Hfitotoffi WeeUg jPetmvctat
VOL.XXVII.
IMDMIII
The Johnstown City Gov
ernment Organized.
, " THE NEW CITY'S PROUDEST DAY
Mayor Rose's Inaugural Address and
Other Noted Speeches.
COUNCILS READY FOR BUSINESS
|
An Era of Hood Will and Confidence Will
I Mark the Outset of the Mew City Gov
ernment—The Councils Start out
Smoothly—No Attention Paid to tlie
Ilown-Pouring ltaln—The Mayor and
Other City Officials Take the Oath From
Judge Johnston—The Parade and Oh
nervations.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
weather wore a threatening look, the
people of Johnstown began early Mon
v day morning to prepare for celebrating
p the inauguration of the new City Govern
ment. Flags bedecked many of the build-
I '' ings, while in a few instances evergieens
added to the appearance of the decora
tions.
The machinery of the new city govern
ment took the first turn at 10 o'clock in
the forenoon, when each of the officers
elect was presented his certificate of elec
tion by W. Horace Rose, Mayor-elect.
SELECT COUNCIL.
In the Select Council a temporary or
v ganization was effected shortly after by
the selection of Mr. Alex. Kennedy Chair
man and Mr. Ed. A. Barry, as Secretary.
Some delay followed, but at about 10:30
the roll call showed the following mem-
Bbers present from their respective dis
tricts
Wds. Democrats. Wds. Republicans,
3. B. L. Yeagley. 1. 11. Y. Haws.
7. Adam Uuebncr. s. L. L. Smith,
a, Wm. Hochsteln. 1. H. W. slick,
s. Henry O'Bbea. 5. G. W. Moses,
v 10. Benjamlu Klst. 6. Alex. Kenne > J
. IS. Kdward Barry. 11. John Gruber
r 14. John llonan. 13. C. Brlxner.
15. I*. J. McLaughlin. Republicans,,.
Hi. Peter Buscr.
I Democrrts, if.
The election of a permanent President
was declared in order upon which J'r.
John Gruber nominated Mr. Keunedy tor
the position, and Mr. Adam Uuebncr
' nominated Dr. B. L. Yeagley.
A vote resulted in 9 for Mr. Yeagley
and 7 for Mr. Kennedy, Judge Johnston
was then introduced by Mayor-elect Rose.
! The Judge administered the oath of of
, lice to the President, after which he (the
Judge) made a short address, cougratulat
! ing the members on the accomplishment
s of the work of consolidation.
President Yeagley then took the chair
and thanked the members for the mark of
' their esteem in calling him to the chair,
j lie then swore in the members, after
I which he stated that the election of a
Clerk was in order-
Mr. Kenuedy nominated Mr. Ed. O.
C Fisher and Mr. Iluebner named Mr. James
Taylor. The latter was chosen by a vote
of 9to 7. The rules for governing the
deliberations of the Council were read
on motion of Mr. Ilaws. The reading
was interrupted by the appearance of the
Mayor-elect with the bonds of the Treas
urer and the Controller-elect. They were
on motion accepted and ordered tiled.
' The reading of the rules was continued
and when the end was reached the Council
I adjourned to meet at 7 o'clock in the
'evening.
THE COMMON COUNCIL.
Mr. Andrew Foster was made Tempo
rary Chairman, and Alfred Slater Tempo
i Tary Secretary. The vote for Permanent
President resulted in the choce of Mr. YV.
1 A. Donaldson by a vote of eight against
six votes for Mr. Jas. P. Greene. Judge
Johnston then administered the oath to
Mr. Donaldson, who in turn swore in the
members. The membership is as follows :
Wds. Democrats. Wds. Republicans.
3. Andrew Poster. l. W. A. Donaldson.
7. Thos. McDonnell. -J. W. II Zimmerman.
■J. Thomas Pearl. 1. Alfred slater.
10. Thos. Matthews. 5. sainuel Arthur.
IK. JohnNeary. i>. W. H. coleman.
u K<l. Plannauan. s. A. L. Mlltenberger.
I- 15. James P. Green. 11. Klchard Davis.
™ h. E. Bcatijon. 13. John M. Davis.
J Democrats, s. Republicans, 8.
