New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-03
THE REPORT on THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD.

Attention is recalled to the awful JOhnstONI
food of last year by the report OF the secretary
Of the Flood Relief Commission, which mas just
been published. Conflicting emotions are eA-
cited as one turns the pages OF TINS report
compassion for the victims OF the un>pedNaple
calamity. admiration for the human sympathy
as practical and generous rs it was widespread
which the CALAMITY inspired The flood OF desc
lation was fairly matched by the Mood OF gen
ero,ty. The number Of persons drowned IN
the Conemaugh Valley was, according to the
report. 2l42; 80 families, having member
ship ranging from 20 10 persons, were ell
tirely oblitcrated go children were made
orphans or haif-orphans; the loss OF property
occasoned by the Hood, As given in the sworn
statements of the claimants, reached me sum
of S9,G74,105, b which is TO be added
S2.1O7. 800, representing the loss sustained 10y
CORPORATIONS who made no statements to the
Commission
II is a relief to look at the other picture to
rurn from these narrowing statistics TO those
which show what the rest Of the country ana
mankind generally did for the blighted Cone
maugh Valley in its hour OF supreme distress
and deSoation. Those who are fond OF he
wailing the dcgcncmcy of the times, who are
forever insisting that the cOntomporaneouS man
cares for nothing in particular except money
making who argue that poor human nature
As they are accustomed 10 call IT, Was never 50
poor q, il is to-day, would do well if they value
their peace Of mind 10 avoid tins shining
record of good SamarltanlSm. Every state III
the Mon and every Territory helped 10 re-
pair the ranges of the food. Pcnnsylyana
naturally gave the largest sum, since Cone
maugh Valley is part OF her own territory. Her
contribution was SI,1s3,403 81. Newly ork
came next with S911,761 %; Massachusetts
next with S255s4G IL; Illinois next with
S2O6. 9sG So Ohio next with S200,243 o. :
New-Jcr,ey next with $780, ~. The sum
total of these contributions was S3,6Ol ,3l' 80
figures that demonstrate what has been so
often demonstrated before, that the American
people are nothing if not gcncrous-hearted
Possibly they are open 10 the charge oi making
haste 10 get rich, but certainly they can never
be accused of shutting up their bowels OF com
passion against the cry OF the needy. II Is
peculiarly pleasant, too, 10 recall the fact that
a number of foreign countries helped to swell
the relief fund subscriptions varying IN
amount from $4,000 50 10 - Sc were re
ceiycd from Australia, Austria, British Colum-
bia. Manitoba. Canada England, France, Ger
many, Ireland Italy, Mexico, Persia, Prussia,
-axony, Turkey and Wales. Possibly the
world is not So selfish ~ il is sometimes de-
pictcd Surely none of these deeds Of charity
could have been based on j sense Of fayor> t.
come They had their inspiration III una
dultersted loving kindness.
1t i, indeed an i'll wind that blows nobody
good. Eyen the colossal calamity under con-
sderation was not an un.niyed evil For what
ever tends to make mankind remember that
each is the brother of all, whatever tends 10
render the question Who is my neghbor? an
impcrtinence. whatever tends to enforce the
claims of the Golden Rule, may be blight
from one point ofvew, but from another and
an important one il is n positive benefactlon.