The Portland daily press., 1889-06-12
JOHNSTOWN UNDER STATE CONTROL
AdIutant General hastings Takes
Charge of the Work.
Feeding the Multitude at a Cost OF
$500 Day.
Citizens scfapIng the Mud From the
Walls OF Their Dwellings.


all the commissary departments will be in
charge Of Col. j. l.. Spangler. assistant
quartermaster general, with three assistants.
There will also be two post commissarles
and IL district commissaries. Col. Spangler
today said II have figured on feeding the
sufferers in this section, five days rations
for 10000 people, the number we have to
take care of at a cost Of S1S,625 or about
$500 per day. In about 10 days, when the
Cambria Iron Works get started, we will be
relieved Of about one-third of this number.
am not figuring on laborers but only on
the actual needy ones. As fast as business
commences and the stores open, the number
win be reduced"
General Hastings today said: Everything
will be done In thorough manner. / will
start in with about 200 men and gradually
get more until have all need. There will
be no perceptible change In the work, the
men have already employed going to work
in the morning. Our first business will be
to clear the channel Of all the streams and
get clear flow of water. l wish it under
stood that we want no idle or curious peo-
pie here. We want no one in town who has
not some business nor will they be permit
ted to remain. propose to have everybody
work. There is no time for play or pleas
ure'
Only two bodies were received at the
fourth ward m0rgue up to noon today and IL
Is quite likely that after today no more will
be taken to the morgues. On account of the
bad state Of decomposition in which bodies
are now there is but little attempt at identi-
ication.
The impending change in the control of
the town, the exodus Of workmen and flood
survivors, and steady rain combined to
make Johnstown more quiet today than at
any time since the flood. At all the head
quarters the work is narrowed down to the
finest possible calibre and good many faith
full men are getting the rest they needed long
ago. Adjutant General Hastings undertakes
the largest contract Of his life. At least
100000 Will be paid out to the workmen to-
morrow morning, and the majority Of it win
Leave town with the men who earned it.
The new leaders claim to have number OF
plans TO introduce by which the work of
clearing up the wreckage and caring for the
survivors will be greatly sys.ematized and
slmpIlned. The military will be
retained. Booth and Flynn win
retain large number of men on the works
at 80 per day. Dynamite has been used in
the river below the bridge today. but Gen.
Hastings expects to dispense with it. Good
progress was made in clearing out the chan
mel OF the Conemaugh above the bridge to-
day. A number of stationary engines and
long cables were used to pull out the heavy
timbers. The State Board of Health still
issues encouraging bulletins, although iso-
lated cases of pneumonia, diphtheria and
measles are reported, generally from the
suburbs.
The spirit of recovery took firm hold on
Johnstown's citizens today. Everywhere
owners Of property seemed to have regained
their senses after the terrible disaster, and
were hard at work clearing out cellars, dry
ing carpets and bedding, and inaugurating
general renovation. The women labored
bravely with water and brush, and soon be.
gan to see the floors for the first time in II
days. raY sa sta79i.
Mud is eaked all over the walls and furni-
ture, and most OF the carpets are utterly use
less. At the general office OF the Cambria
Iron Company every clerk and department
manager was at work. Books, maps, deeds,
sheepskin, land patents and other valuable
papers which were thoroughly soaked, were
spread out on tables and lines. Fires were
built in the CRATES to aid the drying. 1t will
take about three weeks to finish this work.
Then business in the offices will go on as
usual. A commission will be appointed by
the governor, as stated, to supervise matters.
A house to house inspection shows many
ladies in want Of food, who from feelings Of
delicacy did not apply for ratl0ns. The
other extreme was represented by the dis
covery Of whole families in line at the dis
trlDutlng points, each member with big
basket.