T • •' F • •''T* lT • - s* —. < ~- -.=- •.' -r VOL.KXVII CONSOLIDATION. KKV. JAR. P. TAHANEY INTERVIRWED I.AKT IVMIHS. Consolidation For ths Hu Comraanlty—Sclflshnass Oalv Opposed to It—The Question Ned Only be Fairly Stilted to Win—Call tho New City Johns town. Rev. Jnmes P. Tahany, pastor of St. John's Catholic Church of our city was seen by the reporter Tuesday evening, and on the subject of consolidation had the following to say : " I am for conaolidation all lh time. I may say, also, that I am somewhat of a stranger here, but since tk* flood 1 have learned the Johnstown peonl* pretty thoroughly. lam interested in the mat ter of consolidation only as it concerns our people. I believa it to be to the hest interests of all the people of lids valley to consolidate into a city. " On this matter I feel very much like Mr. Moxham. There are so many argu ments in favor of consolidation and so few against it, that I sometimes think the ease is hardly wortli contending—that it should carry on its own strength. 1 have ■O doubt that many of the saloon keepers •re against it, and many loeal politicians too. The former have some of our bor oughs almost in their hands, but with q city they fear they would be shorn of their power. " Then again some of our boroughs ar# largely Catholic, and there may be some among their people who think they would not be able to run those places te suit themselves. But politics and church matters should not be mixed. Catholi cism is aot selfish, it is broad, general, universal. lam going to build my church in Johnstown borough. If consolidation earries I may change my plans end locate • the chu'ch elsewhere. A lot in Cone maugh borough belonging to the church might then be selected. 1 want it in Johnstown wherever it is. "This whole valley is known abroad as Johnstown. A man from Conemaugh borough goes to soma city hotel, and hs registers ' Johnstown' ss bis place of res idence- It is the same if he is from Morrellville, from Woodvala or any other place about hers. The people of Johns town, since the flood, apart from any po litical 01 religious opinions, have shown themselves to be very generous. In faet, I think that nothing else bestdes selfish ness Is against consolidation. I am op posed to the local idea- the idea of each part renaaiaing selfishly by itself, while the interests of all our people would be best served by consolidation. "1 might be said to represent two char acters. lam a citizen having an Interest in the civil affairs of our people, and I am a priest having the spiritual interests of my flock in charge. As a priest I think the interests of Catholicism and temperance would be advanced by con solidation. It would lossen the power of Iho saloon elemnnt, order would bn bet ter, and the morals thereby im proved. All our intereets would then be united, and in union there is strength. A strong csntral governmeut would certainly be promotion of temper nnce, order, aDd morals in general. As a Catholic, my duty is clear on this peint. As a citizen I represent no ism, but be lieve in doing what would bs best for all. Abroad Johnstown is the whole valley. The other boroughs are unheard of. The census gives to the borough of Johnstown a small population. A city of 30,000 people would attract capitalists. They would be eager to come bore to seek in vestments. As one who advocates the interests of the whole valley, I can not helpurgingthepeople, one and all to vote for consolidation. " With a city government Wood vale would have been cleaned up long ago, an embankment would have shut out the river, end the water would not have made a highway through her heart yes terday. I can not see what somt people want. " It may be that some of our boroughs, which are largely Catholic, wish to re main by themselves. All this is wrong. Some or them do things that are a scandal to the church. In church matters we recognize no such thing as Republican or Democrat. This quasi- Catholic idea, if any such exist, is op posed to the spirit of the church. The church asks for no privileges not accorded to everyone. Liberty, law, unity, in these are her strength. " And after ail are not all the individ ual interests identical ? If one borough goes in debt to build a bridge, do not the people of the other boroughs use it when ever it suits them ? Should thoy not help to build it ? Such selfishness lias no manhood about it. " Let us have a unity, let us havo strength, let us have the best men tor our leaders, men of prominence, men ot ability, let us have a city with a name abroad. " What about the name of the city?" asked the reporter. " Let us call it Johnstown. It is nil Johnstown now among people elsewhere. Let all this valley lie