The morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, June 08, 1889, Image 1

The morning news., June 08, 1889, Image 1

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Newspaper Page Text< THE MORNING NEWS, 1 ■ Established ltflO. Incorporated 1888. V 1 J. H. ESTILL, l’resident. j DEATH II THE MI Ike Structure One of the Poorest in the Country. In Engineer Severely Censnres Its Constructor. Its Weak Points and Shoddy Work Pointed Out—Wayß in Which the Great Disaster Might Have Been Easily Averted—No Gainsaying the Fact That There Is Great Danger of Sickness—Contributions Still Coming With Lavish Generosity—Railroads Getting in Running Order A. gain. Johnstown, Pa., June 7.—“ Are the hor rors of the flood to give way to the terrors of a plague!” is the question that is now agitating the valley of Conemaugh. To day opened warm and almost sultry, and tiie stench that assails one’s senses as he wanders through Johnstown is almost over powering. Sickness, in spite of the precau tions and herculean labors of the sanitary authorities, is on the increase, and fears of an epidemio grow with every hour. “It is our impression,” said Dr. T. S. White, assistant to the state board of health this morning, “that there is going to be great sickness here within the next week. Fives cases of maglignant diptheria were located this morning on Bedford street, and as they were in different houses they mean five starting points of disease. All this talk about the danger of an epi demic is not exaggerated as many suppose, but is founded on experience. There will be plenty of typhoid fever and kindred disease here within a week or ten days, in my opinion.” DANGER IN WARM WEATHER. The only thing that has saved us thus far has been the cold weather. That has now given place to summer weather, and no one knows what the next few days may bring forth. Even among the workmen anu attendants there is already discernible a treat tendency to diarrhoea and dysentery, the men are living principally upon salt meat and there is a lack of vegetables, t have been hero since Sunday, and have lasted fresh meat but once since. I am only /one of many. Of course, the worst has Ipassed for the physicians, as our arrange (ments are now perfected, and each corps | will be relieved from time to time. Twenty I more physicians arrived from Pittsburg I this morning, and many of us will be re lieved to-day, but the opinion is general among medical men that there will be more need for doctors in a week hence than there is now. USING EVERY PRECAUTION. Dr. P. L. Sibbel, of the state board of health, is in charge of the sanitary quar ters. “We are using every precaution known to science,” said he, “to prevent the possibility of an epidemic. Our labors hern have not been confined to any par ticular channel, but have been extended in various directions. Disinfectants, of course, are of the first importance, and they have been used with no sparing hand. Prompt cremations of dead animals as soon as discovered is another thing we have in sisted on. Tiie immediate erection of water closets throughout the ruins for the work men was another work of the greatest sanitary importance and has been attended to. They too are being disinfected at fre quent intervals. DEEP INTERMENTS. "Wo have a committee too, that superin tends tho burial of victims at the ceme teries. It is of the utmost importance in this wholesale interment, that the corpses should be interred a safe distance beneath tho surface in order that their poi sonous emanations may not find exit through the crevices of the earth. Another committee is making a house to house inspection througnout the stricken city to ascertain the number of inhabitants in each standing house, the number of sick, and to order the latter to tho hospital wherever necessary. One great danger is the overcrowding of houses and hotels, and that is being prevented as much as possible : j t ‘ le r9e use tents upon the mountain sides. So far there is but little contagious disease, and we hope, by diligent and sys tematic efforts, to prevent any dangerous outbreak.” WEAKNESS OF THE DAM. The Btructure So Badly Made Up as to Disgrace its Engineer. Johnstown, Pa., June 7.—A. M. Well ttgton with F. P. Burt, associate editor of tho Engineering News of New York, has lust completed an examination of the dam which caused the great disaster here. Mr. "ollington states that the dam was in every respect of very inferior construction, an tof a kind wholly unwarranted by the Kted engineering practices of thirty years "K°- Both the original and reconstructed dams were of earth only, with no heart a “. but only rip-rapped on the slopes. The orignal dam, however, as made in rammed and watered lay-' ®t' s . which will show distinctly in tho recked dam. The new end greatly added ? its stability, but rt was to all appearance imply dumped in like an ordinary railroad "". or, if rammed, shows no evidence of good effect from it. Much of the old part ,1 ~a nti ing intact, while the adjacent parts i tue new work are wholly carried off. NO CENTRAL WALL. There was no central wall of puddle or masonry either in the new or old dam. It been the invariable practice of engi rt3., thirt y °r forty years to ueo one or v 0 other in building high dams of earth, j ow 11 ls doubtful if there is a single other am or reservoir in any part of the United ctates of over 50 feet high which lacks this .falwall. The reconstructed dam also i . the mark of great ignorance or care- I *® ness ! it having been made nearly 3 feet -I e . r ln the middle than at the ends. It “."did rather have crowned in the middle, inch would have concentrated the over “ it should have occurred at the ends mstoad of in the center. 