Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, June 6, 1889, Page 1

—_— L | EIGHTEENTH YEAR. MARTIAL LAW IN JOHNSTOWN A Great Demand For Laborers and No Loafers Wanted. ONE THOUSAND FUNERALS, With Little Formality and With But KFew Mourners the Nameless Dead Are Hurried Uns der Ground. The Work of Relieft Jomxstows, Pa., June b.—8ix days have elapsed since the great d ter and the tem- porature remains low and chilly in the Cone- maugh valley. When it is remembered that in the ordinary June weather of this localivy from two to three days are sufficient to bring an unattended body to a degree of decay and putrefaction that would render it almost impossible to prevent the spread of disease tnroughout the valley, the inestimable bene- fits of this cool weather are almost beyond appreciation. The emanations from the half mile of debris, above the bridge, are but lit- tle more offensive than yesterday,and should this cool weather continue a few days longer it is possible that hundreds of bodies may yet be recovered from the wreck in such a state of preservation as to render identifica- tion possible. The work of clearing up the wreck and recovering the bodies is now being conducted most systematicaily. Over six thousand men are at work in various portions of the valley, and ecach gang of twenty men is directed by & foreman, who is under orders from general headquarters. As the rubbish is gone over, and the bodies and scattered articles of value recovercd, the debris is piled and burned. TIn this way the valley is assuming a less devastated condi- tion. In twenty-four hours more every mass of rubbish will probably have been searched and the investigation will then be confined to THE SMOKING WRECK above the Johnstown bridge. The Pitts- burgers arc now in sole charge of every- thing at this place, NO RIOTS AND LYNOIINGS, The genawal sent the following telegram to Governor Beaver this morning: “The chief of police of Johnstown in- forms we there were no depredations last night and everything is quiet this morning. The stories about riots and lvnchings are untrue and are sent out by people who are desirous of making sensations.” At Johustown, station on the cast side of the river, is the chief commissary station. This morning by 2 o’clock 15,000 people were fed and about six hundred families were furnished with provisions. Five«arloads of clothing were distributed and now almost everyone is provided with clothing. At the different registration places 18,000 residents of the devastated district had registered. The total population of this dis- trict was between forty and fifty thousand. There were hundreds of peopie waiting around the offices to have their names placed on the list of saved. It is thought that by to-morrow night at least 85 per cent of the survivors will be registered. EXAGGERATED STORIES OF THIEVING. Roger O'Mara, chief of police of Pittsburg, who has been here for two days look- ing for crooks and pickpockets, said the reports about robberies and thieving were greatly exaggerated. Said he: ‘‘There are no professional thieves in Johustown and this is not the place where they would be likely to work. They may come up in the crowded truins and rob the passengers. yet they would be just as likely to help with work here as not. No professional thief would work the dead here, as there is little or nothing for them to gain and there are o many police that it would be almost jmpossi- ble to evade detection. All the little thieving that has been done has been done by a lot of tramps and bums. One thing I notice here is that there are too many relief committees and not enough workers. What is veeded here is people with picks and shovels and they are badly needed.” HUNDREDS OF WORKERS ARRIVE. This morning 1,100 men arrived here, and by 11 o'clock they had succeeded in doing more work at clearing away the debris than has peen doue heretofore. Seventy- five carpenters and twenty carloads of pro- visions eame up with the laboring men. This morning another delegation of workmen came up from Braddock, each man bringing tools with which to go to work immediately. The adjutant-general stated to the Associated press that this kind of men were wanted ~here, and too many can not. be sent. Thirty doctors arrived from Philudelphia this morn- ing. They were thaunked for their willing- ness to help, but their services were declined from the fact there are no sick to care for. TWELVE TO FIFTEEN THOUSAND LOST. Conservative m are of the opinion that the number of people destroyed will reach from twelve to fifteen thousand. This is based upon fragments of evidence obtained from over a huudred persons, care being ta- ken to select as intelligent men and women as could be found. They were chosen from as many occupations as possible und many social clusses, They were asked to estimate the percentage of loss of the total population; to tell how many people of their ncquantunces have disappeared; how gath- erings of residents on the streets and in pub- lic places compare with the same in former times, Their statements of facts and estimates were proved, a8 far as could be, and the calculation seems 1o run between twelve to fifteen thousand, It must be r membered that a large provortion of the loss is made up of children, In the morgue the little ones lie in dozens, where adults are in half dozens, But there is and has been much greater difficulty in recovering the bodies of childven. Bemng lighter and smaller they were often swept o out of the way re- cesses that were almost inaccessible, and a very great proportion of the children have been swept down the river and their bodies driven in ,under overhanging baunks, It is the opinion among intelligent men- physicians, enginecrs, raitrond men and others—that from a thousand to fifteen hundred bodies will never be found. MORE MONEY NEEDED, At11 o'clock Adjutant-General Hastings sent the following telegram to Governor Beaver: “fully three thousand men are at work clearing off the debris. Bodies are now being rescued in large numbers. The citi- zens' committee has orgunizea and the work I8 systematized, A detackment of twenty men of the Iourteenth regi- ment was detailea lust night to guard the supply trains. Provisions are pour- inj inand it s diffienlt to take care of them, There is no suffering from want of food or shelter. Contributions of money ure more desirable thun anythiug else. The state oficers of the Royal Arcanum are hore and hi tled a meeting for this afternoon at Prospect Hill. They will pro- vide for the families of the victims of the flood whio were membel FIFTY MORE BODIES FOUND. At 