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
General Hastings has a large force of men clearing private tracks of the
Cambria Iron Company in order that the small engines can be put to work
bringing up the dead that have been dragged out of the river at points
below.
The bodies are being brought up and laid out in freight cars. Mr.
Kittle, of Ebensburg, has been deputized to take charge of the valuables
taken from the bodies and keep a registry of them, and also to note any
marks of identification that may be found. A number of the bodies have
been stripped of rings or bracelets and other valuables.
Over six hundred corpses have now been taken out on the south side of
Stony Creek, the greater portion of which have been identified.
Send Us Coffins.
Preparations for their burial are being carried on as rapidly as
possible, and "coffins, coffins," is the cry. No word has been received
anywhere of any being shipped. Even rough boxes will be gladly received.
Those that are being made, and in which many of the bodies are being
buried, are of rough unplaned boards. One hundred dead bodies are laid
out at the soap factory, while two hundred or more people are gathered
there that are in great distress. Boats are wanted. People have the
greatest difficulty in getting to the town.
Struggling for Order.
Another account from Johnstown on the second day after the disaster
says:
The situation here has not changed, and yesterday's estimates of the
loss of life do not seem to be exaggerated. Six hundred bodies are now
lying in Johnstown, and a large number have already been buried. Four
immense relief trains arrived last night, and the survivors are being
well cared for.
Adjutant General Hastings, assisted by Mayor Sanger, has taken command
at Johnstown and vicinity. Nothing is legal unless it bears the
signature of the former. The town itself is guarded by Company H, Sixth
regiment, Lieutenant Leggett in command. New members were sworn in by
him, and they are making excellent soldiers.
Special police are numerous, and the regulations are so strict that even
the smoking of a cigar is prohibited. General Hastings expresses the
opinion that more troops are necessary.
Mr. Alex. Hart was in charge of the special police. He has lost his wife
and family. Notwithstanding his great misfortune he is doing the work of
a Hercules in his own way.
Firemen and Soldiers Arriving.
Chief Evans, of the Pittsburgh Fire Department, arrived this evening
with engines and several hose carts, with a full complement of men. A
large number of Pittsburgh physicians came on the same train.
A squad of Battery B, under command of Lieutenant Brown, the forerunners
of the whole battery, arrived at the improvised telegraph office at
half-past six o'clock. Lieutenant Brown went at once to Adjutant General
Hastings and reported for duty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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