Johnstown in reality. JOHNSTOWN, CAMBRIA COUNTY- PA., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1889. Then shall wo have the strength to pull ourselves out of where the great flood has left us, and then can we best show the world what we are able to do in the face of the greatest of modern calamities." MB. JOHN THOMAS GIVES HI.S VIEWS OK THE MATTE It. Strongly In Favor of Consolidation— rder Would be Better—Taxation Would Not Nearlly bo Increased—Not a Ques tion of Dollars and Cents, bnt the Gen eral Public Good. Mr. John Thomas, senior member of the firm ef J. Thomas & Sons, was inter viewed yesterday evening. Mr. Thomas lias extensive business interests here and is the owner of inuoli real estate in several of our boroughs. As to whether lie thought all the boroughs of the valley should uuite and become a city, Mr. Thomas said: " I am tor consolidation by all means. I believe it to he for the Interest of all our peopli. Ail our boroughs have more to do thai- they, as boroughs, are able to do. Improveune.its of every kind ure needed, anil with each borough struggling for itself they ennnot be ma !e. " What oo you think of the taxation scare ?" asked the reporter. " There is nothing In it. I want the improvements, and do not care for the question of a feW dollars. We cannot improve with nothing. We must have money to make them. It will cost a city far less than it will cost the different boroughs, each one working by itself." "How do you think the expense of running a city government would com pare with maintaining our ten bor oughs?" " It would be less, much less, in my opinion, (n many instances it would be clearly au economical move. We should, as a city, have only oue chief executive, a mayor, insiead of ten Burgesses, as at present. How much would'our expenses be increased by such a move ? In inauy other matters it would be the same. A number of different municipal buildings would not be necessary. With a city we should have fewer officers than by the present system. " Order would certainly he better if we had a city. I have been strongly in favor of consolidation this long time. But, if we are ever to consolidate, now is the time. Our needs are greater now. United we shall be better able to build up our city. A question of a few dollars and cents should not decide the matter, but | the general good of all." i A SPIRITED BCMXESH LETTER. I The Bookkeeper WM Shown How It Should be Written. ' From the Cincinnati Enquirer. A story is told of a prominent Third street clothing firm. Looking over their books they discovered an account of long standing. " Write him a saucy letter," said the junior member to the book keeper. " Yes, make it very strong," re plied the senior. The bookkeeper fol lowed instructions, and penned the fol lowing : " Your account is past due. If you do not settle within ten days we will draw on you at sight." This letter was | handed to the firm. " Do you think this is a smart letter?" asked one of them. "It is a business one," said the book keeper. " Well, I don't thiuk so, replied the former." " Give me your pen, and I'll show you the way to do it," and he proceeded to write the following : " Who bought the goods? You." " Who promised to pay for them. You." " Who didn't do so ? You." " Who is a liar and a thief ?" " Yours," And, after signing the firm's name, he handed the effort chuckingly to the bookkeeper. Democrat*, Watoh Tour Ticket*. EHKNBHUIO, Px., October 28, 1889. The ring of the Republican party in Ebensburg, commonly called the ''Corner Drug Store Oang." has always been noted for its political jobbery and treachery, and this year is no exception to the rule, Their motto is : "A Desperate Case Needs a Desperate Remedy," and they are resorting to all that is mean and unfair to elect D. H. Kinkead as the next Regis ter and Recorder. They are willing to sacrifice all others on their ticket to elect their fayorite, and this statement is veri fied by the fact that thousands of bonus tickets have been printed at the Cambria Herald office, this place,and sent through out the county, principally to the rural districts. Most of them are Democratic tickets which have Kinkead's name sub stituted for that of Blair. Here is a fae-rimxle: C 0 IT N T-Y. Prothonotary, Clerk of tlie court ot Quarter Sessions ana Clerk of the Court of Oyer ana Terminer, James 0. iiarby. Register of Wills, Recorder of Ilecas ami clerk of the orphans' court, ]). 