The Johnstown Horror!!!: or, Valley of Death, being A Complete and Thrilling Account; of the Awful Floods and Their Appalling RuinWalker, James Herbert
History
The Johnstown Horror!!!: or, Valley of Death, being A Complete and Thrilling Account; of the Awful Floods and Their Appalling Ruin
There will be no more charity except for the helpless. The lengthening
of the death roll has fearfully shortened the list to be provided for.
There is now an abundance of food and clothing to satisfy the present
necessities of all who are in need. Beginning to-morrow morning, June
5th, aid will not be extended to any who are able to work except in
payment for work. All the destitute who are able and willing will be put
to work clearing up the wreck in the river and the wastes where the
streets stood. They will be paid $2.50 and $3.00 per day for ordinary
laboring work, and thus obtain money with which to buy provisions, which
will be sold to them at reduced prices.
Those who will not work will be driven off. The money collected will be
paid out in wages, in defraying funeral expenses and in relieving those
whose bread providers have been taken away.
Dainties Not Wanted.
The supplies of food and clothing are far in excess of the demand
to-day. The mistake of sending large quantities of dainties has been
made by some of the relief committees. Bishop Phelan has been on the
ground all day in company with a number of Catholic priests from
Pittsburgh.
He has ordered provisions for all the sufferers who have taken shelter
in the buildings over which he has placed the Little Sisters of the
Poor. There are several hundred people now being cared for by the relief
corps, and as the work of rescue goes on the number increases.
Bent on Charity.
Mrs. Campbell, president of the Allegheny Woman's Christian Temperance
Union, arrived this morning, and with Miss Kate Foster, of Johnstown,
organized a temporary home for destitute children on Bedford street. On
the same train came a delegation from the Smithfield Methodist Episcopal
Church. They began relieving the wants of the suffering Methodists.
Committees from the Masonic and Odd Fellows from Pittsburgh are looking
after their brethren.
Mr. Moxham, the iron manufacturer, is Mayor pro. tem. of Johnstown
to-day. He is probably the busiest man in the United States; although
for days without sleep, he still sticks nobly to his task. Hundreds of
others are like him. Men fall to the earth from sheer fatigue. There are
many who have not closed an eye in sleep since they awoke on Friday
morning; they are hollow-eyed and pitiful looking creatures. Many have
lost near relatives and all friends.
Shylocks.
Men and horses are what are most needed to-day. Some of the unfortunates
who could not go to the relief trains endeavored to obtain flour from
the wrecked stores in Johnstown. One dealer was charging $5 a sack for
flour, and was getting it in one or two cases. Suddenly the crowd heard
of the occurrence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account