1:10 this wfterncon fifty bodies were taken from the debris of the Catholic church in Johnstown borough. About fifty of the bodies were those of womel They were fmmediately removed to tue morgue for iden- ufleation, RECKLESS MILITARY MEN Some overzealous local military wmen cpused considerable excitement near the Morrell jnstitute in Johustown proper tnis morning by firing upon some meh employed the citizens' comwmittee to rescue the dead, e soldiers told them to cease work, and upon their refusal fired, but did not hit them, e matter was reported to General Hast ings, who stated that the shooters would be court-martiaied if caught, THE WOKK OF REVAIR, Assistat Superintendent Stoner, of the | 600 feet in length by 40 feet wn width, delphin last night, having made his way overland, in_wagons, from Edensburg pike, starting last Thursday. In an interview Stoner said: # “'We have hired all the teams in_Blair, Cambria, Indiana and Edons- burg counties we could possibly got, and will _ transport all the passengers in_this mAnner from Edensburg to Johns- The entire force from the Altoona shops, 6,000 in number, have beon ordered to the sceno of the washout and will work until the entire division is repaired. Tho entire portion of the road which suffered from tho flood will be in good running shape in a few weeks at tho latest.” Clara Barton, of Washington, the origi- nator of the well-known Red Cross corps, ar- rived here this morning and will at once as- sumo charge of all the female relief corps. Hundreds of the employes of the Cambria works’ employes are at work to-day clearing away the debris, and ther is much com- plaint over the conduct of the iron company officials in taking their men off the gen- eral work to thelr own promiscs. The officers of the company justify their ac- tion on the ground that the sooner they get their works in operation the better it will be for the community. CLEARING UP. Where Johinstown’s principal stores stood, 1ast Friday, are now pitched 1,000 teuts, and before to-morrow night this' number will probavly be doubled. Under this shelter are accomodated tho members of the militia and thousands of workmen who are trying to clear che stroets of this wrecked city. Over five thousand men are thus employed in Johnstown proper, about _fifteen hundred of these being regular street hands, hired by contractors, the others being volunteers. William Flynn, of Pittsburg, contractor, arrived in the wrecked city fthis morning, and at once took charge of the army of ers. Inan interview he told of the work that has to be done, The contractor's osti- mates show more than anything the chaotic condition of this city. “Itwill take 10,000 men thirty daysto clear the ground 80 the streets will bo passa- able, and the work of rebuilding can be com- menced,” said he, “and T _am at a l0ss to know how the work is to be done, This en- thusiasm will soon dio out, and the volun- teers will want to return home. It would take all summer for my men alone to do what work is nocessary. Steps must be taken at once to furnish gangs of workmen, and to-morrow I shall send a communication to the Pittsburg chamber of commerco ask- ing the different manufacturers of the Ohio valloy to tak turns for a month or so in furnishing reliefs of workmen. These gangs should come for a week at u time, a8 1o or- ganization can be effected 1f the workmen arrive and leave when they please.” vou RS are doing noble work. Nearly every town in western Pennsylvania is represented by from 10 to 100 men, and many towns in Ohio and New York also furnish a quota of labor- ers. These voluntoers are working with a will, but_before the endof the week they will' want to return home, Men who come here will be paid $2 a_day and board. All laborors who have been toiling with the wreckage are quartered to- night, some in barns and others in the tents above referred to. LIKE AIOIY TINES. 14 was a scene as of army life at the time that supper was ready, and the long pine ta- bles were crowded with men. Coffee, bread and cheese was the fare to-night, but more substantial rations will be given out to-mor- row. As darkness drew a veil over the sceuc the valley becemo quict, the only noise bewng the occasional challeage of a militia- man as he bade some belated individual obey the orders of the sheriff and leave the city of the dead. i Johnstown 1s under MARTIAL LAW, and laborers only are wanted. The relicf work has been so systematized that there is no danger of any confusion. At the sceveral distributing depots hundreds as- sembled this morning, at noon and_at night, and forming in lme were all supplied with provisions. Many women with fam- ilies are given bread Dbutter, _cheese, ham, cauned meats, tea or coffce and sugar, and unmarried applicants are sup- plied with sliced bread and butter, or sand- wiches, The action of the authorities, yes- terday, inconsolidating all authority and vesting it in J. B. Scott, of Pittsburg, as dictator, 18 received with fivor on all hands. Dictator Scott has taken hold of the stu- pendous task imposed upon him,with energy and already has mapped out his work and assigned the direction of various portions of it to men equally zealous. Scott, inan inter- view, said Le proposed to clear the town of all wreckage and debris of all descriptions und turn the townsite over to the.citizens when he has completed his work, clean and” free from obstructions of ull kinds. In o conversation, to-day, Superintendent Duncan, of the Johnstown' Street, railway, and o leading citizen of the place, declared that immediate moasures will be talken in the direction of rebuilding. This will be a gigantic and costly work, but Duncan expects to 806 a new city spring from the ruins of Johnstown. The work of reconstructing the road bed and relaying the tracks of the Pennsylvania railroad is being pushed forward vigorously, and already trains are running down to the passenger station, while construction trains are able to o considerably further. Althongh the loss of the Cambria C Iron company will oot up into the millions, the destruction of their plant1s not as bad us apprehended and roported at first, and ofticers of the company now say they expect to resume operations within thirty days. TUE KELIEP TRAINS, The sight of the long relief trains volling into Johnstown over both railroads from every section of the country almost every hour of the twenty-four, tends to make the observer couclude that charity, whether christian or not.is not so rare under the sun as the cynic philosopher would have us believe. Tho registration of survivors goes on, but not so rapidly s yesterday. The