' After the approving of the bonds of the
Treasurer and the Controller the Council
Adjourned to meet at 7 o'clock r. M.
| The Councils, headed by the Mayor
elect and Judge Johnston, proceeded in a
body nt 11:15 o'clock to
THE GBAND STAND,
YVhere a great throng of people awaited
their arrival. All the chairs on the Grand
Stand .were filled, while the bands dis
coursed some cheering music. About
this time it was raining pretty rapidly.
Among the ladies present on the Grand
Stand were Mrs. Rose and Miss Rose,
wife and daughter of the Mayor, Mrs.
Osborne and Mrs, Hunt, the latter, it is
said, being a sister of the first Burgess of
Johnstown.
Dr. George YV. YVagoncr, Chairman of
the Citizens' Inauguration Committee,
called the meeting to order and an I
JOHNSTOWN, CAMBRIA COUNTY. PA., FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 1890.
nounccd prayer by Dr. 11. L. Chapman.
Regrets from prominent persons who
hud been invited to be present were then
read by the Chairman, as follows :
lIAHKisBVKG, March 5, ISW.
Mr. A. Cohen, C/uiirnum.
Congratulations upon inaugratton of city gov
ernmett cf Johnstown. Sorry lhat previous en
gagotnonts will prevent ray Joining In the inler
i esting ceremonies. JAMES A. BRAVER
STATK BOARD OF BEAI.TH, \
PHILADELPHIA, April 4, 1890. J
| To Messrs A. Cohen, Thomas I'. Keedu, and John
I Devlin, Committee.
| GENTLEMEN : I take great pleasure In ac
j knowledglng the Invitation of the Honorable,
! the Mayor-elect, council and citizens of Johns
] town to be present at the Inauguration of the
city government on Monday, Aptll 7th. While
] appreciating deeply the honor thus conferred, I
1 am reluctantly compelled, owing to the pves
sure of professional and oOlclal engagements, to
forego the gratification of attending. The occa
sion wtll be one not only fraught with intense
Interest to the friends of Johnstown, but of most
happy augury to her citizens. They have my
hearty congratulations on this auspicious open
ing of their new municipal life. When I remem
ber Johnstown as 1 first looked down upon It,
ten short months ago, a city wiped out—a deso
late waste of sand and water, with a fringe of
ragged toppling ruins, half burled under moun
tains of densely packed and tangled wreckage—
without homos, without streets, without roads,
without bridges,without horsesor vehicles,with
out tools or utensils—when I think—and shud
der as I think—of the survivors of her catas
trophe, crushed by the appallllng consciousness
of their absolute and sudden destttutlou, crazed
by the abrupt sundering of the nearest and
dearest ties, stupefied by the grandly awfu 1
spectacle which their unwilling eyes had been
compelled to witness, wandering about In a
sort of aimless horror In the sad hope of dlscov
coverlng at leas', the lifeless forms of their
loved ones; when, I say, I recall all
this but of yesterday, I find It
difficult to believe that It Is this same city,
which, now purified by her baptism of woe
springing up again In new beauty, her disen
tombed thoroughfares re-echoing to the clang of
hoof and the clatter of wheel, and thronged with
crowds of hopeful, self-reliant, energetic men
and women, who have bravely looked their mis
fortunes In the face and risen superior to their
private griefs, summons her friends from all
parts of the Commonwealth, to rejoice with her
In her assumption of the civic crown and the
extension of her borders. The step which you
are about taking In the consolidation of the
numerous boroughs of the conemaugh and
Stonycreek valleys, all bound together by a
natural community of Interest, must commend
, Itself to the approval of every thoughtful i bser
ver. If there Is any feature of my official con
nection with the work of renovation in those
devastated valleys on which I look back with
satisfaction. It Is the fact that I persistently
urged the necessity for conjoint action on t he
part of all the borough authorises In sanitary
administration.
The evident waste of energy, dissipation oi
force, and frequent Interferences and frictions
Incident to the existence of so many municipal
ities within a comparatively limited region, be
came painfully apparent under the stress of a
common disaster.
