The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-07-02
HOUSING THE HOMELESS
CLARA BARTON UNDERTAKES 4 NEW
RESPONSIBILITY.
Clearing the Conssnaugh Of wire
Ncarcning the rIace where the
Day Express was Last Soen.
1--WE Bodies Found

JOHNsTOwN. PA. July 1.-Clara Bar
ton has replied 10 the citizen 8 financial
committee. which requested her 10 take
charge Of housing the homeless people.
She will undertake the new response
bility in addition To acting as chief ma
tron Of the Red Cross Hospital and com
mences her work tomorrow. An
attempt was made this norm
ing 10 clear the Conemaugh OF
the wire it contains. About
300 men we're put ON the work. They
have 10 wade into the water up to their
hips. and their work is much impeded.
The force had not been at work an
hour. when the body Of a man was
found. The head had lost all its flesh
and the body was stripped OF its cloth
ing. It's thOughtthat a large number of
bOdieelwill be extricated to-day from the
vlrr in tlo bottom OF the river. This
point is in a direct line from the place
where the day express was lost, and 1t
is almost certain that the bodies OF
many OF its lost passengers will be
found. The mOrgue report for to-day
shows ve bodies fOUnd-Francisi iDally,
Roland O'COnnOr, Francis Forest and
two unknown. No more dynamiting
will be- done. except in cases where the
debris cannot be otherwise removed.
CLARA BARTON IS RESPONSE.
JoIrNsrowN. PA..July LIN response
TO the request Of the citizen 5 finance
committee TO take charge Of the put
ting up of the houses, Clara Barton, Of
the Red Cross Society, answers to-day
in the following letter
"Gentlemen,- The great couuesy
shown me. by your request. that the
ORGANIZATION over which / have the
pleasure to preside shall unite its efforts
with yours IN securing immediate shell
ter for the homeless OF this Afflicted
town. and your oBcr TO cooperate
in every way possible to that
end. has left me practically without
words with which 10 express either my
thanks or my acquiesence. and you Will
not wonder that ! should have taken a
few hours in which to look the stua-
tlon in the face and attempt to form
some Judgment az 20 the probable
aid which we might bo able
to render. If the need " ere less inn
perative. the decision might well admit
of the situation. but the pressing neces-
sitv Of the people who wait and suffer
ON the one hand. and the great perpleX-
ing burden OF you. who have under
taken and are stirring amid so many
and so appalling difficulties FOR their
relief. OF the other admit of no reserve,
but demand every energy and risk;
and, God helping us. our organization
will assume these. aud looking to the
aid Of our great-hearted public, whose
generosity is equaled by it's sympathy
and its abundance. we will labor hand
To hand with YOU for the
creation Of the little homes which
shall quickly take those dazod
bareft and houscloss people mp from
the ground and shelter them from the
sun and the storms. under roof they
may regard as their own. The whole
country will be glad Of the click Of the
hammer on the hillsides of J0hust0wn.
ana every stauuch lumborman from
Maine 10 Michigan and mills of Iowa,
from the Pine tree State tO the Rio
Grande. will be proud of the little, plain
cottage that he has helped to rear in The
COnemaugh Valley.
II have the honor 20 be, gentlemen.
most respectfully
CLARA BARTON.
President of the National Red Cross
Of America.