80W nARM MIGHT HAVH BEEN AVERTED. Had the break began at the ends the cut ,'l,l. w ater would have been so gradual jt , dttto or no harm might have resulted, v i .J c * am * Jeea ut oac - cut at the ends wat ? r keffan running over the tae sudden breaking would have Du,] 1 V' ' ea 8t greatly dimm shed—possibly ’■ aged so that little harm would have fbe JUflfttittg ftasjj. resulted. The crest of the old dam had not been raised in the reconstruction of 1881. The old overflow chancel through the rock still remains, but owing to a sag of the crest in the middle of the dam only feet of water in it, instead of 7 feet, was necessary to run water over the crest aDd the rock spill-wav, narrow at the best, had been further contracted by close grating, to prevent the escape of fish, capped by good-sized timber and in some slight degree also by a trestle foot bridge. The original discharge pipes at the foot of the dam had been permanently closed when recoustruc ed, and this, while a minor mat ter comparod to the others mentioned, further reduced the possible rate of maxi mum discharge. THE NET EFFECT. The'net effect of all these differences of condition was that the dam as it stood was not much safer against an excessive flood, apart from its inferior construction, than the original dam would have bee i with a crest only three aud a half or four feet high above the bottom of the rock . pill-way in stead of seven feet. It is impossible to say if the riprapping of the new part or the dam was as good as the old or not, since it has been wholly carried away. A large amount of old rip-rapping and slope wall still remains intact, and is of excellent quality. It does not appear that there was any great amount of leaking through the dam before it broke. The destruction came from the watsr flowing over the top. Mr. Wellington said that no engineer of renown and good standing for such work could pos ibly havo been engaged on it since, in the partiemars mentioned, it violated the most elementary and universally under stood requirements of good practice. He did not believe that any other dam of equal hight had ever been constructed in this country wholly of earth without some kind of special protection against leakage or abrasion by water in the center of the dam. HALF EARTH AND HALF ROCK. The estimates of the original dam indicate that it was made about half earth and half rock, but if so there was little evidence of it iu the broken dam. The rip-rapping was merely a skin on each face, with more or less loose spauls mixed with the earth. The dam was 73 feet above water, 3 to 1 inside slope, to 1 out side slope, and 20 feet wide on the top. The rock throughout was about 1 foot below the surface. The earth was pretty good material for such a dam, if it was to be built at all, being of a clayey nuture, making good puddle. To this the fact of its standing intact since 1881 must be as cribed, as no engineer of standing would have ever tried to so construct it. The fact that the dam was n reconstructed oue after twenty years abandonment, mado it especi ally hard on the older part of the dam to withstand the pressure of the water. Mr. Wellington left for Pittsburg this evening. CLEARING OUT THE DEBRia The Work Done by 8,000 Men Yester day Only a Drop in the Bucket. Johnstown, June 7.— Eight thousand men have been at work to-day clearing out the debris, but truth compels the statement that the undertaking has nos been fairly started. Fires are burning up and down the valley of the Conemaugh as far as the eye can reach. The air is thick with smoke, and yet to people familiar with the situation the efforts of this army of earnest toilers are hardly appreciable. Something like system is being established, but the moat careful estimates are to the effect that it will take 10,000 men for weeks to clear out the heaps of ruin piled up between the hills in the course of the river. There is an es tablished bolief with many people that newspaper reporters live chiefly in the world of fiction. Could every person who reads these lines see the frightful sights that have confronted the members of the press here during the last night, they would all unite in saying that only a small por tion of the story had been fold. BEYOND CONCEPTION. Human fancy cannot conceive the horrors of the situation. This report is being written from the second story of a building, worth probably sls, which commands a view of the mountainous wreck at the Point bridge. The stench that is wafted through the doorless and wiadowless structure by every passing breeze is sickening. An hour ago the writer completed a tour of the mighty wreck In this vicinity in company with Arthur Kirk, a millionaire oil man, who is looking after the work of opening up the the river channol, chiefly by dynamite. Dozens of human beings and animals were to be seen on the surface, charred and blackened by fire and in such a state of decomposition that the strongest man could no more than glance at them. Mr. Kirk, who is a mau of iron nerve and a stranger to fear, declared that he was sick at heart and axious to quit the awful scene. Iu fact, while he was talking with the reporter the chief of the sanitary committee came to him and said that Director Scott begged him to stay and carry on the work. He will stay to the limit, but his task is an awful ona. SCATTERING DISINFECTANTS. Eighty-six men from Altoona, under orders of the sanitary officials, are scatter ing disinfectants over tho acres of wreck age that the railroad bridge stopped. Mr. Kirk declared that thousands of bodies will will yet be found in this territory alone. Great trouble has been experienced at the bridge on account of the mass of telegraph wires in the debris. Line re pairers are badly needed to help in re moving the wires, and Kirk says that as soon as they are gone he will hustle the de bris through by the acre. The Western Union Telegraph officials havo been asked to