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Newspaper
Pittsburgh Dispatch
Location
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States of America
Date
Jun 05, 1889
Page
2
A flood of refugees arrives at a church relief center with 40 to 100 scattered locations listed as sponsors. Volunteers distribute meals to women and children while new arrivals share stories of loss and hardship. The scene shows crowded tables, hopeful looks, and orderly care for the needy amid ongoing distress.
An amalgamated crowd gathered on Liberty Street to witness a train carrying four car loads of laborers depart for Johnstown. Two locomotives pulled the train as observers described the scene amid excitement and curiosity.
Reports describe an organized group moving by rail with long lines of cars carrying men from Chartiers and Booth & Flinn crews under J. P. Cowan and Inspectors McAleese McKeivy Captain Silvis Detective Brophy and Lt. Davy Lewis. The crowd, including Irish and Italian workers, is described as dangerous with officers threatening arrests and demonstrations at windows during the movement.
Superintendent Stephen Collins retires from Johnstown with about 20 water damaged letters salvaged from the wrecked post office. He reflects on the fate of the writers and the letters, noting the melancholy scene and the sense of finality for those who penned them.
Pittsburg merchants assess damage from the Johnstown disaster. They expect losses ranging from $500,000 to $1,000,000 as creditors weigh unpaid accounts and await the city’s return to stability. Several firms report substantial pre flood exposures and vow to resume business once Johnstown is rebuilt.
A lone survivor from a large family wanders through Johnstown tolls and mourns the deaths of his father mother and siblings. He meets a widow who offers solace though the boy remains inconsolable. The scene recalls deeper bonds formed in sorrow as life loses its charm.
Witness Noe, a puddler at Vesuvius Mine, describes the flood lifting a heavy tug engine like a wooden box and ripping a station from its fastenings. He notes roof and furnace stacks destroyed, a wooden box half a building torn free, and six furnaces in the blast line will require extensive cleanup before rebuilding can begin, likely over a year.
A boat crew including city officials and street department men navigates a flooded river to clear drift and dead stock. The effort aims to move corpses and debris downstream to restore clean water for Allegheny City as high water complicates passage under bridges.
Miss Jennie Paulson of Allegheny and her friend Miss Bryan of New York perished when their train was overwhelmed by rushing water near Johnstown. After initial hopes, telegrams confirmed both women were drowned while attempting to retrieve their overshoes. The disaster brings deep sorrow to families and friends in Pittsburgh and Allegheny, with many expressions of sympathy.
Pittsburg based Postoffice Inspector Caraway describes a flood night trek from a railroad point to Everett in Fulton County. He braved swift waters, crossing Shafer's Creek where a bridge was swept away, saved a horse from drowning, and walked through flooded ground as his team struggled. He faced exposure and a severe cold after the perilous trip.
Thomas W. Baker and sanitary inspectors travel to Johnstown to supervise arrangements for health measures. Pittsburg officials report no action needed as floodwaters have already cleared contaminants. Officials expect little trouble at Pittsburg while Johnstown remains under close monitoring.
The women of Pittsburg organized yesterday and established headquarters at the Chamber of Commerce. Committees include Mrs Bennett, Mrs Leveche, Mrs Tanner, Mrs McDonald, Mrs BeCielian, Mrs Ha ha, Mrs Fa tenn, Mrs Ps, Mrs A. W Boos, McKee, Mary etc. The article lists numerous names and partial titles in a formal society context.
The article notes life and accident insurance exposures from the Johnstown flood. It details expected heavy losses for Mutual Beneficial Associations and Royal Arcanum and outlines company responses offering prompt claim payments and 30 day premium extensions. It discusses proof of death challenges and the heavy impact on local mutuals in Cambria County.
Crowds at the Union depot were thinner amid bad weather as the Fourteenth Regiment under Colonel Perchment arrived in marching order. They boarded a 2 PM special to Johnstown to help restore order per Governor Beaver’s orders. A labor train of 1,000 men left for Johnstown to repair tracks and rebuild shelters, with Booth and Hoath Flinn contractors supplying tools, timber, and wagons.
Peter Flannery describes the grim process as bodies are washed, dried, and clothed, with slips and duplicates aiding identification. About 135 undertakers have worked at Johnstown since Sunday amid mass burials and relief efforts.
