Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-01-24

best interests OF JOnnSt0Wn borough 10
consent to the annexation of the new ter
ritory and requesting that Il special meet
ing of Council hc called to hear the Opin-
ions Of the citizens on the question. In
response to this request the President of
Council called special meeting of Johns
town Council for Friday evening, May 81, &,
1889. This was the last meeting of the
Board for several months. With the close
Of May 81 1889, the COnemaugh valley,
which had been the centre of happiness
and prosperity, was changed into a valley
of death, whose horror excited the pity Of
the civilized world. No one can recount
the bitter anguish aud almost hopeless
wretchedness through which our people
have passed sluce that awful moment OF
destruction. We vino survived The
deluge ofsorrow look back upon moments
of agony in which were concentrated all
the pains of death We dare not dwell
upon the past lest despair overcome us,
but must look to the future which may
still hold scme good in store for Il com
muLity whose courage cannot be drowned
by the rush .. mighty water.
After the extent of the destruction of
property in the Conemaugh valley was
| realized, 1t was evident tD all that the life
anu I)iOSilGilll VI tt.t CuuIii unity Nt-
pended upon consolidation under city
charter, ana the Board gave ex-
preston TO this fact in resolution
! adopted at the rrst meeting held after the
flood, in the latter part of July. Tie reso-
luton set forth that the Board sill advO-
Gated and advised the consolidation of
the boroughs; that it was only under a
single organization that the unity of ac-
Hn1l1 Ip Oh tlnt ,rit
necessary to enable the people of the com
munity to recover the losses of the food
and to sccLre the public improvements
which are essential "a jheil safety and
convenience. They also called the atten-
tion of the people 10 the obstrucuous in
the rivers irJ thc danger of recurring
floods. Tho uesiou Of aid FROM the
General Government was discussed and
the citizens urged to unite in an appeal to
Congress TO have our water courses
dredgcd and made sufficient 60 carry OIL
the water 40 all seasons o. the year.
AT the regular meeting in August, the
attention o. The Board was called TO the
fact thatuO work had been done hy tncSiute
forces IN NOJdVala cr M.iiyiie bCruughs
ana That these places remained as they
had been left 10y the flood.
Y resolution was accepted asking the
Goveuoraud Secretary Of the State Board
OF Health to nave these districts cleaned
in the interest of the public health Com
muuicati0ns were received from both off.
cials in which they declared the conditions
presented in both districts did not demand
the removal of the debris.
On August 24th II special meeting was
held at which definite action was taken
taken favOring consolidation. The organ
iZatiOn of Committee of Fifteen was
provided for, TO which was assigned the
duty of organizing and conducting the
canvass in favor of the formation of a city.
The Committee went to work with energy
under the skillful management of its
Chairman. Thay studied the subject
carefully each step was taken at the proper
moment and in the correct way, Every
thing was done in an orderly, quiet and
Lusiness-like manner. When the eltc-
tion was over our citizens were gratfied
at the splendid majority in favor OF
consolidation. The Board can Justly
claim through its excellent Committee
OF Fifteen the honor, OF accomplishing the
formation of city out of the many bor-
oughs in our valley. The committee have
not yet completed their work, as the mat
ter OF securing National uid orthe valley,
was also referred to them. 1t can safely
be assumed that il it is possible To interest
The Government in our behalf, this com
miItee will accomplish the task.
In the latter days Of September the
State forces were withdrawn and their
work Of cleaning away the debris was
pronounced comuleted This action on
the part of the authorities was received
with profound regret by our people.
Although an enormous amount of work
had been done, yet their remained so
much still to do that some effort was
necessary to secure its continuation. 4
committee of the Board composed of H.
w. Storey Esq, DR.. D. G. Sheridan and
Hon. J. VI. Rose was sent at once To
Harrisburg. and plead with the Governor
f,-.a Ii,tl,, ,,,,,,. al Isi.,. ,.......,..i ,f.
W. g -, - ''' '' "''' 5''Su '"'
'"aI ~ Htlo"5lF a. W. N'u'l lHb3 'iH N''-
the Iorue uuubrr ,f trepa in tller river teJ-
aud opening Jhe NOUNS OF lhe many sew
Governor at once ordered ius ,vnrl, IN he
continued ten days longer, and 10 0u con
fined to the clearing OF .uerigercua1nels