total 'veg- istration to date is only u trifle over 12,000 out of a total estimated population in the tor- rent-swept district of from 35,000 t0 40,000 lust Friday. Allowance must be made, of course, for the large number of survivors who sought refuge with friends in other places, as well s mauy who have failed, cither from ignorauce or remission, to regie’ ter. But the fallng off to-duy leads the au- thorities to apprehend that the worst fears may vet be realized, and that the death roll will mount sadly up i the five figures. A THOUSAND FUNERALS. ‘The gray mists had scarcely risen from the hills this morning until a thousand funerals were covering their greenside. There were no hearses, fow mourners and as little so- lemuity as formality. Instead of six pall bearers to one cofiiu there were six coftins to one team. No minister of God was there to pronounce the last blessing as the clods rat- tled down, except a few fuithful priests who had followed some mangled representatives of their faith w0 the grave. All day long corpses were being turried below ground. The unidentified bodies were grouped on a high hill west of the doomed city, where one epitaph wust do for all, and that is the word SUNKNOWN." There are thousands of these graves al- ready, and each day will increase the pro- portion. The possib.lity of identification dimnishes cvery hour. Fires are raging ver the gruves of hundreds, and the partial mation of many bodies is inevitable, Although the funorals of the morning re- lieved the morgues of their trust, before night they were as full of the dead as ever. The enorinity of the devastation wrought by the Conemaugh flood 18 becoming more and more apparent with eyery effort of the la- borers 1o resolve order out of cbaocs. Over a hundred men have been engaged all day in the effort to clear the narrow passage from the bridge upward through the sea of debris that blocks the Conemaugh for nearly balf a mile. Every ingenuity kaown to man has been resorted ‘to by this Emw. Giant powder and dynamite have éen brought futo requisition, and at fre- quent intcevals the roar of explosious re- verberated through the valleys, and sticks, stones and logs would fi$ high in the air. Gradually a few of the héaviesttimbers were demolished and the fragments permit- ted to fioat downward through the center arch, At nightfall, however, the clear space about the bridge did not exceed an arca of Whe Ponpsylvauia railroud, wrrived frow Phila- | one reflects that fully tweuty-Lve acres are to be cleared in this way, the task ahead seems an interminable one, but there is no royal road, and if the hundreds or thousands of bodies beneath these blackened ruins are to be recovernd for christian burial the la- bors of to-day must be continued with in- creased vigor. SENTIMENT V8 SCIENCE. There are many conservative minds that recommend the use of the torch in this work of clearing the river, but they are not among tho sufforers, and when such counsels are heard by those whose wives, children, sis- ters or brothers rest beneath this sea of flotsam and jetsam, the suggostions of cro- mation meots indlgnant objection. It is only in deference to the unreasoning man- date of grief that the herculean laborof clearing the river by means of dynamite and derricks 18 persisted in. There is no hopo in calmer minds that this task can _be pursued to the end. The progre of to-day is hardly discernable and ere two more days have elapsed there is littlo doubt the emanations of the putrid bodies will have become so frightful as to drive the hardiest workmen from the scene. Until that time arrives, however, there 18 no hope that this _stricken populace witl abandon the cherished hope of again gazing upon the forms of loved ones whose lives went out in the fire and flood of Couemaugh. The pleadings of sanitarians and the logic of engineers, alike fail to find echo in the minds of the grieving and af- flicted, but in a few more days the sterner logie of nature will assert itself, and crema- tion will become a Christian duty. MORE HELP NEEDED. Notwithstanding the fact that nearly avery prominent city in the United States is rais- ing funds for the relief of the sufferers, the wants of the homeless and afilicted are far from being alleviated. At the various sta- tions, to-day. the crowds of applicantsiwere continuous from morning till night, and many of the needy were forced to wait in line for hours before their turn came, and their little portion was allotted to them. Hundreds of thousands of dollars must pour into this stricken valley if positive suffering and privation is to be avoided, Labor and manufacturing of nearly every kind is ot a standstill in the valley, and weeks or months must elapse before the Cambria Iron works and other industrial institutions can possibly resume and give employment to the thousands that depend upon them for support. TWO NUNDRED BODIES were recovered from the ruins to-day. Some were identified, but the great majority were not, This number included all the morgues, the one it the Pennsylvania railroad station, the Four d_sciiool, the Cambria City, Morrelly! Kernville and Presby- terian church. At latter place a remarkable state of affairs ex- 18ts, The first, floor has been washed out completely, and the second, while submerged, was badly damaged but not ruined. The floors and pews were drenched and mud has collected on the matting and carpets an inch deep. Walking is attended with difficulty, and undertakers and attend- ants with arms pared slide about the slip- pery surface at a tremendous rate. The ncel is filled with coflins, strips of mus- lin, boards and all undertaking accesor- ies; lymg across the tops of pews, are a dozen pine boxes, each containg a vietim of the flood. Printed cards are tacked on each, Upon them the sex and full description of the enclosed body is written, with the name, if known. THE UNDERTAKERS' LUNCH, One of the most grizzly and nauseating sights to those unaceustomed to scenes of death is the lunching arrangement for the undertakers, ‘These men are working so hard and conscientiously they they have no time for meals, and huge boilers of steaming coffee, loaves of bread, dried beef and preserves are carried into the charnel houses and placed at the disposal of the workers, Along comes one of the weary toilers, his sleeves rolled up, apron in front and perspiring protusely despite the damp weather, He has just finished washing a clammy corpse, and has daubed it with cold water, manivbulated it about on boards, and, in tho interval bofore the body of another poor wreteh is brought in, gets a cup of coffee