send experienced linemen to help in the work. The problem of the hour is the dis posal of the debris abovo the Pennsylvania railroad bridge. Unless it is soon got rid|of the stench will be so overpowering that no human being can stand it. THE PNEUMONIA SCOURGE. The pneumonia scourge grows alarm ingly. Dr, Sweet of Philadelphia, a prom inent member of Dr. Groff’s staff, came down from the Cambria hospital to-night with a startliug report. Dr. Groff had re tired, and no official action could be taken. Dr. Sweet said: “Prospect Hill is full of pneumonia, with some diphtheria and measles. • The hospital is full to overflowing and to-day I attended forty-two cases on the outside. They were almost all severe pneu monia. There S3 every condition needed for a spread of the disease, and I fear an epidemic.” Dr. Carrington also reported several cases of pneumonia, having found them on the hill near Morrellville. Dr. Fuseli came in with a load of in formation from the Kernville-Hornervitle district this evening. The cellar of a house on Bedford street was found stored with wot clothing which was full of disease. The bonfire was brilliant. A butcher shop ou Franklin street wa3 found full of putrid meat, which was destroyed. Nino horses and four cows were cremated, making 150 animals in this district. ROW OF HUMAN FEET. A row of human feet was noticed stick ing out of the sand on the river bark near Kernville. A gang of men soon unearthed the bodies of two men aud one girl, all a good state of preservation. SAVANNAH, GA.. SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 1889. Editor Joseph Swank of the Johnstown Daily Tribune, takes a very hopeful view of the situation: “Jonstown will be re built,” said he to-day, “and on the same spot as before. It is useless to atlempt an estimate of Johntown’s loss, but I would ap proximate it at #15,000,000 in the city proper, aud #25,000,000 including the suburbs. As for the Cambria iron works, I have the personal assurance of Vicj President Powell Stackhouse, who came on from Philadelphia yesterdsy, that the com pany will repair aud rebuild on the old site. Their loss will not exceed $300,000. There is ono national bank, oue savings bank and possibly the private institution of John Diebert & Son, which will open up os soon as they can get their affairs straightened out. Sheriff MeCaudl ss thinks national officers should take hold of the sannary work in order to give it a natioual character. He does not disparage the work of the state board, however. RECOVERY OF A CLERGYMAN’S FAMILY. Tne body of Rev. Alonzo P. Dilter, rec tor of the Johnstown Episcopal church, and those of his wife and child, were recovered to-day under circumstances both sad and strange. Four Episcopal clergymen, wao had been sent there by Bishop Whitehead, were working about the ruins near Lincoln street, when they came upon tiie body of their late brother. Clasped in one rigid arm was the body of his babe aud in the ether his wife, whose arms were about his neck. They were removed in those posi tions, and will be so buried to-morrow, an Episcopal clergyman officiating. Father Smitu, pas or of tiie Catholic church of Ebensburg, Cambria county, reached here to-day after a two days’ journey from South Fork. Ho says the residents of Mineral Point, Coopersville, Dutchtowu, Ijlist Conemaugh mid other small settlements along that valley are in destitute circumstance! and need supplies of groceries and clothing. Reports from each of these villages show tb t between seventy and eighty lives were lost between Wood vale and the hamlet of South Fork. HEALTH, SUOOOR AND STORY. More Typhoid Fever—Ohio’s Big Heart —One Woman’s Experience. Johnstown, Pa., June 7.— Two addi tional cases of typhoid fever were reported this morning from Minersdale, making a total of seven in that village aloue since yesterday morning, Measles are also be coming considerably prevalout on Prospect hill, where a refuge camp is established. B. F. Minnimum, a wealthy contractor of Springfield, 0., arrived this forenoon with a dispatch front Gov. Foraker, offer ing 2,000 trained laborers for Johnstown, to be seat on at onoe if needed. The dispatch further stated that if anything elsa was needed, Ohio stood ready to respond promptly to the call. AT THE COMMISSARY. At the commissary station at the Pennsyl vania railroad depot there was considerable activity. A crowd of about 1,000 people had gathered about the place after their day’s rations. The crowd became so great that soldiers had to be called upon to guard the place until tho relief committee was ready to give out provisions. CARLOADS OF CLOTHING. Several carloads of clothing arrived this morning, which was to be disposed of as soon as possible. The people were badly in need of clothing, as the weather has been very chilly since Saturday. The number of people missing from Woodville is almost incredible and from present indications it looks as if only about fifty people of the borough were saved. Mrs. H. L. Peterson, who has been a resi dent of Woodville a long time, is one of the survivors. FOUND HER OWN NAME ON A COFFIN. While looking for Miss Paulsen of Pitts burg, one of the drowned, she came to a coffin which was marked, “Mrs. H. L. Peterson, Woodvilleborougb, Pa., age about 50. size 5 feet 1 inch, complexion dark, weight about 300 pounds. This was quite an accurate description of Mrs. Peters >u. She tore the card off of the coffin and one of the officers was about to arrest her, but her explanations wore satisfactory and she was released. PLENTY OF TIME TO ESCAPE. In speaking of the calamity afterward, she said: “ibe people of Woodville had plenty of time to get out of town if they were so minded. We received word shortly before 3 o’clock that the flood was coming, and a Pennsylvania railroad oonductor went through the town notifying the people. I stayed until 3:30 o’clock, when the water commenced to rise very rapidly, and I thought it was best to go to the hills.” WORK AMONG THE WAIFS. Noble Efforts of the Mission Among the Orphaned Children. Johnstown, Pa., June 7.