Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-06-05
THE DELUGE.

Will Rock Island DO Anything To.
ward Helping the survivors OF the
Johnstown Calamity y-.-what 9th
ers Are Doing.
AL over the country the people are re-
spending to the call for relief from the
sufferers of the Johnstown deluge. What
is Rock Island going to dor Who can
hear this question asked without feel>
ing of remorsef But perhaps Rock ISIS
and has been dilatory in this respect be-
cause no movement has been undertaken
looking to the charitable end suggested;
there has been no one here to take the
initiative. The ARGUS is anxious to do
its duty in this respect-to assume the
responsibility of establishing fund OF of
giving to the public any views that may
be offered as to how we should proceed
to raise our share of the donations that
should be forthcoming. Perhaps il
would be well to have a meeting of the
improvement association called to take
this action; at any rate, we should bestir
ourselves and so something. What shall
we dor
The express companies will all carry
funds gratuitously. the Western Union
Telegraph company carry messages upon
the subject free. and the railroad compa-
mics will carry all freight free destined
for Johnstown. Davenport has raised
$4,000 and Moline has called meeting
to take action; it certainly remains for
Rock Island to contribute in some way
its proportion. The city has done itself
proud in times past on dire occasions
such as this. and will do so again.
People who have travelled over the
Pennsylvania railroad know what seat
Of industry Johnstown was. 1t was
populated, too, by thrifty people.
There were wealth and general comfort
In few hours, and almost without
warning, it was changed into a scene Of
absolute desolation. The destroying ele-
ment did not respect sex, age or station.
Rich and poor, men, women and chill
dren, were swept out of existence.
Whole families were destroyed. On q
great battlefield the dead can be num-
bered and identified, and the wounded
cared for. Here this is impossible. The
dead was carried away by the relentless
waters, and are widely scattered. Many
OF the bodies will probably never be
found. or if found, will not be identified.
The list, II made Mp at all, must he
reached largely from the missing. and
this will take time. The vacancies in
family circles are to be counted. Relatives
and friends will. in many cases, wait pa
tiently and snxiously to hear from absent
ones whose bodies may not be found,
until at last hope will be given up and
the list of the dead will be increased.
And now worse and worse will come the
reports. and more horrible will become
the details which will be gathered for the
press. Neither has the loss Of property
been sufficiently estimated. 1t is enor-
nous. Twenty millians will not cover it,
and it may reach forty millions or more
To all the horrors of the hour poverty
is added. In addition to vacant places
in the family there are ruined homes, and
the sayings of years have been destroyed.
Immediate wants will, of course, be sup
piled. The country will see to that. A
generous people will contribute freely.
But, unfortunately. this is all the coun-
try can do. The afflicted may to this ex,
tent be comfortable, but the lost ones can
not be restored.