Another awful day has come and gone, and as the work of unearthing
the bodies goes bravely on, scenes and incidents have been more
heartrending, if possible, than those of the previous days.
It is now a pretty well settled fact that at least 12,000 souls were
washed downward to destruction, desolation and death. It may be more.
The destruction of property is already estimated at over $30,000,000,
but the returns are not yet all in by any means.
Up on the hillsides are whole camps of shrieking, crying, groaning and
moaning men, women and children, nearly naked, and almost absolutely
without sustenance. Willing hands are aiding and assisting them by all
means in their power, but these means are extremely limited.
Thousands upon thousands, upon thousands again of dollars from the
charitably disposed through the country have been sent here, and the
money is being used as best it can. What is more necessary, however,
are large quantities of food and clothing.
The readers of this story can best appreciate this fact when it is
told that there is not a store of any consequence left in this place,
or, indeed, anywhere in the vicinity. The committee in charge of
the financial part of the work is in despair at the enormous extent
of the task before it, and to-day issued an appeal to the official
authorities and the financial organizations of the country to designate
a commission to take charge of the work.
Disease consequent upon the reaction after the excitement and hardships
of the past week threatens to make sad inroads into the portion of the
population that still remains alive. The condition of the ruins, filled
with dead bodies, menaces a still more serious situation, which is
being delayed, providentially, by the continued cool weather. Danger
hangs over the unhappy town from another source. The presence of nearly
ten thousand laboring men, half of them gathered at random from the
idle classes in other parts of the country, and divided by race and
other prejudices, threatens to lead to rioting and disorder beyond the
power of the military now on hand to quell. Liquor has been introduced
among these men surreptitiously and trouble is feared. Very strict
regulations are enforced. The whole city is surrounded by a guard of
soldiers, and more troops are under orders in Pittsburgh, ready to come
here at once if needed. An effort is being made to cut off, as far as
possible, the means of entrance to the city, so as to keep away the
crowds. The number of passenger trains has been reduced to the lowest
possible number, and no tickets to Johnstown are sold except upon a
permit from the Relief Committee at Pittsburgh.
[Illustration: IN THE DEATH TRAP.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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