—The waifs’ mission is doing noble work in Johnstown. Miss 11. M. Hinckley and her assistant, Mrs. Cornelia Hancock, are the heroines of the hour. Within au hour after their arrival upon the scene of the horrors they had established a bureau and wore receiv ing children or babies that had boon orphaned by the water and flames. Miss Hinckley talked cheerfully of hor work to an Associated Prats representative this morn ing. “We have been very busy from the first hour," she said, “and feel that wo have been able to render good service. Within a few minutes we had received notification of perhaps a hundred orphan children, and as the press was kind enough to send our ad dresses, we were, within a few hours more, in receipt of offers from all over the coun try to take charge of some little ones. A FEW HEARTS GLADDENED. “In many cases children reported to us have subsequently had their li; tie hearts gladdened by a sudden apparition of mother or father, who, aftor all, was not lost in the flood, but had found friendly refuge on the river miles below. From Cleveland, In dianapolis, Altoona, Pittsburg, aud, in fact, throughout all Pennsylvania and tho east ern states, wo havo received telegrams from societies and families offering to take c.harge of certain numbers of little ones. <Ve received, through the mayor of New York, a message from the Leaks and Watts orphanage iu New York city, offering to receive twenty-five of the orphan children. Of course gladly ac cepted the offer. We can respond to many more such kind offers. It is yet impossible to estimate how many children will fall upon our hands, but it will probably run into the hundreds.” WHERE TO SEND MONEY. Pittsburg Now the Center of the Financial Operations. Johnstown, Pa., Juno 7.— The Asso ciated Press agent at Johnstown has received numerous telegrams from all por tions of the United States asking to whom drafts for relief should be remitted. In many cases checks and drafts have been addressed to James B. Scott, chosen dicta tor of the valley, and he was probably the most proper person to whom to make these remittances. “I wish you would now state to the country,” said Mr. Scott to the Associated Press representative to-day, “that as things are becoming more aud more settled every hour, I would recom- mend that all drafts atd cheeks hereafter be sent to William R. Thompson, treasurer of the finance committee, at Pittsburg/ That citv is now rpally the financial point, as most of our supplies must necessarily be purchased there. Lot all general remit tances be in the form of drafts, and no con fusion can possibly arise.” HELP AND HARMONY. Gov. Beaver Denies Reports of Disagreements. Harrisburg, Pa., June 7.— Referring this evening to reports of a disagreement between tho general committee at Pitts burg in charge of the direction of affairs at Johnstown and Gov. Beaver, the governor said: “1 have been so much absorbed, day and night, in the work of affording relief to the sufferers by the Hoods in different parts of the state, and in receiving funds for their use, that I have not been able to read the newspapers, and did not kuow uutil the subject was called to my attention to-day that such reports were being circulated tu various ways. There is not the .'lightest foundation for such a rumor. We have beeu in constant and direct communication si ice Monday last,and nil that they have done has been most cor dially indorsed by me. The committee is composed of some of the best men in Philadelphia, of such business energy, tact, ability and experience that wherever tbev are known their actions would not bo for a moment questioned. The committee at Johnstown Is also organized very efficiently and is doing its work as well as it can pos sibly be done. PITTSBURG’S LIBERALITY. “The people in Pittsburg and vicinity have been extremely liberal in thair con tributions, and are expending their funds in the immediate relief of their suffering neighbors. Supplies in great abundance have come in from all parts of tho country, and the present indications are that when the work of rebuilding commences more substantial help will bo afforded in the way of building material, etc. Large sums of money from outside the state have come into the hands of the executive directly, and into tho depositories desig nated by him In his address to the public, acc 'tnpanied in many cases with specific directions ns to how the money is to be ap plied, and in many other cases leaving its distribution to the discretion of the execu tive alone. A CONFERENCE. “Inasmuch as there are several indepen dent committees in the state, it is deemed advisable, in order to secure unity aud har mony of work, to have a conference of all interested at Philadelphia to-morrow, where, it is hoped, some plan will bedevised by which a central committee of responsible persons may be organized, to which will be referred the distribution of these funds. So far as the work of relieving the suffer ings and providing for relief, and clearing away the great mass of debris which has collected in various localities is concerned, it cannot be entrusted to better hands than those in which it has been placed. Many of the best business men of Pittsburg are giving their time and attention gratui tously to the general welfare much more assiduously than tney“would devote them selves to their own business. Those whef have heretofore contributed, whether their money went in the hands of the committee at Pittsburg or at Johnstown, or at any of tho depo-Rories mentioned by mo in the public addro-a referred to, may be assurred