Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-07
Ghou's Flock to the Scene.

Polander ghouls were stealing and breaking
open trunks and boxes at the eastern end OF
the city. The military company was Or
dered out and has been patrolling the entire
district. Guards have been instructed to
shoot down the thieves without parley if
caught in the act of stealing.
A telegram was received this morning
from Governor Pattison asking what
aid could be rendered by the
State Department. Reply was made that
the needs were many and great, and that
none of the reports sent out had been exag-
gerated.
Unprincipaled characters of the city who
were not affected in the least have been
taking advantage of the Relief Committee,
and many cases are reported of such people
applying for food and clothing.
All railroad communication to or from
the city was shut off early Saturday even
ing The first train arriving came in over
the Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley and Pitts
burg Railroad at clock Monday evening
The train could only get as far as East
Titusville, two miles away, on account of
the large amount Of the debris on the tracks.
Passengers were brought from there to the
city in carriages. Up to 10 o'clock tonight
the contributions amounted to $4,000 and
as much more is expected by tomorrow
night.
The victims of this great calamity are of
the poorer classes exclusively. The nation
alities of the dead are German, Irish and
Hebrew. These ationalities predominant,
but there are others.
Railroads in a Washed Out State.
j. O'Neil, locomotive engineer on the W.
n. I. & P, accompanied by Mr.. John
Flanagan, fireman OH the same road, came
down on horseback this morning from
Spartansburg Their report of the con-
dition Of the w. N: Y & P. show that
it will be weeks at least before it
can be operated by through train between
this point and Cory. On the first reverse
curve out of Cory there are 30 rods of
track hanging in the air, the embankment
being washed out. The Stewarts trestle is
all gone At Scott and Aiken's mill further
down there is washout OF the fill ng or bed
of 200 feet
At Roberts Run 300 feet of the track is
carried out on the field. At Spartansburg
20 feet of the track are gone and on the
south end the railroad trestle is hanging in
the air.
At this place the hide house of the Belona
tannery was swept by the flood down the
creek and 800 hides were scattered. They
are hanging on the fences and the brush.
Thompson & Eldred, of Spartansburg,
lost 400 or 500 logs and big piles of lumber
were swept along the strong tide bodily.
Mr.. O'Neil reports that several cul
verts are washed away between Spartans-
burg and Southwick. The Southwick bridge
is gone and 200 feet more Of roadbed is gone
on the south side. Local freight 55, which
left Titusville at 4 o'clock Saturday, is tied
up at Spartansburg bound southwark. On
the north side 13 cars and a coach were
washed away, 200 feet on each side foated
off and part of the train upset.
The passenger train that left Titusville
Saturday night for Cory is tied at
CORY. The trestle at Gray's mill is all
gone and the track washed out, also the
track at Myers switch. The telegraph
wires are grounded and twisted along the
road, breaking connection. Mr.. r. H.
Murdoch, agent at Cory, thinks no train
will pass over the Pittsburg and Erie road
before Thursday.
His Whole Family Perishsd.
Frank Haehn, aged II years, was working
at Grand Valley at the time of the fire.
When he returned he found that the food
and fire had robbed him of his mother, three
beautiful sisters, one brother, eight cousins,
three aunts and one uncle. His aged grand
parents are his only surviving relatives.
The Dunkirk, Allegheny Valley and
Railroad has 160 men at work
clearing away the great mass of wreckage
at the west end of town, and it is thought q |
large number of bodies will be found to-
Forty people have been lost in the Third |
ward alone, whose bodies have not been |
found.
The relief committee met in executive |
session at o'clock Monday afternoon for |
general business. A contribution of $4,000 |
!. os announcad from David Nickel of |
the Tide Water Pipe Company. DR.. Varian
ing of the ministers of the city, was
anxious to have the Board of Health give
orders for the speedy burial of the dead,
IS many bodies were fast decomposing,
and if neglected too long might cause an
Epidemic. The Board of Health did not
,hink they had the power to issue an edict
or the prompt burial of the dead. In some
,ases the undertakers had embalmed some
,t the bodies and such proceeding was re-
ported to the committee, which ordered
hat the embalming be stopped, as the ex-
,ense of burial must be kept as low as
possible. In consultation with the
it was found that S25 each
would be fair estimate Tor the complete
,urial expenses. The Relief Committee
hen instructed the Burial Committee to use
25 of the relief fund for the burial Of each
,ody, and of course the relatives could add
S much to that amount as they saw ft for
xtras and better caskets. Several of the
'ictims are Hebrews and in that case their
riends provided plain pine boxes according
o their custom, which did away with the
Expense of caskets.
At the request of the Ladies' Aid Society
hey were authorized to appoint regular