11. Klnfißal. District Attorney—r'l .ncls J. O'Connor. Dlreetor of the Poor—Raphael lllte. coroner— Peter McGough. county Surveyor—Henry Scaulan. Auaitor—Joseph Illpps. AGAINST IT. A CITIIIK OF FRANKLIN BOROUGH GIVES HIS VIEWS. Not Vet Beady for Consolidation—'Taxes Would be Teo High—Rent* Would be Increased and Only certain Farts of tho City Benefitted. FRANKLIN BOROIKJII, Oct., 20, ISB9. To I/If KM tor Of the Johmtrmon Democrat. Sin : As you purpose giving the con solidation question a fair and impartial hearing, I will take the liberty of -aying something on the subject. I think the time for consolidation, so far as our town is concerned, has not yet arrived. We are composed largely of the laboring class, and many of our citi izens have purchased homes and are grad ually improving them, and the expense of a city government would opperate dis astrously with them. The Act of the 23d of May, ISB9, gives the corpoiate powers of a city authority to levy annually, a tax for general rev enue purposes, not exceeding ten mills on the dollar of assessed valuation of the taxable property, a tax of ten mills for tlie payments of interest on bonds, a tax of three mills as a sinking fund for the payment of bonds, and a poll tax of one dollar upon every male citizcu in the city, and in addition, a separate tax ou the tnxables of each borough, incorpor ated, to pay its present indebtedness. Also to levy and collect annually, for general revenue purposes, a license tax, as high as one hundred dollars upon all auctioneers, contractors, diuggists, mer chants of all kinds, persons selling or leasing goods upon installments, grocers, confectioners. butchers, restaurants, drays, hacks, carriages, omnibusses, carts, wagons, street railway cars and other vehicles used for hire or pay, lumber dealers, furniture dealers, saddle or barusess dealers, stuioners, jewellers, livery or boarding stable keepers, real estate agents, insurance agents, market house companies, telegraph, tele phone, steam heating, gas, natural gas, water, electric light or water companies, etc., and may also compel the grading, paving, or macadamizing and curbing of streets, lanes and alleys by persons own ing property bordering or abutting there on. Taking into consideration the con dition of many of the boroughs to vote upon the question, we must presume taxes and licenses will be assessed at the maximum rates, and business men will raise their prices accordingly. Council shall prescribe the number, duties and compensation of officers, and therefore we may expect a large force of officers and high salaries. Ail rev enue and taxes must be paid into the city treasury, and will be ex pended in the city as directed by the city authorities for such purposes and in such localities as they may deem proper, and as we will be only a suburb, we cannot expect one fourth of the revenue paid by us to be expended within our present bor ough limits, for the next fifteen years at least. I seo in the columns of the DEMOCRAT, the views of the prominent gentlemen upon consolidation, but fail to find in those views one convincing argument in favor of such a measure. lie alleges that in case of a city charter a railroad may pass through Johnstown at some future time. A great railroad now passes through the territory proposed to be consolidated and I do not see any prospects of another road passing through, at least, for a long time hence. lie says, most emphaticallly, that if there had been a consolidation of the several boroughs, the terrible calamity of the 31st of May would not have occurred. I cannot conceivo how a city charter would, on that fatal day have closed the windows of Heaven or prevented the breaking up of the fountains of the great deep—South Fork dam—as a num ber of cities have, during the present year suffered very severely from floods and fires. He speaks of eleven punny little boroughs —although I can count only ten—tha' with our borough organizations it re quires dynamite, a wolf or a dog to move us, but that with a city organization, our city would respond to every public need, like a well balanced oiece of machinery, If a city organization is accomplished, will not the same persons now residing iu the several boroughs become citizens of the city ? And if they are incompetent to govern a borough, will they be com petent to govern a city ? He alludes to well paved streets, clean sidewalks and fine buildings. No doubt there will be well paved streets, clean sidewalks and fine build ings in some parts of the city, but we must remember all cities have likewise a skeleton ill the closet ; they have their five points, old breweries, and purlieus of squalid poverty, vice, immorality and general wretchedness. tie alleges the richest borough will be richer. That may be so, but may not the poorest one become poorer? At least eight of the boroughs suf fered severely from the flood disaster, ami Ido not see how ons can sc-i-' the other to restore the heavy losses su