Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-07
GONE TO THE FRONT.
Pittsburg's Millionaire Phi
lanthropists Go to the
Scene of Disaster
TO RELIEVE THE DISTRESS.
A Special Train Carries the Party on
Their Errand of Mercy.
DIDN'T NEED ANY READY MONEY,
As Their Names Are Good for Any Amount
Of Cash They Demand.
RELIEF HEADQUARTERS ESTABLISHED

Like detail of willing soldiers under
light marching orders, Pittsburg's Relief
Committee hurried to the scene of ruin and
death They carried no overcoats nc
satchels or no provisions. BY authority OF
themselves and their generous and philan-
thropic fellows, they had been assigned to a
DUTY and without stopping even to inquire
after their own affairs, they hurried away to
perform their mission of mercy.
The committee after leaving CITY Hall
gathered at the Union station promptly at
8 o'clock. a Pullman car and an engine
awaited their coming, and at 3:15 the party
steamed ou. of the station over the Ale
gheny Valley road. In the special train
were James B. Scott, Mayor Gourley,
Reuben Miller, S. S. Marvin, W. r.
Thompson, Major Logan, Captain Bachelor,
Captain Vandergrift, Captain Eaton. George
Heard, David Kirk, George A. Kelly,
Samuel Robson and representatives of the
press. Each member of the committee in
dividually represented a fortune, and be-
hind them all and at their disposal was the
unbounded wealth of Pittsburg's charity and
while neither of them carried with him any
money, they were going to buy homes for
the homeless, bread for the hungry, and to
relieve distress and want wherever they
found il.
Didn't Need Very Much Cash.
'Who's got any money!" Captain Bach
elor asked Just before they boarded their
train. The Captain himself had four silver
half dollars. Mayor Gourley had $40
bill, and if the others had any money they
were either too modest to show it or were
willing to assume any necessary
outlay without exhibiting their fnan-
cial condition. 1t was party
that needed no money, however
Their names are all substantial enough to
command any bank in the city, and they
are going to give their names and their
financial bearing to those who need them.
''We have telegraphed the Mayor of Oil
City TO organize committee to meet and
confer with US on our arrival there James
2. Scott said: 1--WE will, as promptly as
possible, learn the wants of those who have
suffered i'll this calamity and then
we viii endeavor to relieve them.
We will return to Pittsburg
tonight unless our services are needed
hhiNAN- IL Nt CdH SSINt ptOlhlt VI Tie
stricken country by remaining with them,
then we will not return to Pittsburg until
our work is done"
Won; Need Help TO Maintain Peace.
MI Scott said further that he contem-
plated no such wreck and disaster as was
found at Johnstewn. He believed the
authorities at Oil City and Titusville would
be able 20 control the places, and would
need only financial aid and sympathy
eve have been suddenly and uncere-
monicusly summoned to this work. S. S.
Marvin said, after he had boarded the
special train. 1--WE have only remote
idea of what is wanted, but whatever is
wanted we are going to supply
Mr.. Marvin mad spoken for the whole |
people Of Pittsburg. His experience in |
the Johnstown disaster had taught him that |
Pjrtsburg's broad, generous hand was over |
flowing with charity, and he voiced the |
public sentiment when he said the commit |
tee would supply whatever is wanted
Captain Vandergrift was probably the |
most nervous and excited member of the |
committee. His home is at Titusville, |
while mis- business is in Pittsburg The |
captain was fearful that the worst had not |
been told.
Afraid There Is Worse to Hear.
ihe reports we have received to-day are |
certainly bad enough" the Captain said,
''5Ut ! am fearful that the reports to-mor-
row viii show much greater loss of |
life and much more loss of prop
ertv. 1 hardly know what to
think of that valley between Oil |
CITY and Titusville. The two towns are II
miles apart, vet on account of small oil |
settlements they are almost connected The
valley is narrow and the waters must have
swept away most of these houses, and if the
food come upon them suddenly or at
night the people would have no
possible way TO escape. There are
inrumerable oil refineries up through that
valley and l am afraid they have been
burned. If the fire and food came down
the valley as they appeared at Titusville
and Oil City, then this II miles of people,
most Of them poor and more or less dis
tressed at best must have suffered horribly
ii they have not been entirely blotted out.
81 know nothing of my own losses"
Captain Vandergritt said. s'Likelv some
OF our property has been burned and swept
away, but l am more anxious for the people
up there who need US now. Pittsburg will
relieve them however"