Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-22
MUCH OF THE MANUSCRIPT READY.
The Only Illustrations to be Maps Showing
the Peculiar Topography Of
the State.
BUT ONE EDITION TO BE PUBLISHED,
And Queen Victoria May Have to Read One Not Bit
Better Bound Than Any Other.

some OF the manuscript OF the proposed
"History of the Johnstown Disaster,
which he is compiling for the Flood Relief
Commission of Pennsylvania. His visit to
the city is for the purpose of consultation
IFith three of the members Of the commits
! sion, Messrs. James B. Scott, Reuben Miller
and S. S. Marvin, who reside in this city,
regarding the already prepared manuscript,
and to secure additional data for the CON-
pletion of the book, which will be presented
to the public early this fall, and which will
be a very exhaustive account of the Johns
town food, its why's and wheretores, and
graphic description of the various other
cities affected by the food, beside a general
account of the receipts and disbursements of
money handled by the Relief Committee at
that time.
In an interview with Mr.. Scott, yesterday
afternoon, concerning the proposed publica-
tion, he said: "The book is the result of
the general demand all over the country
and the world, In fact-for definite accu-
rate account of the terrible catastrophe.
Scientists and students have been very much
interested, in both the cause and effect, and
have evinced an earnest desire to know
about it, and then, as historical occurrence
in which all humanity is interested, it is
worthy the publication.
NOT IT'S PRoTEGE.
You understand" continued Mr.. Scott,
that this book is not the protege OF the
Pittsburg Relief Committee, though it is
about to present to the public pamphlet
which will embody all that has been pub
lished in its other report, beside a de-
tailed account of every penny received and
expended by the committee before it
became merged into the Flood Commission,
and all contributions made after that, with
the corresponding disbursements. In the
first report made by the Citizens Relief
Committee, the Treasurer, Mr.. w. r.
Thompson, did not go into details regard
ing his accounts, and consequently this
new book will be issued shortly, with full
list of all contributors and contributions,
report that entailed considerable labor on
Mr.. J. B. Kremer, but will be more salts
factory to the public"
"Was the public dissatisfied with the first
report?" was the natural inquiry.
mo, no, the public wasn't; not in the
least; but some who contributed and whose
names were not in the list were inclined to
think they should have been. You know,
people all like to see their names
in print. Three of the members
of the Citizens Relief Committee,
however, Mr.. Miller, Mr.. Marvin and my
self are also members of the Flood Commits
sion, and as such we are interested in this
larger and more conclusive publication, and
nre able to give definite information regard
ing Johnstown and the surrounding coun-
try, for even after the Flood Commission
swallowed up the Citizens Relief Commit
tee, the Philadelphia Relief Committee and
various other self-constituted committees,
we remained in the vicinity of Johnstown
and continued our labors there, and 1 was
given very peculiar ofice-that of 'Dicta-
tor name which the papers yet occasion
ally apply to me, but position that enabled
me to learn a great deal regarding the
evento of that ill-fated time.
MORE THAN JoHNsIowN.
1.-THE new book will profit by my knowl-
edge and by the knowledge possessed by Mr..
Miller and Mr.. Marvin In a general way.
1t will not deal exclusively with Johns
town, but will embrace the whole State of
Pennsylvania, its topography, its liabilities
to and conditions that would lead to floods.
The Government will give us much valued
information concerning the State, gained
from surveys, and the book will enter
largely into facts that have no immediate
relation to previously published reports;
into the causes of the great phenomena, and
the character of the food, and will also
cover in entirety all the cities and towns in
the Eastern part of the State that were
affected by it"
"Who will do the illustrating for the
volume?"
"There will be no illustrations except
maps, and they will be designed to show the
physical condition and formation of the
State, as we'll as the course of the overflow" !"
"How large will the first edition be?"
''It will be first, last, and only edition
that we will have published, and we will
all be glad to get through with that; as to
how large it will be, am not prepared to
say We intend ascertaining the number
of public libraries, educational institutions,
and public institutions of all sorts wherein
we might think it advisable TO place vol
ume for the benefit of the reading public,
and the result of that search, combined with
the number we may wish to distribute else
where, will be the basis upon which we will
calculate for the edition. This is not O
money-making scheme, you see, SO one
edition will be sufficient"
"How are the new books to be bound2"
WILL STAND ROUGH WEAR.
''That is not decided upon as yet. We,
of course intend to submit the book in
good, substantial bindings that will stand
wear and tear.
very handsomely bound and presented tc
Queen Victoria and the other titled digni-
taries across the water who contributed
largely to the fund.-"
'iI am not positive about that. don't
know as any o. the books will be more hand
somely bound than the rest, nor am certain
that there will not be some special copies
OF course it wonld be impossible for every
person who contributed dollar or more tc
be presented with book, but Mrs. VIctoris
NAV be SO honored and she may not. 1t II
probable, however, that she will, but yor
don't want to say SO until 1t i!
fully decided, if you wish to keep NJ
The DIsPATCH's reputation for Veracity
About the size of the book, it is hkewist
difficult to answer, but necessarily it viii
be large volume. The list of contribu
tions from the various cities alone makes
an imposing manuscript do not know
lust when it will be issued, for / do no
know how long a book has to remain in th'
printers hands, this being the first literary
production 1 have ever been interested il
personally, but we are pushing the work al
rapidly as possible When it is issued
and the Grand View Cemetery, togethe