destruction of Herculanoum and Pom
pei has stood up to date as the most terrible
calamity which ever swept down on a city.
For the last two thousand years the world
has looked upon the fiery extinction Of the
old town Of pcmpeii, which nestled at the
base Of Ncsuvius on the sunny Bay Of Ma.
, pies. as the browning blow of disaster in the
story Of human mortality.
But the late horror in the Pennsylvania
valley is really n greater misfortune than that
which belell the old Clmpauian town sc venty-
nine years after the birth of Christ il the
number of victims or the extent OF territory
de vastatcd by the destroying element be con.
sidered.
To make a comparison betU cen Pompeii
aud Johnstown may serve to bring homo
more viyIdly 80 the minds Of many the OK.
tent OF the terrible calamity which occurred
last FRIDAY in the Keystone State.
The entire area ui Pompe;i was not more
than two miles in circumference, aud its
huuIt WIS tlldl u III lIbLuldI ONdl. W hlt
was somewhat d~iterent from that OF tire
own as IL is known to-day by the excava-
tions. This difference III location is due to
the alteration in the ground 10y Volcanic
action and earthquakes.
Something OF that terrible irony of fate
which brought two elements. one OF which rs
usually EMPLOYED for combating tho
other, INTO connection with regard to the
desolaiion wrought at Johnstown Is also sug-
gested Ivy this location of Pompeii.
heated nm thp Raw nf NRnlpE with NynfaF
almost at their doors, the unfortunate
POmpelans were smothered and roasted under
the scorchlng rain OF ashes which fell upon
them.
Johnstown, On the other hand. high up
among the mountains and remote from the
sea, was whelmed beneath the flood of water
which tore down upon the 81. all town and
carried 1t away in Il wild. tumultuous whirl-
pool. Then, from this watery grave burst
fortl, deadly tongues of fire to continue the
ravRges of n fearful destruction upon the
miserable inhabitants.
The most interesting comparison, how.
ever. is the iatcs of the gay and festive
Pompeians-who ut the very time when Death
rained down upon them from the sky Of fire
stretched above their doomed city were en-
gagged in luxurious idlIngS in the baths and
excited delight ut the amphitheatrical spec
taclcs-and the frugal Woodworking country
folk of YOUNGSTOWN is not in the territory
devastated but in the numbers which went to
swell the death list OF the victims.
The data from which the population of
Pompeii may lie gathered is somewhat insult
ticient, and as n result the census IL put ut
widely differing figures. 1t was once gen
orally supposed To he between 10000 and
80, 900. But the careful estimate Of Fiorelli,
who has superintendent the excavation OF the
buried town, puts the population of the city
at the time of the terrible outpour of Vesu-
Nius at no more than IL, 900 souls.
THIS is probably a liberal estimate, and
there is every reason to suppose that 1t was
less.
Many of Pompeii's ~. 900 e~scaped-indeed,
they had teBfold the facilities for escape than
had the people OF Johnstown.
Tue latest returns from the flooded town of
.Johnstown rates the deaths at thirteen or IF
teen thousand. Probably when tie entire
number of the unfortunates who persisted III
that hell of water is ascertained 1t will be
found III excess of these figures rather than
below them.
For instead Of starting with a big number
aud gradually whiting 1t down as the truth
was known, every day has brought a larger
figure as that whichtruly indicated the death
roll.
Only 300 human skeletons have been found
i'll the POlnpciian excavations. The quota of
dead bodies found NJ Jchnstown already num-
bers MS many thousands.
There is little doubt. then, that the obscure
own in Conemaugh Valley, which n week ago
was unknown, has the unenviable position of
heRdinG the list i'll the roll call of the worlds
disasters, and Pompeii. which has held this
prestige OF disasters biggest mark.
must hencefOrth he mentioned rs inferior to
the Pennsylvania town in misfortune and
calamity.
One mournful advantage Johnstown has
over the small Cnmpanian town which flour
ished =. COO years ago. 1t will not be two mil
lenninms before the victims are discovered.
The sad survivors are gradually recovering
and identifying their dead, and m%ournful
lines of fearful relatives follow the steady
procession to the huge pit which yawns for
Johnstown's thousands of cOrpses.
IL is an unparalleled tale of horror and one
that IL enough for the worlds history with.
ont ever being supplemented by another.
Out of the Ozark mist of horror which en-
velODS the whole llOod- Curdliug Incl
dent are nets of the finest hcroisn. and the
same humanity which wceps and svmpathizes
with the helpless Johnstown people, can also
feel u piidC III the heroic fibre which was
shown IN meu and women III the lowliest
walks of life.
AIRS. Oglc. stayiug at her desk and clicking
a note Of warning over the friendly wire.
WOile the wave of destruction WAS earing
swiftly q upon her. il II figure that Shouid
lie monuments in the heroes of history.
So, too. that Paul ReNerr who sped along
uuou his painting horse shouting a thrilling
warning to all whom he met,
PumpCi was not without it's heroes, and
the Roman sentlnels found dead upon Their
post showed u sublime sense of duty, hut
here. too, 1t would seem as II the modern
town had surpassed its predecessor Of old
and was in the foremost place for nobility of
human deeds Ms II Is in the bar of history as
the awful butt of destiny and overwhelming
disaster.