and a sandwich, With dripping hands he eats his lunch with relish, setting his cup occasionally beside the hideous face of a decomposing corpse, and totally obvious to his horrible surroundings. TIE CRANKY PREACHER. At the Fourth ward school house, where most of the undertaking work is being done, there was some slight trouble over the que: ton of liquor. = Re Mr. Heal, of the Prestyterian church, has charge of this morgué and objected to the undertaker drinking whisky. Inasmuch asa man with @ cast iron constitution could not work at anything in this place without a stimulant of some kind the undertakers protested against Beal's unreasonable prejudice, it is said, and threatened to cease attending the bodies. This had the effect of modifying Beal’s temperance scruples. A GLOOMY OUTLOOK. As the days roll on and the heaps of debris are penetrated, it becomes wmore and more apparent that the death list will be more than five thousand, and the general im- pression is that the victims will number between eight and ten thousand. The deeper the wreck drifts are penetrated the greater the number discovered. On Franklin street thirteen were found in a cluster to-day, and a fow minutes afterwards twelve more were foun Dr, Lee, of the "Pennsylvania state board of health, was to-day asked what in his opinion wero the prospects of an epi- demic in the Conemaugn valley. He said: God only knows. No man g csn tell what will come out of those piles of drift and wreckuge, To-day we started & portion of our corps of sanitary inspectors mto the thick debris and in a little while the bodies of fifty dead animals, mostly horses, were ro- movea and hauled away for burial. If this percentage is kept up here, there is a fearful amount of decomposing animal matter to be removed or encountered. I have to-day ordered the surgeon general at Wash- ington to forward unlimited quantities of disinfectants to Johnstown. There is more promised from up the mountain, and I hope to be able to have the whole city fortified inside of a few days. FIFTY IN ONE ROOM, A house to house canvass was ordered by the sanitary authoritics to-day, and itg reve- Jations, so far us it went, were startling in the extreme. It was found that four and even six families are Dbeing crowded into & smgle house; that as high us fifty slept in one room; that the doors and windows were left closed to shut out the stench and the dumpness, and that as & result, pneumonia (the existence was first discovered by the Associated press correspondent), was gain - ing an alarming foothold. It is estimated there are at least a hundred well defined cases of the discase in Johnstown to-day. A FALSE RUMOR. Investigation shows there is no truth in the report that at Phillipsburg yesterday there had been great loss of life, and that 243 bodies were recovered. e AMERICANS ABROAD ACTING, the pscriptions Handed In By Trave elers and Charitable Forzigners, Copyright 1859 by James Gordon Bennett.) June 5.—[New York Herald ial to Tue Bee|—The Loudon editor of the Herald has received the fol- lowing contributions for the relief of the sufferers by the floods: Duke of Newcastlo, £15; L. 8. D., £1; and Montague Marks, £2. Nothing official has yet been done by the American legation to help the sufferers, in Pennsylvania, over which sorrow has just now thrown its sombre shadow ; nevertheless the Americans are showing their practical sympathy with the uuhappy people whose snmeu and lives bave been ruined so sud- euly, Minister Lincoln received the follow- fug subscriptions, yesterday: Frank Wil liam Jones, #£100; Anson Phelps Stokes, £100; Charles H. Marshall, £50, These sums have been deposited with Messrs. K. 5. Morzau & Co., and will be forwarded to Philadelphis. A number of _ 0 er subscriptions have also been received | city coutinucs in darkness. QUMBER 355 from Americans tomporarily resident in Lon- don, towards relief fund raised for suffercrs by the recent flood in Conemaugh Valley. Mr. Bell, general manager of the Lion Fire Insurance company, yesterday, sent the following cablegram to the president of the United States: ‘‘The directors of the Lion Firo Insurance company, limited, desire to contribute $1,000 to the relief fund for the sufferers by the flood.” The members of the London stock ex- change, hearing that Tom Nickolls had cabled £1,000 to New York, in aid of the sufferors, immediately opened a snbscription and already £1,500 have been collected, which will on- able Mr. Nickolls to send a further sum of £500, A long cable was, to-day, received from the mayor of New York, thanking the subscribers for their kindness and gene- rosity. it Breaking the Sad Inteltigence. [Copyright 1559 by James Gordon Bennatt.] QuEENSTOWY, Ire., June 5.—[New York Herald Cable—Special to Tur Bre. |—The Tnman line steamer City of New York ar- rived at Queenstown this evening., She had on board 536 American passengers, many of whom came from Pittsburg, A most affccting scene was witnessed when they read the newspapers containing accounts of the awful disaster in Pennsyl. vania. The papers were purchased at the rate of a shilling each, The American Colony in Paris. [ Copyright 1889 by James Gordon Bennet.] Panis, June 5.—[New York Herald Cable —Speeial to Tne Bee|—A meeting was called by the United States minister, yester- day afternoon, to take steps toward express- ing the sympathy of the Americans in Paris with the sufferers by the calamity in Penn- sylvania, It was very largely attended, by nearly all the prominent members of the American colony, as ‘well as many tempo- rarily in the capital. Whitelaw Reid was called on to preside, and explained the objects of the meeting in feeling terms. Resolutions were presented by Andrew Carnegie, which were unanimously adopted. They not only expressed deep sympathy with the sufferers, promising to send money immediately for the pressing needs of those who have lost their all. Among them was the following: “Resolved, That, as American citizens, we congratulate them upon, and thank them for the numerous acts of heroism displayed under circumstances calculated : to uunerve the Jspecially do we, admire them for ity shown for local self-government upon which the stabiity of republican insti- tutions depends; the military organization sent from distant points to pre- serve order during the chaos that supervened having been returned to their nomes as no longer required within forty- eight hours of the calamity. In these few hours the civil power recreated and asserted itself and resumed sway withont the aid of counsel from distant authorities, but safely by and from the inherent power which