The story of Johnstown : its early settlement, rise ... - JohnstownCafe

HELP FOR TFir. IJiV.XG. 257
shelter homeless sufferers, whose praises of the Huekeye executive, unlike
an'-icl's visits, were neither '-few nor far between."
Mciiihersof the Aniericns
Chill carriL'd a number of them up Prospect Hill to furnisli acrommotlations
fur Women and children. The Pittsbur'_;hers established brancli dls^ributin^'
statifins at Morrellville. Minersvillc, Cambria. Conpersdalc. lirownstown anil
l\ei nviUe. in addition to thosi- in Johnstown. The out-stations drew tluir
snpi'dies from Morrellville. Corpses found were taken to the morgues, prejiared
for burial and. if undentificd. interred in one of the neiijhboring cemeteries.
A report of these bodies was sent to headcpiarters at Johnstown,
with a description. The street railway track from Morn.-ll\'ille to Cambria was
cleaned and travel made easy between all points south of the Conemaugh.
On Monday the men en'_'ai;ed in the work of relief saw a t;ra3"-haired, barefooted
old lady, bent with the weight of years and poorly clad, walking down
the railroad track alone. In tlie hope of atfording her some aid, one of them
approached and ottered food, but she refused assistance. .\ well-drc>sed
Noung man came up. said the old lad\' was his mother, and that she was deranged
over the loss of all she possessed. She was induced to enter one of
the coaches of the train, and was given the first food she liad eaten since the
disaster. She also received a pair ol shoes and other necessaries. Her son,
who had came from Bratldoek to search for his mother, insisted upon paxin.;
for e\'erything. .but money did m.it purchase supplies on that train. The tiist
train west carried the old ladv, much re\ivud in spirits and stronger in boib,
to the hi:ime of her son.
Incidents that would have been ludicrous had they ncjt been pitiful were
common. Coming down the track, on Monda^ afternoon, troni Cambria was a
man carrying a baby in his arms, followed by three wcmieu and two chihlren.
The nian's trousers were rolled up to his knees, antl his teet encased in tine
vehet slippers. He had been in the water and nuid with this outfit since Friday
night. The whole party were given the first food they had since the flood.
and furnished with suitable clotiiing. While Xhu\ were being cared for a Lu!\'
passed dressed in a white satin dress with a lace bodice. She wore silk hose and
white satin slippers. She was a resid.ent of Morrelhille. had been to a part)' in
Johnstown the evening pre\"ious to the flood, and was prevailed upon to remain
all night. She was caught in the flood and her iiner\' rendereil nntit for a
rag-bag.
The first cars of supplies from the cast— Philadelphia's initial installment
-— arrived on Monda\' night. Temporary stations were opened for their distribution,
which was done without formality. The chief care was to feed tlie
huntirv. then to clothe the naked and -shelter the homeless.
It was impossilile
to cla'^sify the applicants and find out whether they were deserving of relief.
There were some impositions, but this was to be expected. One pert \'ounu
Woman elboued her way through the crowd surrounding the supply shop on