j ' pin ed,therefore in what way will a cily car ter benefit us? Much more might be writlen, but I '- ill only caution every voter to acquaint him self with the act of Assomhly alluded to, before casting his ballot on ; o imporflint a question. Ido not see that a citv char ter will increase the demand for labor or raise the wages therefor, and the pro la bility is that while the workingutan must labor for tho same wages as now, ho will have to pay higher rents, higher prices for the necessaries of life, as higher taxes, higher and more numerous licenses A ill nccccssarily raise the juices of these commodities. PRO BONO PUBLICO. A BODY GOES DO WN lIIE RIVER. The Rise of Water Brings the Body of a Hoy to the Surface, Hut S.-hf of It is Loll Again. Tuesday forenoon, between the hours of 9 and 10, some men were engaged in dislodging some trees and oilier materials that had formed a drift iigninst llie bridge between Woodvalf. and (Jonmaugh borough. Mr. Jnnu Bracken, of Wood vale, was one of Hie men. While be and tbe other men, with looks and poles, were trying to remove the drift, he dis covered a body parti v if < at in the water. The men rau aloug tin banns and tried, by means of hooks to bring the body ashore. They were unsuccessful, and after it had floated about fifty yards, be ing under the wetei some of the time, and at no time much of it above the water, it disappeared. .Search was made for it some distance below, wl.eic there were some obstructions against which it might have lodged, but It could not lie found. As near as it was possible to tell, the < body was that of a boy about twaive yean ] old. The water was swift, and the body ] remained on the top of the water only a i very short while at one time. One foot 1 had ou a buttoned shoe, and the other was bare. The face looked much de cayed, from which it is evident that it was the tody of a victim of the flood. The body also had on it knee breeches. As people were crossing the Lincoln bridge all day, it is very probable that the body did not pass there on the surface of the water, or it would have been seen. It may be found when the water falls. Want* to Know. a • To the suitor of the Johnstown Democrat: I see by the papers of Saturday that 1 acting Burgess Hart fined eight young men for violating a borough ordinance. Now by what authority does 'Squire Ilart act as Burgess. The ordinance or law says that if the Burgess is absent, the President of Council shall be acting Bur gess. The Burgess and the President of Council were both in our city yesterday and on the corners of our streets, now it is about time that this should stop. I know it is cjnvenient for a policeman to run to acting Burgess Ilart. If it ever becomes my misfortune to be "pulled in," and acting Burgess Hart appears while Bro. Kennedy, President of Council, is in the town their will be fun. HALT. Johnstown, Pa., Oct. 28, 1889. Repairing St. John*# Convent. St. John's Convent on Clinton street, is nearing completion. More than half of it was taken away by the flood. It is be being rebuilt tne same size as before, but improved in appearance by a roof with pitch, the old roof being flat. Some cut stone will also add to its appearance. In the center of the front near the cor nice is a large stone tablet inscribed as follows ; ; Flood I : May 31, 1889. : : Rebuilt 1889. I At present Father Tahaney Is occupying the |part of the building that remains standing, as a residence. The Wreck of the Franklin Street Bridge. The wreck of the Franklin Street bridge lies on a deposit in the Stony Creek be low the end of Napoleon street. It would have been a sight in ordinary times to see such a wreck, but owing to the awful de struction caused by the flood, it does not attract much attention. The bridge was completely overturned, and lies with the bottom up. The huge irons are broken and twisted in an almost incredible man ner. Workmen of a rliiladelpliia Com pany, which liougt it from the Edgomore Bridge Compay,arc engaged in taking the bridge apart, preparatory to moving it. It was bought from Johnstown boroughs by the latter company. Removing the 11 InIV. About 135 men, under Contractors T. Bautou Brown & Co., of Philadelphia, are at work removing the blult on the north side of the Pennsylvania Railroad, opposite the upper works. The rock und earth, as they are cut from the north Bide of the track, are carted across and dump- I ed on the south side to make emfrMik | mctUs for a new track. Another track j will also be laid on the north side, at this j point. By the time ihe contemplated im -1 provements are finished there will be four j tracks from below Sheridtin to half a mile beyond East C. nemaugh. STAT EAST, YOUNG MAN, STAT