re- mains i the people of Johnstown them- selves.” Speechos were made by General Alex R. Lawton, ex-minister of the Unitea States to Austria; General Meredith Reed, and ex- Mayor Hewitt, of New York. Nate Salis- bury, in a few words, 1 the name of Colonel Cody, offered to give an exhivition of the Wild West, the entire proceeds to go to the fund raised in Paris for the Johnstown sufferers. This generous offer was received with hearty applause; A special committee was appointed to act with Mr. Salisbury and his associates to prepare the details of this benelfit. The chairman also appointed a committee, consisting of J. H. Hayes, John Seligman Evans and Nate Salisoury, to take charge of all moneys raised by subscription and for- ward the same promptly to Pennsylvania. The resolutions were cabled to the mayors of Johnstown and Philadelphia, to show the sufferers that the Americans in Paris are not unmindful, in the midst of pleasures, of the duty of sympathy with such distressing cir- cumstans Meantime a subscription has been opened, and ex-Mayor Hewitt started it with a large sum, others quickly followed his example, and in a very few minutes a large amount was subscribed. The Paris municipal coun- cil, Friday, voted 5,000 francs to aid the suf- ferers. Damage Greater Than Reported. HuxmiNgroyN, Pa, June b5.—Late news from the suburban districts of this county, just received, show the destruction to pro erty by the flood as infinitely gFeater than at firsf reported. The watars are receding, and couriers have arrived bearing news of the unprecedented flood from Bedford to Hunt- ington, on the Roystown branch, and on to Lewistown, on the Juniata river, The devastation is groatest in cen tral Pennsylvania, except, of course, Johnstown, Not a house is left that stood within reach of the swollen s The damage to property will reach & while other towns in the county have suffered considerably. At Mapleton the immense tannery of L. A. Roberts was damaged to the extent of 200,000, and the loss to other property will reach $100,800 more, The Powell furnace at Saxton sustained a loss of £300,000, and at that place both the railrond bridges were swept away, leaving railroad comunication with Bedford cut off. For a distance of miles below here the Pennsylvania tracks are de- stroyed, with the bridees gone at Manayunk and Lewistown, the latter having gone down during the heavy storm last night, Growing crops in the low lands were destroyed and in Smith's valley, this county, farming lands, comprising an aren of twelve by two miles have beem stripped of every vestige of soil. So far as known 300 houses have been destroyed in this connty. Three families, comprising sixteen persons, living on the Itoystown branch, are missing und it is feared have been swept away with their homes. An Appeal to Masons, CiicaGo, June 5.—The following was sent out by Grand Master J. C. Smith, of the Free Musons of Illinois, to-day: To the Masonic Fratefnity: Remember- ing with heartfelt gratitude the generous bounty of our Pennsylvavia brethren when Chicago lay in ashes, the I'vee Masons of Ilinois are now called upon to aid the aficted craftsmen in the Conemaugh valley ' of that state, As the aestruction of the imperial city of Chicago wus & national talamity and the greatest disaster by fire that has ever befal- len the Anglo-Saxon race, so is the flood in fair Conemaugh valley of Peunsylvania the greatest of its kind that has ever befallen our people. Your grand imaster has just re- turned from Pittsburg, where he was at the time of this ‘terrible flood, and knows personally of the great loss of prop- erty and greater loss of lif. He can there- fore more intelligently appeal to you on be- half of the brothers of Johnstown and vicinity. ~ You aré requested w con- tribute according to your means of the gencrous county an All-Wise Providence hay vofichsafed you that our brethren may be afforded some relief from their sufferings by hunger or the inclemency of the weather. Make your contributions in money and send by draft, express or money order to Wiley M. Egan, grand treasurer, chamber of com- merce, Chicago, L Dead in a Qabin WiLLiaMsrorr, Py June 5,—At Little Trout Itun, on Big Pine creek, six men had been employed pecling bark, Since the water subsided search was made for the men, and all were found iu their cabin arowned. The ‘This evening “[Continued on Second JORN H. OBERLY RESIGNS. The Indian Commissioner Will Step Down July 1. THE OMAHA POSTOFFICE SITE. 1t Will Bo Settled Some Time This Week—Ex-Oongressman Thomas Mentioned For Land Com- missioner. 513 FOURTRENTA STRRET, Wasnivaros, D, C., June 5. The secretary of the interior has accepted the resignation of John H. Oberly, commis- sioner of Indian affairs, to take effect July 1. Supervising Architect Windrim said to 'me Bee correspondent this afternoon: “I intend to lay the report of Aseist- ont Secretaries Batchellor and Tichenor and myself, and also of Clerk Avery, on the Omaha pablic building site before Secretary Windomn on Thursday or Friday of this week, and I have no doubthe will pass upon it without delay. Clerk Avery is in Washing- ton now. He has just returned from Omaha. No further information is necessary to en- able Secretary Windom to take final action.” Mr. Avery is now at work upon his report, which is based upon information he obtained on his recent visit to Omana, and it is under- stood a verdict has been reached, and that it ouly lacks the official signature of Windom to make it final and ofticial. CLARKSON CLEANING HOUSE. The carvets were taken up in the private office of First Assistant Postmaster-General Clarkson, to-day, and it cost several hundred appointments to fourth class postmasters. “There was a suspension of the appointments at the time, and a great crowd congregated around the hallways impatiently viewing the work of the carpct beaters. ~Postmasters who want extra allowance for clerk hire and for extra duties sbould make their applica- tions immediate! that they can be con- sidered in time to come in at the end of this month, which finishes the present fiscal year. PIKE'S APPEAL. Assistant Secretary the Interior Chand- ler has rendered a decision in the uppeal of of Lobridge M. Pike, from the decision of the general land oftice, March 20, 1888, in the contest of Pike vs Sidney celling Pike’'s tunber culture entr, Sioux City series, for the north g southeast !5 of section 25, township range 42 west, Des Moines land district .and reinstating Bradley’s timber culture entry No. 2 v the deseribed tract. In Septen- y brought suit against Johu H. Brokaue to récover rents for the