Rev H B Grose of the Fourth Avenue Baptist Church seeks to locate members of his Johnstown flock after a fire destroyed their church. A telegram from Rev W C Bitting of Mt Morris Baptist Church in New York City urged donors to supply $50 to church sufferers, with payment to be drawn on him. Grose plans to visit Johnstown to identify affected members and arrange relief.
The Fourteenth Regiment led by Colonel Perchment marches from Union depot to Johnstown with 250 to 500 men, three days provisions, and ball cartridges. Delays in orders spark indignant talk from Eighteenth Regiment. Dr. Wyley pressures cremation to avert epidemic. Governor Beaver commands National Guard to report to Adjutant General Hastings in Johnstown.
Mayor Pearson collects flood relief contributions from diverse donors including saloon keepers and local societies. A boy, age unknown, contributes a penny found on a riverbank and a young helper ferries water to a neighbor, illustrating early charity and effort across Allegheny schools.
Optimistic estimates surface from Joseph Brown and John A. Harper about losses in Johnstown as salvage proceeds. Machinery may recover with cleaning, while open hearth furnaces and some dwellings will incur heavy damage. The Wall Street era view notes many modest homes, few fine houses, and potential for a brighter Johnstown with rebuilding.
E W Wilmot an orange grower from Redland Cal arrived in town with wife and four month old on the Day Express halted at Conemaugh by a landslide and flood. He recalls the wall of water sweeping the vestibule car eight aboard drowned and passengers scrambling to safety as the train was hurled toward destruction. Mr Wilmot heads to New Haven after recounting the nightmare.
A fragment from a Pittsburg newspaper shows retailers pushing bargains on flour cigars wines jewelry and art items. Claims include competitive prices on Havana cigars and a major exhibition at E P Roberts Sons with a note on the Alberto cigars and Durston jewelry offers.
Beaver urges immediate national action for at least 2400 feet of pontoon bridges and sand force. Beaver receives telegrams from James A. Beaver and James B. Scott. Chamber of Commerce votes to deploy 800 workers with 2 cars of lumber under W. J. Flinn, funds of $2000 provided for immediate payments to laborers.
News from Johnstown arriving after press hour will trigger a 49 o clock edition and may run for days. Agents must telegraph or telephone orders before 7 o'clock for today or mail them for tomorrow, as none of the 9 o'clock edition leaves the city without agent orders.
The Allegheny Board of School Controllers held a monthly meeting led by Superintendent Morrow who reported a total of 12,22. A resolution to have teachers and principals aid in compiling the annual report was adopted, and a ban on suspended pupils transferring between schools was approved after a vote. Major Hawker opposed the move and Lewis saki lost 25 to 14. The board directed that all infectious disease cases in schools be reported to the Board of Health. Taberran Jones and M J McAllister were reelected. Librarian Benne presented his annual report noting 11,573 books in the library.
Knights and Ladies of Honor lodges announce readiness to take charge of Johnstown relief. Volunteers will report donations and coordinate shelter efforts from Kramer & Co. offices at height as the lodges prepare to aid victims.
A telegram from Captain Wm. R. Jones urged prompt motion to feed troops. Within minutes food corps assembled from hotels with room for 100 more cooks. allegheny light company prepared 60 electric lights, National Tube Works dispatched five tons of tools, and Hessey Binns Co sent 15 dozen shovels as a train formed to take tools and men away.
Many youths seized the East Park city pump in Allegheny and charged five cents per drink and a cent per bucket for pure water. The pump operated all day as a crowd collected a rich harvest. robbery was reported when the pump was found broken and the thieves fled, with Roundeman James Wilson notified.
Ice firms report strong demand as residents prefer melting ice for drinks despite cold weather. Local chatter suggests the practice is fashionable among buyers, though concerns about poisonous fluids arise and boil safety is debated.
Residents of Buffalo send 1100 and pledge future help for Sootown sufferers. Mr L Bigelow of Barrisyard, once Buffalo resident, distinguished himself by soliciting aid and delivering encouragement amid the distress.
A Newfoundland dog saved the life of Jay Fitzgerald on Cinder Street after falling into the water. The dog stayed afloat and alerted bystanders, enabling Fitzgerald to reach safety as responders arrived.
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