EAST Here's Advice From the Greatest Boom City of the Booming West. Mary 8. Putnam, M. D., of Spokane Falls, Washington, writes to tho New York Sun: Western towns are built up by immigration. They lure by exaggera tion, by the united efprts of Boards of Trade incorporated by shrewd capitsiists and a few originial locators, who, less than a score of years before, had built their shacks on Government claims. The unitiated do not know how easy it is to purchase a column in a leading journal to boom a town. Iu less than no time a dull, dreary, un interesting Godforsaken waste nourishes into life a row of one-story frame build ings, foremost a saloon (the Monarch of the Mountain, the Elite, the Bon Ton, or the like), then a general merchandise store, whioh holds the postoffice, amithy, a lodging house and a restaurant com bined, and faw primitive buildings, these form a street—collectively a town. The place instinctively assumes the name of the first squatter, who, perhaps, had not spunk enougli to extricate him self from the original mud, and the deed is done. If there is a creek, there is water power ; if a measly potato has struggled intoafeebleexistence there is agriculture; If a cutting survive its first pangs there is no end to fruit prophecies. Acres are laid off int* town lots ; in lieu of the dusty, rattling stage cuach, liable to peri odical disbursements to road agents, rail road schemes are projected, a prospectus is insinuated everywhere, and laud auctions, real estate nDd building booms follow. Well-to-do farmers in the East sell the old homestead, mechanics leave fair em ploy with tools and blankets, professional people searching for a location take a new start—one way or another all reach the promised land, or rather land of promises. Once there, there is no retreat. Irrepar able sacrifices have been made ; money has been exhausted by exorbitant railroad rates and a thousand and one extortions incident to travel; a little to judiciously invest is all that remains. Plausible real estate men, with their small capital of a desk in a convenient corner, with mock enthusiasm and hack neyed phrases, bait the anxious newoomer with " our fine location, " what we have back of us," " the future county seat or capital," " the advance in real estate," " this is no boom," and such rot. The shameless success is an easy one. All is lovely with buyer and builder until second payments and interests are due. Provisions have been high ; outlay, inci dental to getting settled, incessant; sick ness has come too, and, as is invariably the case, work is scarce. And now nothing is left but to sacrifice improvements and turn the land back. Real estate has reached its maximum there is no more speculation, local trans fers wane. Indeed, for some time, the fact has been significant that none bin strangers are purchasers ; aud they, whtn beaten do not need a second lesson. Out wardiy the town flourishes but it is never theless rotten to the core. Stores are stocked with goods bought on credit, cheap buildings are put up on leased gound, everything is heavily mortgaged. Liquor saloons, gambling resorts, etc,, a! Ie have a solid basis, vampire-iike suppiDg the prosperity and dignity of the town. In consequenco of all this there is a mad rush to keep head 9 above water. Every one for himself, ami the devil take the hindmost. There is no pity, no money for the unsuccessful, the unfortunate. Honest men stand twenty deep on the sidewalk, discouraged, re sentful. But the wheel of fortune turu, and behold poetic justice I The town lies in ashes. There has been a great fire, a terrible, appalling conflagration. In a few hours millions of dollars L>va been consumed in a lurid flame. And so, in the west, history repeats itself from town to town. The essays of Ella tslls us that in our antipodes it was also neces sary to burn a village to get roast pig. Removing Bodies from Prospect. The work of removing the dead from the temporary burial ground to Grand View continues. A large number of people has been present over since the wcrk began, viewing every body that is raised with the hope of identifying some lost ones. A number of bodies was re moved yesterday, one being identified as Mr. John Fenn, the Washington street tinner. Mrs. Fenn was present and recog nized her husband's body by the beard and teeth. The features were recogniza ble also, the body being in a fair state of preservation. This makes two of the Fenu family that have been recovered, a little boy haying been identified at Grand View. It now appears that the story about Ivrupp Intending to settle his gun works in the Monongahcla valley was all a fairy tale The removal, on reflection, is re garded not