use and occupancy of the tract describea, and while the suit was pending Pike intervened and ou trial in the circuit court of O'Brien county, Ia., Pike’s testimony, and that of Brokane and other witnesses was taken in Pike's be half, and upon this testimony the jury de- caided n favor of Bradley. The assistant secretary is satisfied that Bradley has been 1mposed upon. THE APPEAL CASE OF THE 0. B. & Q. In the appeal case of the Chicago, Burling- ton & Quincy Railroad company from the decision of the commissioner of the general land oftice, Secretary of the Interior Noble to-day ordered that the company’s applica- tions should be allowed and the list should be submitted for approval as soon as practicable. The commissioner of the general land oftice, by letter of July 28, 1885, transmitted the testimony taken at the hearing had, in pur- suance of the directions in the departmental decision of March 20, 1858, for certification of the southwest ! of the southeast if of section 7, township 71, north ranze 25 west, and the northeast I{ of the southwest i of section 11, township 73, north range 80 west, Des Moines, Ia., land distri These tracts were offered for sale 1n 1850, and on Novem- ber 28, 1854, Jeremiah Shephard filed a pre- emption, declaratory statement for thesouth- west quarter of the southeast quarter of sec- tion 6, township 71 north, range twenty-eight west, together with other lands. On Octo- ber 4, 1854, Daniel Strickland filed a pre- emption declaratory statement for the north- east quarter of the southwest quarter of sce- tion 11, township 73 north, rauge 30. Final proof hus never been offered in either of these filings, but they both remain uncan- celled on record. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad company, as successors to the Burlington & Missouri Railroad com- pany, claims these tracts under the grant of May 15, 1856, to the state of Iowa, and on December 17, 1878, applied to have them certified. These lands fall within the grant limits of said roads, as shown by a map of definite location, April 7, 1857. The com- missioner of the general land office, in a letter of July =21 1884, held that the company must prove that these pre- emption elaims were abandoned prior to the definite location of its road, before the tracts could be approved for its benefit, they being within the six-mile Jimit of its grant. The company furnishes affidavits to mect these requirements. On March {1, 1886, the gen- eral land office decided that these tracts could not, under the rule of that office, be conveyed to the company, notwithstanding the evidence turnished of abandonment by the parties muking the filiugs, prior to the railroad grant, The tracts involved were, at the dates of therespective pre-emption filing, subject to private entry, and proof insupport of such filings should, under the law, have been submitted within twelve months after settlement. This period had long expired before the definite location of the road. The secrotary of the interior holds that under these circumstances the company was, under the practice then exisiing, required as a couditional precedent to the passing of title, to show that no pre-emption right to said tracts existed at the date of the defivite loca- tion of its road. ‘I'his has been done to the satisfaction of the office. APPEALS FIOM DECISIONS, The land case of Carl Clark against J. I, Rawlings, on appeal from the latter from the dealgion of the commissioner of the gen- 1 land office of May 22, 1555, holding for ancelation the homestead entry of Raw- lings for the northeast quarter of section 1} township_east 8 north, range 20 west, Mc- Cook, Neb., land district; the secretary of the interior to-day handed down a decision, in which he afirmed the decision of the g al land oftice. Rawlings made a home- stead entry for the tract in dispute on siarch 22, 1884, and_on September 19, 1584, made a commution proof before the local ofiicers, but he did not offer to_pay for the land, and his proof was not acted upon, but simply held by the local officers, On June 17, 158 he filed an afidavit in the local o flce, stating that he had not until that time been able to get the money, and usking that his said proofs be then considered and accopted, in order to save him tho expense of readvertising in making new proof. This the local ofticers declined to do, but on the same day forwarded the proof to the general land office. The commissioner refused to render a decision on the facts presented, and dewanded additional information, Rawlings answered that be had not abandoned the land s his home, and had been absent no more than his employment as engineer on a railroad necessitated. Before the decision was rendered Clark instituted a contest alleg- ing abandonment and failure to reside upon the lands as required by law. The local land oficers decided in favor of the contestants, id on appeal the general land office af- od the decision, The substance of the specifications of error urged in the appeal from the decision of the commissioner is that the sam ontrary to and not supported by the evidence, Secretary Noble reviews the case at length, DANIEL GUERNSEY'S CASE. Furst Assistant Secretary of the Interior Chandler, to-day, affirmed tue decision of the general land office in holding for cancella- tion the homestead entry of Daniel Guern- sey, for north half of northeast quarter, and north half of northwest quarter of section il, township 5 north, range 87 west, McCook, Neb,, laud district. Guernsey made home- stead eutry on March 20, 1854, aud June 4, 1886, A epecial agent of the general land Wasnixorox Boreav, Tie OMAmA Bre, } 6 north, office reported that he had made personal examination, and found no improvements upon the tract, except a very small board shanty, cheap and uninhabitable, having one window, from which the glass was nearly all broken out, and nothing at all in the shanty. Upon this report the entry was held for can- cellation. Plaintifi's council insisted that inasmuch as the entryman is a citizen of this ‘glorious republic,” ‘and “among the first to bring into civilization that small portion of the great American desert,” that this tract should be awarded to him. Assistant Sec- retary Chandler replies to this appeal for sympathy by saying: *While great credit is due tho ‘zeal manifested by tho pioneer of ilization, and duo consideration should be given to the toil, privations and hardships which he has undergone and endured, yot it will not do to lose sight of, or ignore, the act under which the entryman is seelking to avail himself of the benefit of the bounty of the government, The