that every cent of their contributions has been, and will be, wisely expended. EXACTIONS OF THE WORK. “The work of receiving aud acknowledg ing contributions and of conferring with those who desired to contribute, or to ascer tain channels through which their bounty should flow, has been so exacting that little attention could be given to anything else here. Several of my military family have given efficient aid in this work, the ordinary help in the executive office being insufficient for this purpose. The public may be, and ought to be, fully as sured of the entire harmony of all the par ties interested in alleviating the suffering of our people, and also of the unifying of all these efforts in such a way as to accomplish the bast results and afford the greatest confidence to the public. The work imme diately in hand has been so urgent and en grossing that parties interested could not arrange for a conference before to-morow, at which time one will be held in the mayor’s office in Philadelphia. In the mean time, it is entirely safe to say that there is need of all funds c ntribut.ed, aud likely to be contributed, for the relief of those who have in many cases sufferod a loss of all their earthly possessions, in addition to the greater loss of their friends.” PHILADELPHIA’S PHILANTHROPY. Sixty Carloads of Provisions and Goods Already Bent. Philadelphia, June 7.—The announce ment made on Wednesday by tho citizens’ committee that the present needs of the sufferers, as far as clothing and provisions are concerned, were supplied, had no effect whatever in putting a stop to contributions of these goods from the people. All day long there was an almost continuous line of wagons at the freight station of the Penn sylvania railroad, all loaded with boxes, cases and barrels, containing goods of every description for the sufferers iu the interior of the state. THE LOADS SEPARATED. Befort being loaded on the cars the vari ous contributions are assorted, provisions being placed in one car and clothing and’ bedding in another, and when fille t they are conveyed to Harrisburg, where they are distributed for Lock Haven, Will iamsport, Johnstown and other points. Nino carloads were sent out this morning, making about sixty cars sent thus far. A dispatch was received last evening from Gen. Hastin g stating that stoves were badly needed in Johnstown, aud this morning a car was loaded with cooking stoves, contributed by d-alers, and star ed on its journey to that place over the Balti more and Ohio railroad. CHARLESTON’S CONTRIBUTION. She Has Already Given $3,500 and ls Not Yet Through. Charleston, 8. C., June 7.— President Tuppor of the Chamber of Commerce has forwarded $l,lOO to Drexel & Cos., for the Pennsylvania sufferers. This, with other contributions,makes over $3,500 contributed by Charleston. Interior towns are con tributing liberally. Collections will bo taken up in the Catholic and other churches here on Bunday for tne relief fund. The deepest sympathy is expressed on all sides for the living, aud sorrow for the dead. A relief train of ten or twelve cars loaded with pro visions, clothing and vegetables, contributed by the people of Charleston and towns on the fine of the 8 uth Carolina road, will leave here to-morrow for Pennsylvania. A Telegram from Mias Barton. Washington, June 7.—The following telegram was received here this evening: Johnstown, Pa., June 7,1889. A. 8. Solomons, Vioe President Med Cross, Washington, D. C.: You have no idea of the delays and difficul ties met with here. We have a splendid corps at work, The reports published are uot over drawn. Everything useful to the surviving, who have lost all. is greatly needed. Clara Barton, President Red Cross, New York’s Fund Statement. New York, June 7.—This statement of the relief fund was given out this even ing: Paid through Mayor Grant to Treasurer Bimions $241,218 Receives! by the treasurer from other sources 50,885 Total $294,097 To-day the mayor paid the treasurer $91,- 115. Augusta to Give SI,OOO. Augusta, Da., June 7. —The citizens of Augusta will contribute $1,090 in money and supplies to the Johnstown sufferers. PASSENGERS PLEASED. The Pennsylvania Railroad Treated Them Splendidly. Philadelphia, Juno 7.—East-bound pas sengers who left Altooua at 3 o’clock yes terday afternoon reached this city at 4:45 o’clock this morning. A number of passen gers on the ill-fatod day express wore in cluded in the party. The passengers wore ferried across tho Susquehanna river at Sunbury, owing to interrupted communica tion at Montgomery bridge. There was no difficulty attending tho passage of tho river at this point,as the water runs smoothly and the passengers were c mveyed on a steam boat. There were 183 passengers on the train, part of whom were* destined for Now York. They are united iu unlimited praise of their treatment by tho officials of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, by whom they were furnished with mouey and pro vided with every comfort that kinduess and thoughtful less o iuld devise. ALL ABOARD FOR WASHINGTON. Through Trafflo by the Piedmont Air Line Resumed. Washington, June 7.—The repairs to the long bridge having been completed, througli train service by the Piedmont Air Line has been resumed to all points south and west. Fprry transfer to and from Alexandria has in consequence been discontinued, and trains arrive at and depart from the Balti more aud Potomac passenger station as be fore. Traffic Resumed. Philadelphia, June 7.