only as improbable, but im possible, and it is said the story was in vented to boom certain lands for salable ourposes. NO 29. SEARCHING FOR TUB I)EAJ). The Work CouMnucs to Progress K*i'UUy vw.a, wc beileve It is essential tooon-ioll dme under a city charter, tor these reasons : :> euhcr borough can raise a SUlflclent sum to re store Its publleproperty ; the several separate municipalities sucking public aid to dredge our rivers and protect their embankments weaken a lust claim; consolidation would enable us to better protect our rivers and prevent encroach ments upon their banks; therefore, and fortlieso le.tsuus, consolidation Is a necessity. Third, It we operate under a city charter wa win then bo able to negotlat a loan, payable within thirty years. 'lnls fund can be used to build unnecessary bridges within the proposed city limit; to construct all public buildings sua school houses; to open and Improve the high ways, rivers, sewerage system, and the are de partments. A statement ot Indebtedness and assessed valuation otthe several boroujha tor the year 1888: Bonded Assessed Valu. indebtedness. Uon ot Property. Johnstown 180,000 $1,173,2)0 conemuugh 12,000 884,52'. MlUvlUe 8,000 754,2 . Cambria 1,200 161. Paragraph 10l Section I Act et Assent' :-. .V May, l8S!i, 18 ns follows; To levy and collect taxes for general .ft purposes, not to erceed ten mills on tho r. any one j ear. on all persons, real, person. .a mixed tii operey within the limits ot said cio ■ in reference to the Indebtedness of each bor ough, the following Is an extract from Section 3 ol the same Act: That when two or more towns or boroughs shall, under the provisions of this Act, be con solidated Into a city, the debt or debts of each ot said tow ns or boroughs contracted prior to such consolidation shall bo paid by such towns or boroughs respectively. Gladstone's Eulogy of America. Mr. Gladstone made an address at Chester, England, on Saturday, on ths condition of the working classes. He nrged English workmen te study the history of the American Revo lution. He claimed that it was by and from this country that a lore of freedom was sown in America. England now in return reaped advantages from tha Amer ican vindication of those pinciples of freedom which animated the Revolution. The system of government in America combined that love of freedom, respect for law and desire for order which formed the surest elements of national excellence and greatness. It was no extravagance to say that, al though there were only two millions of people in the thirteen States at the time of the Revolution, the Jgroup of states men that proceeded from them were a mutch for any In the whole history of the world and were superior to those of any one epoch. '1 heir fortunate appearance was doubtless due to well-regulated, muscular freedom. United Labor League. From the Union, October 2d, 1889. " The United Labor League, some lime ago, sent a communication to Hengp R. Boyer, late Speaker of the State Hotue of Representatives and the Republican candidate for State Treasurer, asking him to give his reasons for voting against the Ballot Reform bill, introduced at the last session of the Legislature. To this rc< quest Sir. Boyer has made no reply, and the League, at its last meeting, adopted a series of resolutions, asking organized labor to manifest is displeasure at Mr. Boyer'a action. The Ballot Reform bill was one of the most important measures before the last session of the Legislature, and its defeat was a public calamity. Mr. Boyer is the first of the opponents of this measure that the lovers of honest elections have had a chance to express their opinion of, and it would be a warning which the political bosses would not dare to pass unheeded if Sir. Boyer were allowod to continue the practice of law unhampered by the care of the finances of the State.' Contractor's Trouble#. Sheriff McMillan, of Somerset county, on Monday lBt levied on all the tools, engines, and other machinery, belonging to Brown & Emery, and which have been used by that firm in the work of laying the thirty-six inch pipe line for the Johns town Water Company, from Border's Sta tion, on the Stonycreek, to this city. There have been rumers for some time of difficulty between the members of this firm, and it is presumed that this step has been taken to bring matters to a crisis. A Oncer Inscription. In a graveyard owned by colored people, near Wetumpkn, Ala., is an old tombstone with the following inscription: "To the memory of Henrietta llenririt ter Demiritter Cream of Tartar Sweet po j tato Caroline Bostwick, daaghter of Bob ' and Sukey Catlin. Bom at Covington, I Georgia ; died at Wetumpkn, Alabama. Aged fourteen years."