law is a jealous and con- servativo mistress, blind to every other con- sideration than the observance of its mandate.” THOMAS FOR THE LAND Ex-Congressman John R, Tllinois, is being talked of vei for the commissionership of the gene office. Heo has been offered the assistant commissionship, but decliued it, and 1t is now said that he is slated for commissioner. MISCELLANEOUS, ‘Washington 1. Werrick, of Towa, was to- day appointed a special timber agent of the interior department with a salary of £1,300 a year and traveling expenses, ARMY MATTERS, With the approval of the secretary of war leave of absence for five months, to take ef- fect on or about June 15, is granted Captain Daniel Robinson, Seventh infantry. Sergeant Thomas Casey, company I, Eighth infantry, now with his company at Fort Robmnson, is transferred to company B, First infantry, as a _private, and will be sent to Em station of that company at Fort Gaston, Jal. Licutenant Bonesteel, of the Twenty-first infantry, left for New York this afternoon to witness the marriage of his sister. PERSONAL J. J. Barker, of Nebraska, President Harrison lo»llni‘; FFICE, Tromas, of called upon irx S, HeaTn. INTERES - WESTERN PACKING The Marketing of Hogs Fairly Lib- oral the Past Week. Cixoinsaty, June 5.—[Special Telegram to Tne Ber.]—To-morrow's Price-Current will say: The marketing of hogs in the west has been fairly liberal, the past weck, some what exceeding the preceding week and con- siderably in excess of the corresponding time last_year. king returns show 255,000 handled for the weel, against 240,000 the preceding week and 210,000 last year from March 1. The total is 2,715,000 against 1 80,000 402100)] 236,000 104,0 0! 110,04 Omaha. .. 8t. Louls. Indianapolis - Cincinnati. . 80,00 Milwaukee . S 306,000 Cedar Rapids’ . % 000 Cleveland Sioux City.. 51,000 G000 ARTHUR WANING. The Chief Too Conservative For the Engineers. Cnicaco, June 5. —This evening's Journal says: Thereis trouble in the ranks of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Chief Arthur is a candidate for re-election and as such has been making a quiet canvass of the various lodges of the brotherhood. Last week a secret meeting for this purpose was held in this city. There were upwards of 200 members present, representing lodges in Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin; and with their defeat by the “Q,” a momentarily expected reduction o1 wages on the Santa Fe and the recent discharge of a large num- ber of brotherhood men by the Alton fresh in their minds they were no all satisfied with the chief’s optimistic A mem- ber of the general grievance committee, ad- dressing Chief Arthur, said: “A reduction of wages is expected to be made before long on a number of western roads, Such action we do not propose to ac- cept, because we do novbelieve it justified. We therefore desire to know whether in the event of a reduction baing ordered despite our opposition, you would sanction a strike!”’ Chief Arthur did not like the question, but saw there was no help for it, and answered: “‘Under no condition of circumstances of which I can conceive shball Iever sanction another strike.” “‘But, sir,” broke in the questioner, ‘‘sup- pose a reduction of wages should occur on the Union Pacific system, where the brother- hood is so thoroughly equipped as to obtain the granting of everything they ask, would you authorize a strike to resist it{" Without » moment’s hesitation the chief replied: “No, sir: 1 would not. I trust—I believe that no reduction of wuges is to be made, but should there be, and they follow my advice, they will uccept the red on, I shall never sanction another strike,” Chief Arthur stopped and the mecting adjourned. Murmurs of discontent have been heard ever sin It was known that the chief had a strong dislike for strikes, but that his con- sorvatism wus 80 extreme as his speech showed it to be it was never dreamed. e ol CRONIN'S FOREBODINGS. Several Witnesses Testify to His Fear of Alexander Sullivan, CunieaGo, June 5.—Just before the inquest over Dr, Cronin was cnded for the day, the books of the Traders’ bank, of Chicago, were brought into the court room by order of Judge Shepard. Byron Q. Smith, receiver of the bank, was present to explain their bearing ou the case, By checks on file and ledger entries it was shown that in the sumn- mer of 1852 Alexander had altogether £100,000 in the bank., Of this money $10,000 and more Wi an indiviaual count, The rest was credited to “Alexander Sulli van, agent.” By September, 1882, this money ecn drawn out on checis made payable er & Co., brokers, the intention of the coroner to sum- mon a member of the firm to probe the mat further, Patrick McGarry, Michael Barry, Maurice Morris and Joseph O'Byrne, members of the nu-Gael, und friends of Dr. Cronin, gave testimony to the general ef- fect that Dr. Cronin had said to them at different times that he expected Alexander Sullivan to instigate some one to kil him, All were asked if they had ever heard of threats against the doctor's life by Mr. Sullivan, and each re plied in the negative, Thomas J. Conway, a Clan-na-Gael man, says he had come west under orders from the executive committee of the Clan-na-Gael, At a meeting of Camp 24, Conway continued, Tesolutious regretting Cronin’s death were opposed because perbaps the executive com mittee had proof o show that Crouin was a British spy. - Alexander Sullivan’s attention was called to the testimony of Recel Swmith this a ternoon at the inguest. Mr, Sullivan said there was nothing whatever in the Trader bank account which could not and would nov be satisfuctorily explained whe proper judicial proceeding requi any time during the past six years he could have obtained and destroyed the checks if ne 80 desired, but as there was nothing to ceal anybody baving any right to an explan- ation could . have it, and he will explain at the proper time. i S Chr ans Enslaved, Loxnoy, June b.-—-Missionary letters|to the anti-Slave cly say that the Mahdists have made western Abyssinia @ desert. Whole flocks and berds have been troyed. Phousands of christians bave been thrown into sluvery, thousands of others have been butchered, and hundreds of the noblest in habitants have been taken w Mecca us sluyes iu violation of treuties. IN THE RAILROAD SWIM. Annual Meeting of the Chicago & Rock Island. SURE WAR IN FREIGHT RATES. The Burlington & Northorn Throws Down the Gauntlet—Tho Alton Kicking on Live Stock Traflio —Going For the U, P. Nearly a Miltion Behind. Citicaco, Jone 5.