—The Pennsyl vania railroad is at last able to announce the resumption of the running of t hrough pass mger trains from Now York via Phila delphia, Harrisburg, Lock Haven aud the Allegheny Valley railroad to Pittsburg. This includes a ferriage at Sunbury. ▲ NEW ORGANIZATION. Three of the Associations of Railroad Employes Merged. Chicago, June 7. — A new and important factor In railroad labor circles was created last evening when nine delegates assembled in this city, finished and ratified a constitu tion for the future government of three of the important railway employes associa tions which are thereby federated in one body to be known as the United Order of Railway Employes, The cousti i ution, ns adopted, is the work of a three days’ conference, and without further rati fication by separate bodies it creates a now order. The delegates framing it represented the Brotherhood of Railway Brakemen, the Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association and tbo Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, which associations are fused into the new order. THE GOVERNING BOUT. The governing body will boa supreme council, of which the following are the oflicers and members: President, W. P. Bargeant, grand master < f the Locomotive Brotherhood of Firemen, of Terro Haute, Ind.; vice president, Frank Sweenie, grand master of the Switchmen’s Mutual Aid Asso ciation of Chicago; secretary and treasurer, Edward" F. O'Shea, secretary and treas urer of the Brotherhood of Railway Brake men, of Galesburg, 111. The six other mem bers of the council are: S. E. Wilkinsons of Peoria, ami W. O. Edens of Ohio for the brakemen; E. B. Debbs of Indiana, and J. J. Haunahan of Chicago for the flroinen, and G. YV. H 11 and W. E. Simsroil of Chicago for the switchmen. President Bargeant was asked: “What is the stand of the new constitution on such labor troubles as strikes?” “All difficulties that can possibly arise between members and railways are ade quately provided for, but the constitution is a secret one, and 1 cannot say what those provisions are.” ALL QUIET AT APIA. The Rival Native Leaders Holding Their Forces Together, However, Sydney, N. 8. W., June 7.—The steamer Lubeck has arrived from Apia, Samoa, with advices to May 28. Everything was qaiet. A truce was maintained between the contending natives. Owing to reports that additional German men-of-war were on their way to Apia, Mataafa had recalled his followers, and it was expected that 3,000 of his men would assemble in one camp shortly. Tamnsesese and 2,000 adherents remained encamped at Apia. All lie men-of-war had left Apia. The British man-of-war Rapid had sailed for the Fiji Islands. The American steamer Nipsic, conveyed by the steamer Alert, had gone to Tutnlin for coal, a id from there they were to proceed for Auckland. TRAINS MEET ON A CURVE. Two Engines Demolished and a Num ber of Cars Ditched. Mobile, Ala., June 7.—The north bound freight No. 72, on the Mobile and Montgomery division of the Louisville and Nashville road collided at Perdilo station with a gravel train this morning. The trains met on a curve at a good rate of speed and both engines were demolished and a number of cars were ditched. The engi neers and firemen escaped ny jumping. Several hundred yards of track were torn up and trains were delayed nearly six hours. Tne accident is said to have been caused by the negligence of the flagmen, A wrecking train went up, and while the wrecking crew were at work J. C. Clifford, master mechanic of the road at Mobile, was pain fully Injured by a piece of scantling flying against him. MURDER AND INCENDIARISM. Two Robbers Kill a Minister’s Wife and Ron. Nashville. Tenn., June 7.—-E. R. Rey nolds and Thomas J. Loyd have been ar rested in Scott county for murder. They went to the house of Iter. Jacob Harness during his absence and murderci his w ife and eon. After ransacking the house and securing $74, they fired the premises to con ceal the crime. It is reported that the prisoners hare since been taken from jail and lynched. SEATTLE'S Rtti SCORCHER. THIRTY-ONE ACRES SWEPT OVER AT A LOSS OF $20,000,000. Tho Fire Department Absolutely Powerless-Most of the Buildings of Wood and Regular Tinder Boxes fbr tho Flames—Tho Insurance Very Much Less Than tho Aggregate Loss. Portland, Ore., June 7.—Fo lowing is a copy of tho San Francisco Examiner's re port of the great fire in Seattle: The entire business portion of Seattle is now nothing but smoking ruins. About 3 o’clock yesterday afternoou some turpentine caught Are in the basement of u two-story frame buiiding on the southwest corner of Front and Madison streets. The building, which was owned by Mrs. Margaret Peuteus, and the first story, whioh was leased to tho Seattle shoe store, and tho upper floor, being occupied as offices, was' seen to bo ablaze. Au alarm was instantly turned in and tho volunteer (ire department responded promptly, but it was impossible to make any bend wav tbo Humes. This building, like most others of its kind in the business center, was not detached, but was a c truer one of a row of frame buildings all joined together aud of various hights. VALOR of no avail. Valiantly did the fire department fight the fire, hut without avail, for the buildings of tinder were an e asy prey to whut within ten minutes from the tiiuo it started, devel oped inti a conflagration. Adjoiuing the first building was ttio wholesale liquor store of Doitz & Meyer, and as soon as the fire reached tne barrels of liquor they exploded with terrific reports, aud scattered flaming timbers far ami wide. The Denny block, in which was a whole sale con fee in ery store, Gilmore & Co.’s real estate office and several other establish ments, including a number of offices and some lodging apai tments, was soon liokod up completely. This cleared out the entire square. Efforts to flood the Coleman building on Front street to the south, were utterly use less for tho tluiuus leaped across Maroon street with greedy rapidity to tho Palace saloon and tho opera house saloon and in less than thirty minutes another square was burned to ashes, taking Adison 8. Smith’s grocery, Merchant’s wholesale