Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-06-20
4 MEETING AT JoHNsToWN.

The Business Men of the Deluged City
Get Together and Resolve to Avail
Themselves of Assistance Preferred and
Get to Work Again-GeneraI Hastings
Thanked for His Efforts.
JoHNsrowN, Pa. June 1.-The remnant
of citizens interested in Johnstown's fut-
| ure assembled again in mass-meeting
yesterday afternoon. This time AdJu-
tant- General 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:
General Hastings called the meeting TO
order and said: 81 have called this meet
ing of interested business men for tho
purpose of consultation about the future
of the Conemaugh Valley"
He then outlined his plans for clearing
away the vast accumulation of debris
from the streets; whether the State would
authorize him to go further and clean out
the cellars of private citizens and bust
| ness houses, 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 the prompt resump-
ton OF their business. eff there are
among you business men here assembled
who desire to open business and will in
dictate to me what will be necessary to
assist to that end, I will communicate
with the proper people in order to see If
we can't get you that need 1t, put on your
feet again."
He assured his listeners that there was
no necessity for any one now in the val
ley to feel hunger, or to go shelterless, as
the organization for supplies, clothing.
etc, Is as near perfect as is possible. and
| IT any one suffers from any cause, it is
| their own fault. The General urged the
necessity OF their reorganizing their
municipal government; the meeting of
the City Council and appointment of
police force for the protection of private
interests that the military guard can not
undertake. The General added: II
want you to go about your daily avoca-
tions as you did formerly"
The speaker again invited them to
make their wants known, saying that he
would call upon certain parties to furnish
building material to erect structures
suitable for the transaction of business.
pittsburgh merchants are anxious to
provide you with stocks to set you up in
business again, and there are gentlemen
in this audience who have come here for
the purpose of taking you by the hand
and saying to you that, if their aid is de-
sired, they are willing to trust you and
wait on you until this city can take
some tangible shape. The lumber for
your buildings will be sent to you in
train-loads entirely gratis"
General Hastings then asked for re-
marks and suggestions from the audi
ence. His speech was received with
thunders of applause, and men rushed
forward to grasp his hand, tears stream
ing from their eyes, speaking their thanks
with husky voices.
William Caldwell, the oldest business
man in the city, announced that he had ar
ranged to resume business Immediately.
Many others followed in brief talks, urg-
ing upon themselves united action in all
they did. 1t was then suggested that
Colonel Linton prepare set of resolutions
embodying the views of the business
men of the city. Colonel Linton respond.
ed by saying that his Office, together with
his pens, ink and paper. was by this time
in the Mississippi river, and he could not
write resolutions or any thing else.
VIM. Seabright General Hastings
stenographer, stepped to the front and
Colonel Linton dictated the following:
Resolred, That the merchants and business
men of Johnstown. assembled here at the re-
quest of General Hastings, will each one use
his best efforts to restore by his own actions,
the condition OF business and prosperity of this
place prior to the flood.
Resolred, That this meeting tenders its heart
lest thanks to General Hastings for his kindly
suggestions to offer aid.
The resolutions were unanimously
adopted. Forty-two business firms were
represented.
Several stores were opened during the
day, and were thronged with purchasers.
Many of the articles purchased were
for female wear, which they have de-
prived themselves of rather than accept
them for nothing in crowd of scram-
bling men and boys. There has been
system everywhere to-day, and a great
improvement is manifest. There is an
excess of clothing. Money and food is
the present great need. Two carloads Of
fresh meat, delayed by the way, were
so badly spoiled when they arrived
yesterday that their precious contents
had to be burned. The donations of pro-
visions can not be too extensive.
The Aid of Petroleum to he Invoked.
JoHNsTowN, Pa, June 13-The inten-
ton to night is to solve the raft problem
with petroleum and the torch. To-day,
for the third time, the drift was fred and
is burning fercely, but if it is not de-
stroyed fifty barrels of coal oil will be
emptied on it tomorrow and the whole
mass will go up in bonfire.
The citizens of Cambria borough passed
resolutions to might asking General
Hastings to furnish them lumber and
nails to enable them to put up temporary
houses, there being only forty houses to
shelter fifteen hundred people n ow home
less.
The new contractors in charge of the
States work in clearing out the food
debris from Johnstown and vicinity, did
not have all the men they wanted to-day,
but the number was largely increased be-
fore nightfall, and some very effective
work was performed.
A regular morgue corps of six men fol-
lowed 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.
General Hastings was very much graft.
fed this evening with the reports re.
ceived from his engineer corps of the
work done during the day.
Colonel Douglass, engineer in chief,
said this evening that he expected to have
a channel thirty feet in width cut through
the big raft by Saturday evening. .Dyna-
mite was used very extensively during |
the day to loosen up the pile of drift.
Four steam engines are expected to arr
rive during the night. The engines are |
needed to check any spread of fire from
the burning Of the debris.
Philadelphia Solves the Problem
HARRISBURG, Pa, June 1.-THE one |
million dollar bond scheme of Governor |
Beaver has fallen through entirely owing |
10 the constitutional objections. and be- |
cause another way has been found to |
raise the money.
The Governor received assurances in |
PHILADELPHIA Yesterday that the PeonIe,s |