Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-06-14

the Ills ot the COncmaush Valley.
HARRIsBURG, June IA. = Governor
Beaver went to Philadelphia yesterday
and the banking institutions Of that city
came to the rescue and offered 81 200, 900
for the use Of the relief commission,
without security. the money to be re-
raid by the legislature.
JoHNsTowN, Pa, June 1.-THE in-
tention now is to solve the raft problem
with petroleum and the torch. For the
third time the drift has been fired and
is burning fiercely, but it is not de-
stroyed. Fifty barrels of coal oil viii
be emptied upon it and there win be a
big bonfire.
The citizens of Cambria borough
passed resolutions last night asking Gen.
Hastings to furnish them lumber and
nails to enable them to put up tenn
porary houses. there being only 400
houses to shelter 1900 people now home
less.
The new contractors in charge Of the
state works in clearing out the flood
debris from JOhnstOwn and vicinity did
not have all the men they needed yes
terday. but the number was largely in
creased before nightfall, and some very
effective work was performed. A regu-
lar morgue corps of six men followed the
workers in each district, and as fast as
bodies were uncovered removed them TO
the nearest dead house where they were
quickly prepared for burial.
Gratifying Progress Reported.
Gen. Hastings was very much graft
fled last evening with the reports
received from his engineer corps of
Douglass, engineer-in-chief, said that ne
expected to have channel thirty feet
in width cut through the big raft by
Saturday evening.
Dynamite was used very extensively
during the day to loosen up the big pile
of drift.
Four steam fire engines from PhiIa-
dplphia are, expected. The engines are
needed to check any spread of fire from
the burning of the debris.
Only 5000 or 1000 Lost.
The general opinion among well
posted people here IS that the loss of life
will be between 5000 and 1000. 1t was
generally given out that Johnstown and
boroughs adjoining had population of
$4,000 good people, but this a very high
estimate, and conservative people put
the population between %, 900 and %, 900.
Col. Rogers, who has charge of the reg
istration, states that from all he can
learn the population only amounted to
about %, 900, and this accounts for TO-
600 people supposed to be lost. The re-
ports sent out from here to the effect
that IL, 900 to Il, 900 people We're missing
were based upon the supposition that
there were 35 900 inhabitants in these
bOroughs. The reports as to the num-
ber of bodies recovered at different
points along the flooded districts are
very conflicting.
Another Mass Meeting.
The remnant Of citizens interested in
JOhnStOwns future assembled again in
mass meeting last evening. This time
Adjt. Gen. Hastings took the initiative
In the matter himself and called on the
business men to meet with him at his
headquarters in the Pennsylvania rail-
road freight depot Gen. Hastings
called the meeting to order and said:
II have called this meeting Of inter-
ested business men for the purpose of
consultation about the future of the bus
mess men OF Conemaugh valley" He
then outlined his plans for clearing the
vast accumulation of debris from the
streets. Whether the state would au-
thorize him to 60 further and clean out
the cellars of private houses and business
places, he was unable to state. The
general assured his listeners that his
work would progress as vigorously as
possible. He then urged the business
men to look ahead to prompt resump-
ton Of business.
Resume Municipal Government.
The general urged the necessity of
their organizing the municipal govern
ment, the meeting of the city council
and appointment Of police force for the
protection Of private interests which the
military guard cannot undertake.. II
A 81