confectionery and fruit store, J. W. Lang & Co.’s drug store, John Spencer’s plumbing and steam fitting establisnment, P. G. Graham’s tailor shop, Elgar Bryan’s pawn shop, the Palace restaurant, Him,son Bros’, shoe store. Gering & O’Konnell’s jewelry store, Shuster’s barber shop, Les lie’s clothing store and Donnelly & Marion’s clothing store. THE OPERA HOUSE BLOCK ABLAZE. While tills square was burning the opera house block on the east side of Front street, between Madison and Marion, and extend ing up Marion half way to second street, caught (Ire in the upper story. This build ing, a fine threo-story brick structure, owned by George F, Freye, and valued at $120,000, soon yielded to the irrepressible flumes. With it went the Beattie pharmacy warehouse of tho golden rule bazaar, Harris & Co’s, largo dry goods and clothing store, Aber nathy's shoe store, GTooso & Co’s, under taking establishment, Latner’g large dry goods house and Broodmau’s paint aud oil establishment, clearing up another square. The Kenyon block to the north of whore the fire originated had to go too, notwith standing that the wind was from tho oast a little by north. In this bluck was tho job printing establishment of the Evening Times, Stovenon & Vaughh’s music store and Barrie’s tailor shop. From tlie opera house back the Are, now fast hoc uning a monstrous conflagration, swallowed a i-quaro to tho south, consisting of all two-story frame buildings occupied by K. L die's Golden Rule Bazar, the Cali fornia Clothing House, Gordon Bros’, large tailoring establishment, the Oriental Ba zar and several other big concerns, BANKS BURNED OUT. Notwithstanding the progress of the fla nos the fire department struggled with determination to save the most valuable portion of Front street to the south between Columbia street and Yesler, which contained a magnifloont row of brick build ings, two and throe series high, where four banks had their offices—the Bank of Commerce, Merchants’ National, First National, and Washington Guarantee ami Loan Association, aud a savings bank. This row consisted of the corner block, occupied by Teoklas, Hilgertnan & Co.’s gigantic wnolesale dry goods aud misoelU neous emporium, tile Empire block, the Paren building, the Ban Francisco clothing house, the Btanlock Arcade building, and the Yesler building on Central square. All the telegraph offices were in Central square. It was generally supposed that the entire water front would go, but it was hoped if such was inevitable that these buildings wonld be saved. The Safe Deposit Company also had a building in this row. EXPLOSIONS FUTILE. Explosions of great powers were fruit less to prevent the awful spread of the flames and clouds of blinding, suffocating smoke. The three-story building to the rear of Toklas, Bingleman & Co.’s, which was Welton & Co.’s sail factory, was easy prey to the terrible heat aud cinders from the burning Commercial mill and lumber yards. Tne fire soon communicated to Toklas, Singieman & Cos. The water was giving out, and streams from several lines of hose only reached the second story. The Tacoma fire department had come over from Tacoma in slxty-two ml.inter on tiie Puget Shore railroad. Both depart ments combined weresp>werlecs, and an at tempt to blow up the Union block was more disastrous to the valient fire fighters than anything else. All of thisrow of buildiu s succumb and, although the oc cupants had time to got out most of their valuable effects. A BIG HOTEL BURNED. The square north gave way to the fire eirly, and soon the roof of the throe-story Occ.dental hotel, the fines in the city, got ablaze. Before the conflagration reached Yepler avenue. Toklas, Bingerman & Cos,, Coiberg’s wholesale grocery, the banks above mentioned, Treen’s shoe store, Hum phrey’s book store, Lowman & Ha iford’s Look,stationery and job printing stand went to ashes. On Yesler avenue the Western Union, Pacific, Postal aud Puget Bound telegraph companies were burned out, as were also the buildings of the Daily Post , the Intelli gencer, office of the Canadian Pacific Rail road Company and many lawyers and doc tors who occupied offices in these buildings, the Commercial Mill Company, the Beattie Ship Building and Dry Dock Company, Ferry & Tate, Hillery Butler, Isaac Korne, J. 8. Bealy, Capt. Starr, L. 8. J. Huitt, Angus Mclntosh, the Seattle land office. Shore & Eastern, the Golden Hardware Company, the Seattle Hardware Company, the Mechanic Mill Company, Moran Bros., Sutcliffe & Baxter, J. F. McNaught, AP. Hi tailing, W. 8 Ladd, K. Apornek, K. P. Hiwatling, John Collins, who owned the Occiden’al hotel valued at $400,000. with only $05,000 C DAILY. $lO A YEAR, ■( 9 CENTS A COPY. V ( WEEKLY, $1.25 A YEAR l insurance. John Leary, William Shoudv, Harrington and Smith, J. A. Hatfield, E. Lord, Levi & Cos. This list is only a very limited one. SPREAD FOR TWO MILES. From the initial point the Are spread north a' and south a distance of one mile. Every newspajier, hotel, telegraph office, railroad depot and wharf in the city was totally destroyed. The entire water front, including all the wharves and docks, coal bunkers and railroad tracks, wholesale h"U*s and everything south of Union street, and west of Second street, and reaching around to the gas works and above Fourth street on Jacks in street, was completely burned. It is estimated that the toial loss to city in buildings alone is easily $10,000,000 and all personal losses will probably reach $20,000,000. Whether there is much loss of life cannot yet be ascertained. There ia great privntion felt among the poor classes, as nearly every restaurant and grocery in the city was consumed by the (Ire. SIXTY-FOUR ACRES BURNED OVER. The burned district comprises sixty-four acres. It pre cuts the aspect of a huge oven of burning coals and threatens further