Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-04-11
accomplishing the end of my own and your de-


discharge of the duties devolving upon the first
Mayor OF the City Of Johnstown.
Several points in the address were en-
phasized by hearty applause, but the most
profound silence reigned while the oath
of office was being administered to the
Mayor by Judge Johnston This was at
the conclusion OF the inaugural address.
The other city officers were then sworn
10 viz, George c. Miller, City Treasurer;
j JOhn Dowllng, City Controller; Joseph
lkuntz, Gottleib Bantley and John 0'Toole
City Assessors.
The rain still poured, but no attention
was paid to it, but before the close of
Colonel w. d. Moore's address, which
followed, the clouds had broken and the
suns rays poured down on the vast as
semblage. Colonel Moore spoke as fol-
| lows:
| People Of JOhHStotciL
1t is sad pleasure to Congratulate you, the
survivors OF on awful calamity, upon the reno
walton OF your desolated city, the re-establish-
ment and enlargement OF your civic life, and the
renewal Of your own energy and hope, and with
you to lift up my heart in thanksgiving to that
God who having listened to your cry "out OF
the depths has to you to-day given beauty
for ashes, the Oil OF joy for mourning, and the
garment OF praise for the spirit Of heaviness."
When on last Memorld al Day, l Ftood among
you, Hooked upon as fair and beautiful a scene
as often greets the eye of man girt round, as
Jerusalem of old, by mountains from base to
summit robed in the emerald OF the spring, en-
girdling and guarding busy Industries andlovely
homes; veined by rivers whose crystal clear
ness mrrored the cloudless blue above and
sparKled in the flood OF sunlight upon them,
whose banks were already bright with the
anemone the arbutus, and the sweet forget-me
nots that bloom Tor happy lovers l could not
wonder at the strong attachment which you
cherished for your appointed dwelling
nor repress the delight which felt as l gazed
upon that picture of beauty and peace.
For, on that day, business had ceased. All who
could poured from their homes, and hundreds
from abroad met and mingled with you in the
solemn services by which We sought to COM
memorate the honored dead and inspire the llv-
| ing with new pride in and love for our redeemed
country; martial music filled the air, banners
|
mothers, brothers, sisters, above all troops OF
happy children covered with flowers, and wear
ing the red, white, and blue, Joined in the pro-
cesslon which marched TO the cemetery and back
to the opera House, alas little dreaming OF the
doom impending, and knowing not that ere a
day suoud pass, Zaarah deserts would be beau
| tiful compared with the city OF your love, and
many hundreds OF these souls would have gone
| nm tn Inh fha otnA aln nF
deluge pltiless as death and Unsuitable as the
grave.
| one month afterwau IoOKeu In vain tJr the
streets sandy wastes covered the places where
happy homes had been wrecks of all that
art and industry had reared, strewed the
| earth. Johnstown had become a grave and
the few forlorn wanderers one met, wore
that dazed and stricken look which they
| only wear who have been smitten by sudden
| incOmprehensible, hopeless sorrow into an
apathy OF mental terror and fearless despair
Hastily said. as turned away, as savanna la
| Mar, in one night sank temples, palaces, dwell
| tngs and thronging multitudes 10 the depths
never more to be seen OF men. so this unhappy
| city has come to its mournful end. Hastily,
| spake, for now look around once more and see
| thanks to the munihcence of a plying world
and your own manliness, courage, and energy
a new city, an enlarged, consolidated, and
nobleT municipality, and a people, who, coming
out from this black cloud OF desolatlon and
death, and still mourning over the awful past
may nevertheless look forward with hope and
faith to prosperous and happy future
Who that have sorrowed with you in your sor-
row can help rejoicing in your joy? Who that
have stretched out to you pitying and helping
| arms but must be glad to-day to clasp your
| hands in felcitatiOn and congratulation What
heart that has been wrung for yol but must
| this day be filled with deep thankfulness to God,
who though for a small moment He forsake u.s.
| yet viii lie gather us TO Himself again with
everlasting mercy May His wisdom guide you
in the future and His beneoiction rest upon you
AS you have been bitterly afflicted, so may you
be abundantly blessed BE sure it is not alone
who utter the prayer with which l cease, but
that 1t rises from every heart In all lands to
which your sad story has gone, and | am sure
rises not in vain for you and your future
Throw away thy rod
Throw away thy wrath;
oh!my God
Take the gentle path.
Throw away thy rod,
Though man frallties hath;
Thou art God!
Throw away thy wrath
The Chairman then introduced Mr.. A.
j. Moxham, saying rs he did so that to
him more than to any other one man was
due tie accomplishment of consolidation.
Mr.. MoXham spoke very pleasantly,
comparing the beginning of the city gov
eminent to the becoming of age of a man.
We have had the sympathy of the world
and the shadow of the past. That shadow
has brought us TO the becoming of age.
Mr.. Moxham spoke of the confidence that
our people were willing to repose in our
Mayor and in the Councilmen elected to
legislate for the city. The concluding
part of the speech was as follows
Let 1t be our part, by our patience, by our pub
lie interest, by our willingness even to the ex-
tent OF sacrifice, to aid these men in so building
up this city that her valleys will TEEN with fac
tories and be overrun with people. There Is
room In these valleys for one hundred and fifty
thousand people. Let us so aid these men-who
win need our aid and who will have to face the
responsibility and guide our steps as to estab-
lish that precedent which Will pave the way for
these one hundred and fifty thousand people