The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-07
DISPOSAL OF THE CORPsEs.
Tne cremation Plan Gaining New
Followers Daily.


Followers Daily.
JoHNsTowN, Pa, June 6, 11:45 P. M
There is a strong movement on foot in
favor OF applying the torch to the wrecked
buildings in Johnstown, and, although the
suggestion meets with strong opposition at
this time, there is little doubt that the ulti-
mate solution of the existing difficulties
VIII be by this method. An army of men
have been for two days employed in clear
ing up. the wreck in the city, and
been discovered. not one-ffth of
the ground has yet been gone
over. In many places rubbish is piled
thirty feet high, and not infrequently thess
great drifts cover an area of nearly an acre.
Narrow passages have been cut through in
every direction, but the hercuean labor of
removing the rubbish has yet hardly begun.
AT meeting of the central relief COM
mittee this afternoon Adjt. Gen. Hast
lngs suggested the advisability of drawing
a Gordon around the few houses that are
not in ruins, and applying the torch to the
remaining great sea of waste. He explained
briefly the great work yet to be accom-
pllshed If there were hopes Of thoroughly
overhauling every portion of the debris,
and insisted that it would take 5000 men
months to complete the task. OF the hun
uiSuS VI DOulcS DuT1eu D9USdCl Cle TuDDlSn.
sand and stones, the skeleton of the putrId
remains of many was all that could be
hoped to be recovered.
THE PROPOSITION DEBATED.
A motion was made that after forty
eight hours further search the debris of
the city be consumed by fire, engines to be
on hand to play upon any valuable build
ing that, despite previous precautions.
might become ignited by a general confa-
grafton. This motion was debated for
nearly half an hour. Those whose relatives
or friends still rest beneath the wreck
demonstrated strongly against such sum-
mary action. They insisted that all
the talk of a threatened epidemic was only
sensational gossip. and that the search for
bodies should only be abandoned as last
extremity. The physicians in attendance
warned the committee that further exposure
of the putrid bodies in the valley could have
but ono result-typhus, or some other
epidemic equally fatal to its victims. 1t
was question whether the living should
be sacrificed 60 the dead. and
or mandate of science should be the ruling
impulse Although the proposition to burn
the wreck was defeated, it was evident that
the movement was gaining many adherents,
and the result, doubtless, will be that in
few days torches will be applied, not only
to the field of waste in Johnstown, but also
to the debris that chokes the stream above
the Pennsylvania bridge.
woFUL SIGHTS AT NINEvAI.
Ninevah saw some woful sights to-day.
During the period of daylight 746 bodies
were consigned to earth from the morgues
about town Father Dorm conducted re-
ligious services at the Columbia Catholic
church in Cambria City. This army of
dead was placed in trenches Less than
100 had been recognized by friends None
of them were claimed for private burial
however, as in majority of instances the
survivors were too poor to stand the expense.
These bodies were gathered from up and
down the river below Johnstown, and the
commissioners of Westmoreland county
furnished part Of the ground, where they
sleep tonight.
Johnstown and the adjoining villages are
now under thorough military and police
regulation. Each place has been provided
with men enough to keep out intruders and
none save those who are actually employed
will be allowed to remain.
Officers are arresting men every hour.
some of them for slight provocation. The
forces caring for the dead are about ex-
hausted. Several of the undertakers were
obliged to give up to-day. Lack of Sleep
ing accommodations and consequent broken
rest and the roughest of army fare, con-
sisting largely of salt pork, bread and
black coffee, has had the usual effect when
coupled with hard work and damp
weather Notices were posted on all
the marques to-day, stating that after to-
day bodies would be held only twenty-four
hours for Identification. If they are not
recognized at the expiration of that time
they are photographed. Recognition is
difficult matter.
The work of blasting the c,orpa at tho
Pennsylvania bridge was prosecuted to-day
with much better success than on any pre-
vious day.