destruction. The (ire department, re-en foroed by tlie Tacoma and Buobomich da* partmeuta, is on the alert. The streets all through the night were crowded with people wanderitig"about , penniless and honlees. Militia and extra police are to be sera on every corner guard- Ing property against thievei and vandals. One hundred arrests have already lieen made. All of the dally newspapers will publish to-morrow. Words fail to doseribe the awful picure of fire and desolation. It is like the Ohioagn fire, and, like Chicago, will tie rebuilt. Everybody seems in good spiriis, as it ia hard to realize the drcauful noss of this sudden oalamitv. When Taklae & Bingermau’s bsilding fell about thirty people were near it, and many of them were crushed. Similar accidents befell most of tho large buildings. It is reported that two men have been lynohed for stealing. LATER ESTIMATES OF THE LOSS. Portland, Gre., June 7,10 p. m. - Later dispatches from Beal tie state that the loei from the fire yesterday will not fall short of $10,000,(XX). It la estimated that the total insurance will reach all tho way from sl,- 600,000 to $*.000,000. Already In many Dittoes workmen have begun to grade and clean up lota preparatory to building. Many of the merchants have se cured qunrtera in the residence portion of the city and warn open this morning with the remnants of their stock saved from the (ire. The people have decided to re build the city with brick and stone. This decision was reached quickly and almost unanimously at a ineotiug held this morn ing. AU the companies of the (lrst regi ment ore out guarding damaged property aud preventing the pilfering of merchan dise or home furnishings. The city is quiet and everybody is hopeful. APPEAL OF THE GOVERNOR. Gov. Moore issued a proclamation in which he says: The city of Beattie is in ashes 1 A hurricane of fire swept over the queenly city, aud she ia in ruins. Thousands of her citizens are without food or shelter. Nothing can subdue the spirit of her people. She will rise again. In her desolation she is not a supplicant, but there ara homeless people to be sueltoreJ, and hungry ones to be fed. I appeal to the great-hearted people of our territory who recently have so generously responded to the erv of distress from Johnstown, to he and this appeal for old for thi-lr own suffering fellow citizens. Tne recjrd of losses will include every business man of prominence in tlie town. It is a dreadful calamity from which few have escaped. AU the citizens made com mon cause with the fir men in the power less fight. It had been predicted by insurance meu time and time again that the city would some time be swept by fire and only wiud from the north and northeast, which kept up steadily and drove tho flames into the bay, saved that part of the city north of Union street. This leaves good wharf room outside of the burned district and sparing the homes of a large number of poorer people who had all their rarthlr possessions within tlie wooden wails of their humble huts. Tacoma citizens sent to Seattle early this morning large quantities of bread, provisions, blankets, tenta and 100 slaughtered beeves to supply the immediate wants of the homeless people. Portland sent several carloads of provis ions, bolding, blankets aud tents. Gen. Gibbons, commanding the department of the Columbia, wilt send seventy tent* from Vancouver barracks at once. Aid in the way of money and necessaries of life will be forwarded from different seotions of the oouutry wi bout delay. ANOTHER ESTIMATE. Han Franoisuo, June7.—The burned dis trict iu Hraltle covers an area of thirty-one blocks. Tlie boundary of the burned dis trict Is as follows: University, Front, Spring to Second, James, South, Fourth, Wail and Water streets. This com prises the business portion of the city. Tlie rosidence district es caped. From official figures furnished by local and foreign insurance companies, tne Coast Review, newspaper, places the loss at $7,000,000. This Is covored by a total insurance of $2,250,000. Of this amount $1,004,000 is held by companies represented In Han Francisco. Six Orego nian companies carry risks renreeciiting a round total of $260,000. Fifteen • mall com panies outside carry risks estimated at about $160,000. SIXTEEN BUILDINGS BURNED. An Alabama Town Visited by a Destructive Blaze. Montgomery, Ala., June 7.—A special to the Advertiser from Eutaw, Ala., says: “News has Just reached us by wire from Livingston as follows: *A very destruct ive fire broke out here this morning about 3:30 o’clock in tho block west of the artesian well district, destroying sixteen buildings owned by the following people: VV. T. McKuight, Miss G. Lockard, G. H. Howell, 8. D. Little, tt. Chapma i, W. T. Smith, YVetraore & Weim ire, Altman & P.ufon, a barber shop, J. O. Scruggs, Arrington <Ss Branch, Mr. Rogers, D. YV. Pruitt aud D. L. Kirkland. The origin of the fire is not yet known. There is no In-urancC o.i the buildings or stocks of goods.’ ” ON A FLAMING TRESTLE. People on a Lightning Express Have a Miraculous Escape. Montgomery, Ala., June 7.—Tho south bound lightning express train of the Ala bama Great Southern railroad, duo here about 2 o’clock this morning, met with a seri ous accident about one aud a half miles north of Carthage, Ala., on a trestle known as the Carthage gravel pit trestle. The trestle was on fire, and before the engineer dis covered it, and could stop his tram, lie ran into it. The fireman jumped from the en gine. Seventy feat of trestle was consumed, and also tho engine, mail car aud baggage car. Most of the mail was saved. No one was hurt. Afijt. Gen. Drum’s Successor. Washington, June 7.—Cob John C. Kel ton was to-day appointed acHutant gen ral of tb>< army to succeed Gen. Drum, retired.. He was born ia Pennsylvania in 18j2, aud is a graduate of West Point.