The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1891-01-14
GOV. BEAVERS MESSAGE.
MS LAsr ADDREss ToTHE LEGISLATURE OF
THE keystone sTATE-AS ABLE PAPER
u WHICH May THINGS OF INTER
EsT TO THE PEOPLE or THIS ooN-
MoNwEALTH ARE Discussed
FROM A WISE sTATEsNASs
STANpPOIST.

GENTLEMEN The latter part Of the
year Just closed has been marked by
financial disquiet and uncertainty, seri-
ously affecting the people OF the Com
monwealth in common with those Of the
entire country. Unfortunate and distres-
sing as this conditionof affairs has been, it
is nevertheless gratifying to note the fact
that our staple industries have not been
seriously injured thereby.
Although all classes in the community
have been more or less affected by these
financial disturbances, the origin of and
the causes which led to them are of such
a character as to lead to the belief that
they may not be long continued and that
no special measures of relief will be re-
ouired at your hands. With the excep-
ton Of this noneyed stringency, which &c
Is hoped VIII be merely temporary in its
duration and effects, the material affairs
Of the Commonwealth are in good eondi-
ton.
soon after the adjournment Of the pre-
ceding Legislature, to Wit, on the Slst of
MAY. 1890. the Commonwealth was visit
ed by 3 calamity which has no parallel
/ in its history. Throughout the noun
tain region Of the central part ofthe State
a rain storm Of unprecedented duration
and severity prevailed which 50 increas-
Ell the volume of water that the ordinary
channels Of draiuage were unable tocarry
/ it away The result vas widespread desc
lation and ruin, extending over some
/ twenty Of the sixty-seven counties in the
/ Commonwealth Thousands Of lives
were lost, and property. municipal. eorpo-
rate and individual aggregating many
millions Of dollars, was destroyed.
The people inhabitating the regions
/ drained by the West Branch Of the Sus-
ouehanna. and Junista and CoRemsugh
rivers, were the principal sufferers Many
yillages, towns and cities on the eastern
slope Of the Alleghenies we're, for the
time being, rendered utterly helpless;
and their people prevented from pursu-
ing their usual vocstions. In addition
to the loss of life and property sustained,
the public health was greatly endanger-
ed, and municipal officers deprived ofthe
power TO exercise their authority, or to
furnish the means by which the situa-
ton could be relieved
On the western slope oftke mountains,
Johnstowa and its neighboring boroughs
were almost obliterated. In some cases
the officers of municipalities were lost ;
whole communities were swept away
streets and other bcudaries utterly OBJ
[ liberated. and municipal government gem
erallv broken up. The people were for a
time thoroughly helpless Food and
clothing were furnished by these who
were charitably disposed, and relief
committee from the neighboring city of
/ Pittsburgh commenced the work of re-
moving the debris which had collected
at the confluence of the Conemaugh and
stonycreek, 50 as to relieve those who
remained of the danger of pestiience
which seriously threatened them,
It's impossible 70 describe the charac-
ter and extent of this disaster. The
world knows what was done for the relief
Of the people of this devoted community.
! Charity unstinted, and such as has prob
ablv never before been equslled, did all
thst could be done for the alleviation of
the suffering. Although the medium
through which much Of this charity was
c,uveyed to the suffering people Of our
state. It is not my purpose to dwell upon
! 4 atthis time in an official communica-
ton TO you. 1t IS perhaps proper to say,
however. that in order to avoid the per
sonsi responsibility of the distribution OF
q fund considerably exceeding one mil
/ lion Of dollars which csme into my hands
as well as to prevent uncertainty ard the
possible duplication Of charity, conn-
mission known as the Flood Relief Com
mission was appointed by me with the
expectation that al the funds provided
| for the reliefof the flood sufferers OF the
state might be distributed through the
one channel The moneys collected by
| the Pailadelphia and Pittsburgh relie
! COMMITTEES, Is vel as those which had
| been entrusted to me, were finally placed
!, IN hands Of this commission, where
bv a fund aggregaEing nearly three MD
lions OF dollars was distributed 10 foos
sufferers in al parts Of the State. NOR
than nine-tentils OF this Amount having
/ been paid in the Immediate vicinity o