Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-19
STORY OF THE FLOOD
Once More Told by One Who Figured
in the Work of Mercy.
GEN. oh. HASTINGS THE NARRATOR
James B. Scott Is Highly Praised for His
Valuable Services.
INCIDENTS OF THE GREAT DISASTER

It was large and interesting audience
| that greeted General d. H. Hastings last
| night in Old City Hall, when he appeared
under the auspices of the Pittsburg w. c.
7. A. The General never looked better
than he did last night, and from the begin
| ming to the end of his lecture on Johnstown
he held every hearers ear.
On the platform was James B. Scott, who
acted as Chairman, and number of Pitts
burg and Allegheny's distinguished citi-
zens In neat, well-worded speech Mr..
Scott presented the speaker. General
Hastings Immediately got down to
his evenings work. With some
of the prettiest word paint
ing the subject has ever received, did the
speaker tell of that mighty body Of waters
rush down the mountain, and of the wreck
age, desolation and sorrow it left in the
beautiful valley of the Conemaugh. 'The
first night" said he, "was an awful one.
Never did the darkness OF night shroud
from human gaze more awful
sight Through the rain and black
ness the people of that city, who had been
spared, wandered over the hilltops and
crouched in places of shelter, waiting for
the coming of the morning.
An Awful Sight in the Morning.
'eIt was an awful sight that presented
itself when the curtain of night was drawn
aside. 1t has been told and retold, and I
need not tire you with details tonight.
"The day after the rush of the water
found this city entirely cut off from the out
side world as far as railroad communications
were concerned, while within its borders
were $4,000 halfstarved people. It looked
to those people as if starvation was reality,
but soon hundreds of men were at
work replacing the destroyed railroads and
ray of hope was shed upon the imprisoned
citizens. To Pittsburg belongs much credit.
The armies of Napoleon and Grant never
had such bountiful base of supplies,
as the people of stricken Johns
town had in the city of Pitts
burg She came nobly, bravely to the
front, and was the first city to send relief.
During those DAYS, before communication
was established clear into the city, it was
not an uncommon sight to see both men and
women coming from Pittsburg carving re-
lief in their hands. From that time on
train load after train load came in from the
Smoky City.
Organization tho Need OF the Hour.
"After it was learned by the people of the
valley that their distress had found sympa-
thizers on every hand their spirits began to
rise, and they took upon themselves the
duties the hour demanded. It was found
that organization Of some kind was neces-
sary, and the citizens formed together.
During those early days these men
won distinction and honor in the hearts
of the outside world, which will be credit
to them forever. Bravely they battled
against innumerable obstacles, and many of
them forgot their own friends to save 9TH
ers. The work soon grew beyond this
handful of men and a new organization was
formed.
= cat this time Johnstown, as it always
did, turned toward Pittsburg, and there
secured man to take charge of the city,
flling the position as no other man could.
The man to whom refer is one Of Pitts
burg's brightest, most honorable citizens
James B. Scott. The work was then gotten
down to a system and commissary stations
was plenty of good food to be had, and re-
lief Of all kinds poured into the city.
There were many incidents in the dis
tribution which were funny. One day I
was standing In one of the commissaries
when poor old man came tottering up and
asked tor some clothing.
Fitted Out in Royal Blue.
s:He had neither coat nor hat. The
young man in charge of the sta
tion dove down into his seemingly
endless stock and hauled out full-dress
military coat, little the worse for wear,
but still presentable. The old man put it
on and it fitted him we'll He asked what it
was called, and he was told that it was
'Jacksonian' coat He then asked for
hat. Another plunge produced u high silk
hat, which, from all appearances, was
blocked in the time OF jackson and had
been in use ever since. This, too, was
STYLED JacKsonian' tile. The old man
one of Thousand similar cases. There were
many things sent into the city which were
useless. 1 have seen bags Of carpet rags
and boxes of ointment. One of the latter I
remember Of seeing was marked Warm
we'll before using"
The General told of the many incidents
seen while friends were hunting for the
dead He also told of the funeral corteges
which week after week were seen winding
up the hill to the cemetery, and of the rob-
bers who came there to. purloin from the
dead.
The Noble Work of q Woman.
He spoke very highly of the work of Miss
Clara Barton, of the Red Cross fame, and
told many stories of her doings Incidents
relative to the work of other volunteers
were also told.
In detail the contributions from different
States and countries were given. He spoke |
of how the s4,O0O00 was handled,
and said: "Mr. Scott and his |
associates undertook the most trouble |
some task that was ever placed |
upon anybody, but when they had finished |
no one could conscientiously say that the |
work had not been honestly and we'll done. |
As monuments to the memories of these
men there are left in the valley the Grand |
View Cemetery and the Conemaugh Valley |
Hospital. The people of not only !
Johnstown but the whole State of Pennsyl- |
vania should be proud of these institutions
and their donors"
FLOUR-MAKlNG scientifically discussed |
by George Hes in THE DISPATCH to-mOr-
row.