—[Snpecial Tolegram to Tar Ber]—The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Chicago & Rock lsland road was held to-day. In spite of prodictions to the contrary the meeting was entirely har- monious. . B. Cooloy, of Hartford, Conn., who was expected to do some violent kicking on the management of tho road, exprossed himsolf as well satisfiod. Of tho 416, shares issued, 354,100 were voted. Of these, Mr. Cooloy cast 18,612 for Henry K. Mor- wan, of Hartford, for a scat in the dircotor- ate. The old board of dircctors was re- elected, however, John Dokoven, of Chi- cago, taking the place of Francis H. Lowe, decensed. The re-clectod board met at the close of the stockholders’ meeting, and unan- imously re-clected rond a8 follows: R. R. Cable, David Dows and W, G. Purdy, vice presi- dents; W. G. Durdy, troasurer and sccrotary. The following execu- tive ~committea was also elected: Hugh Riddle, R. R. Cable, David Dows, H. R. Bishon and Benjamin 'Brewster. The aunual report, shows u deflcit_of $074,204.23 as follows: Linesenst of the Missouri river, gross earnings, $12,841,020.07; operating cx- Jenses and taxes, £,127,108.65; net earnings, 13,831.02; lines west of the Missourl river, gross earnings, $4,721 0; operat- ing expenses und taxcs, $1, i not carnings, $082,408.18; total rnings, $1,500,820.20; net_ increase, §6,057,250.05; the intercston the bonded devt, rentals, divis dends at 53 per cent and premiums amounted to $31,493.00, leaving a deficit for tho year endini March 81, of 8074,234.22, The state- ment for the lines west of the Missouri i from June 1, 1857, to March 1, vresident; port showed gross earn and net earnings of #4,7 eans War, Cnroaco, June 5.—[Svecial Telegram to Tue Beg.]—One of the swormiest freight meetings ever held in Chicago was that of to-day, held by the St. Paul lines to discuss the 40 per cent reduction of rates, It ended by the Chicago, Burlington Northern throwing down the gauntlet, by the an- nouncement of another sluck in rates, this time to meet the lake and rail, Lake Superior lines’ rate of 79 cents, New York to St. Paul, This is a cut from the 8i-cent Chicago-St. Paul rate to 23 cents. he row sturted from the beginning of the meeting when the com- tees reported that nothing favorable to a settlement had been received from the lake ana rail lines. Within five minutes every road present was jumping on the Paul, all charging that road with starting the slash in rates by cutting the original 50-cent rate to 33 cents, via Grand Haven. The St. Paul officials at~ tempted to defend their action, but were fairly overcome by the force of numbers. Excited language, that would not look well in print, as freely used and the St. Paul was charged on all sides with cutting and manipulating rates as it saw fit. The Ch cago, Burlington & Northern expressed pel fect willingness to restore rates, provided other lines would do so and then produced confusion, worse than worse confounded, by the anncuncement that, beginning June 10, it would meet the Duluth lake and rail rate of 7 cents, an additional cut oL Ne: cents below the 84-cent basis, Chicago to St. Paul. There was no possible hove of igreement, but, be- fore the meeting broke up in confusion a committee of si1x was apvointed to meet the lake and rail lines in St. Paul next Saturday to discuss the situation. The Chicago, Bur- lington & Northern wants it distmecly under- stood that it is perfectly willing to settle, but only when rates to St. Paul, via Duluth and Chicago, are made the same, More Rows Imminent, Omoaco, June b.—[Special Telegram to Tue Bee.]—The general managers of lines interested in Omaha and Kansas City live stock trafiic met to-day to consider the de~ mand of the Alton for a division of this trafic. The hearing was before Chairman Walker and Midg! of the executive board of the Inter-State Commerce Railway asso- ciation, The St. Paul, having the longest line, has been taking almost all the trafic formerly carried by the Alton, Under tho 0s of the association a division of tha trafiic can be demanded where one line is carrying more than its due proportion, The case was argued in full, General Manager Chappell, of the Alton, lead- ing the discussion. He did not hesitate to call a spade a spade, and read the viot uct to the St. Paul, in a way the latter despised. Mr. Chappell openly charged the St, Paul with cutting rates and manipulating in_undernand ways to gain the trafiic. He said he had afidavits of all he charged, and dared the St."Paul to demand their produc- In plain words he demanded that the d illegal trafiic of the St. Paul be cur- In case this was not done he gave fair notice that the Alton would adopt meas- urses for its own protection. He did not say 80, in 80 many words, but every official pres- ent understood him to mean thit the alternas tive would be the withdrawal of the Alton from the Presidents’ association. No de- cision will be rengered by the exccutive board for ten days. Exactly a corresnonding case comes up, to-morrow, when the Rock Island and Burlington will demand a division of the Uniou Pacific bullion trafic, Railroad Consolidation in Utah. pALT LAKE City, June Special Tele- gram to TiE Bre.] A directors' meeting has been called for July 11, in this city, to con=- sider the consolidation of the Utah Central, the Utah Northern, the Oregon Short line, the Salt Lake & Western, the Utah & Ne- vada, the Ogden & Syracuse, the Idaho Cens tral and the Nevada Pacificinto one tion. It is coufidently predicted bherc thit the consolidation will take place, and thut Salt Lake will be the headquarters of the entire system. e Northwestern Associated Pross, Cricaco, June 5.-~The Northweste sociated pr t this afterooon in ting, at which the following offl ted: Pretident, D. port Democrat: vi orge D, Perkins, Sioux City Journal; secretary, H. W. Clendennin, Springfield Journal; treas- urer, A, Stone, Peoria I'ranscript; executive committee, W. H. Henricksen, Quing ald; Spencer Smith, Council Bluffs 3 oil,'and E. Rosewater, Omama Be same gentiemen vonstitute the board rectors, Routine matters in the way of new contracts and other business were hars woniously transacted, - Three Miners Lose Their Lives, Guass Variey, Cal, June 5.—The Idabo wine, in which fire broke out Monday night, was shut down yesterday to smother th flames. Besides Frank Curter, who was killed while trying to reach Thomas Dunstan and John Ralph, two imprisoned men, the latter two ulso lost their lives, - ] A Republican Governor, Coxcoity, N. H., June 5,—In joint session to-day a ballet was taken for governor, there ¥ heen uo choice by the people. David 0, republican, wos declared elected, As- annual s were son, Davs the old ofticors of the " st e—