Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-10-28
Mr.. SC0TT'S DENIAL.
he Laughs at Charges Against the
Flood Relief Commission and
SHOWS WHERE THE MONEY WENT.
The Man Who Makes the Statements Re.
fused to Hear His Side.
MISTAKES In THE DIFFERENT FUNDS

made by a New York journal against the
Pennsylvania Flood Relief Commission IN
the handling of the money contributed to
relieve suffering and distress in the Cone
maugh Valley do not create sensation In
this city. The members of the commission
and the gentlemen who composed the Pitts
burg Relief Committee laugh at the pub
lication, which they say they knew was
coming two weeks ago. They knew the cor
respondent who wrote the stuff was In the
city and sent for him, but he refused to see
them. The charges are denied in toto, and
although slight mistakes have been made,
they say they were the result of the hurry
and worry before the relief work was sys-
tematized. Mr.. James B. Scott, member
of the commission, when seen yesterday,
said:
THE OTHER SIDE NOT WANTED.
II do not know why such statements or
charges should be made, but 1 do know that
the man who wrote them is away of on his
calculations. He was in the city three weeks,
and Mr.. Kremer, Secretary of the Commits
sion. happened to run across him. Upon notf-
flying me of the man being the city l re-
quested Mr.. Kremer to ask him to come and
see me or any member of the commission, but
he did not do so. 1 said that would make an
appointment with him at any time and explain
anything he want ed to know, but he ignored
the invitation. thought he was here TO get
up 4 sensation more than get at the facts, ana
to guard against any mistakes was the reason L
sent for him."
was there any jealousies among the members
of the commission?''
ITO both questions will give a negative
answer. Politics may be back of it, but do
not see what is to be gained by the publication.
AS to the jealousy, if there was any, was not
aware of it. If any person wants to take the
trouble to see where every dollar OF money
went. they can do so by referring to the report
issued by the secretary of the commission.
MIXED UP HIS TOTALS.
1.-THE man who wrote the stuff got n lot of
figures, and after shaking them well in hat
closed his lips and drew them out again. ae
got his totals badly mixed up, and 1 think l
can fully explain. In the first place we did not
appropriate S75 900 to build bridges. We did
not build any bridges at all, nor did we pur-
chase any fire engines at a cost of $4O,OOO. II
the Johnstown Finance Committee did this
they did it with money sent to them which did
not pass through the Relief Commission.
This is a sample of the way the cor
respondent got the different funds mixed
up. He confounds report with
We received altogether from all sources.
S29l2 BAG 80. We took no account of any
monies that were contributed but were not
turned over to US, For instance, there were
$3.50 $40 81 sent up by different secret societies
and beneficial organizations. This money was
not given to us. but was sent direct to the
JohnStown representatives OF the different So
cieties for distribution. We had no official
knowledge that suoh contributions had been
received, but as far as we could ascertain there
was contributed from all sources 81, ,ll6.S0l 4S.
OF the latter amount the Flood Commission got
81 9l2, 346 80. This came from Plttsbnrg, Phlla-
delphia and New York relief committees and
Governor Beaver.
DID NOT GET ALL MONEYS.
''The difference between this sum and the
total amount contributed is 81. 204 455 IS, of
which we know nothing. We got bu5 S60O.000
from the Permanent Relief Committee of Phil
adelphia: S56O.0e0 from the Pittsburg commit
tee: S5l6 1879 IS from the New York committee,
and 81, ,236, l46 45 was turned over by Governor
Beaver. We have no knowledge of the money
expended by the PIttsburg Relief Committee
before the commission was organized on June
u almost two weeks after the flood The New
York papers call us to account for money
spent before there was any commission
appointed. 1t is unnecessary to 60 into an
explanation of the temporary relief afforded
for the first week or SO after the flood. This
cost considerable money of which we have no
account. We had no authority to ask for the
and could only get what was given US. The
item of $50 0C0 is all right, but when you take
into consideration the fact that this covered
the cost of half an acre of ground, the burial of
about $50 bodies, marker for each, transporta-
tion, coffins, exhuming and other expenses. 1t is
not so much. 1t was about $40 per body and
nobody objected to the payment
DONE FOR DECENCY'S SAKE.
at was considered in the light of decency
and humanity to give the bodies decent burial
and bury them In one plot, and we did it. For
the first two or three days after the food they
were buried on farms or anywhere, SO as to
get them out of sight, and we had to pay for
the reintermenr. The number of people who
were identified by reason of the systematic way
in which the work was done justified the ex-
pense.
pital upon the solicitation and advice of the
recognized representative physicians of the
Conemaugh valley. who said such an inStltu-
tion was needed to care for people suffering
from shock.
No, Secretary Kremer was not under bond,
and we have made no arrangement yet for the
payment of his salary. 1t was not expected
that the man would devote his whole time and
attention without recompense, and as he was
peculiarly fitted for the work we gave him full
charge of affairs after they had been put in
shape. After the commission organized we
had about II, 00O claims and it needed consider
able clerical work to so through them.
WHAT THE DISTRIBUTION COST.
1--WE paid out about Sl1, 600 in doing the busi-
ness of handling nearly 3,000,0 000- or a little
more than one-third of per cent. 1 am speak
ing of the time up until June last, and since
then bills to the amount of $4,000 have. been
paid. An expenditure of $4,000 is not much
when it is known that the expense of handling
the Louisville cyclone relief fund was per
cent.
LAS stated before our total receipts were
81 9l2 946 so and the expenditures 81 S45 140 So.
There is now in the hands of Treasurer Thomp-
son between S62 0O0 and S63, 600 awaiting distri-
button, and the Pittsburg committee also has
$40 OOl At the next meeting of the commission
steps will be taken to disburse the S63 900 but
the $40, 600 we have nothing to do with. There
may still be some money in the hands of the
treasurers of the New York and Philadelphia
committees, and do not know what will be
done with it 1t is probable that the money we
have will be spent on the orphans As [ said
before if the man who made the charges of
jobbery had tried to get his information from
some person in a position to know, he would
not write the stuff he is doing"
g TA