If I could feel that my representations In tills
regard had in the least degree contrlbuied to
the present happy consummation I should be
more than grateful. Johnstown has furnished an
obJeet-Usson to the whole civilized world on the
grandest scale ever witnessed, of the value of
scientific sanitary precautions. No other city has
ever had so thorough a drilling In the details of
sanitary work. Let not this painful education bo
lost upon her. Let one of the earliest acts of her
Councils be the establishment of a Board of
Health, and another the adoption In all Its fe :-
turesofthe model ordinance set forth by the
State Board of Health, for the " bet
ter protection of life and health," copies
of which, as also of the compendium of the laws
of the state re latlng to public health and safety,
Issued by the Board, I take the liberty of here
with transmitting. This Important branch of
civic administration cannot be initiated too
early or established on too firm a basis, in con
clusion, I trust that I shall not be transgressing
the bouundsof propriety If I express the deep
personal Interest which I shall ever feel In the
prosperity of your beautiful mountain city. Sent
thither by what seemed almost the voice of In
spiration, coming to me In the Lord's House, on
the Lord's Hay. the work which was begun un
der a strong sense of duty was continued as a
labor of love. The examples which I there saw
of heroic endurance and calm devotion to the
public good on the part of those who, In one
agonizing hour, had bean bereft of what they
held most dear cn earth, edmmanded my admi
ration and elicited my warmest sympathies.
My only regret was that constitutional restric
tions prevented my sanctioning measures of re
lief which I would gladly have Inaugurated.
Gazing down through the " dim guttering
mine of future years," 1 foresee for the new
born city a brilliant career. Fed by the two
great commercial arteries of the country, In the
midst of Illimitable mineral resources, her
plains resounding with the hum of Industry, her
hlglxts blooming with the gardens of suburban
homes and resplendent with palatial residences,
washed but never again wasted by her beautiful
mountain torrents, the health of her people,
without which riches are but apples of Sodom,
zealously guarded by her Intelligent and ener
getic Board of Health, she shall reign for gen
erations to come. Queen of the Mountains.
" Peace be within her walls and prosperity
within her palaces."
I have the honor to be, gentlemen, your obedi
ent servant, BENJAMIN LEE.
Secretary.
Regrets were also rend from Geo. G.
GrofT, M. D., Presidentof the State Board
of ilealth; Win. McCallin, Mayor of
Pittsburgh; Edward McSwecny, Mayor
lof Bradford; YVni. H. YVelfiey, Burgess
or Somerset; 8. 8. Marvin & Co.. Pitts
i burgh; the Somerset Bar Association,
through A. 11. CofTroth; Abe Schwab,
New York ; Reuben Miller, Pittsburgh,
and Hon. John Dean, Hollidaysburg.
The rain was at this time falling rapid
ly, and a wind helped to make things dis
agreeable. In the midst of it the Mayor
elect was introduced, and in a clear voice
rendered his inaugural as follows :
(Jentlemen of the Select ana Common Council of
Ilie City of Johnstown and Fellow CUliens:
We have now reached the partial accomplish
ment of the dream of many thoughtful men fa
miliar with the condition of the people who
dwell In and around the site of the ancient In
dian village," conemaugh Old Town." While It
Is to be regretted that one of the boroughs In
the group that desired to become part of our
united municipality, was excluded by reason of
a want of proximity, and lhat two others, gov
erned by fears unfounded, voted to continue the
petty separate system, thui preventing the
whole sisterhood of boroughs In the Valley of
the conemaugh from becoming united Into one
goodly city, we still congratulate ourselves on
the fact that Bevcn divided and
diverse governments are now become a
City of compact territory, and united
people, whose Interests are Identical, and whose
opportunities are to become a model of honest
faithful government. Born out of the necessi
ties of the greatest calamity of the Nineteenth
century, we have every Incentive to urge the
union of our people Into a brotherhood, closer
and more lasting, than the bonds that
bind the fraternities ot men who vow to be true
and loyal to each other, In the line or their or
ganization.
ltock-rlbbed Prospect alone escaped the line ot
the mighty sweep of the flood of May Bist. an' l
stood above the track of desolation tnat took
the lives, destroyed the homes, obliterated the
landmarks and vanished out of sight the Im
provements of the dwellers In the other bor
oughs. Poor stricken Woodvalc was practically
blotted ou of existence aud her fair bouses, the
homes ot Industrious, frugal mechanics, were
displaced by the mad wave, and the line of
streots are now only marked by heaps of sand
and the ruin of two buildings.
These are the extremes ot our united people.
While parts of the oilier boroughs were deso
lated, yet parts remained. All the people suf
fered.
Although, before our calamity, we were known
by different municipal names, we were In reality,
one people-yet now that we have accomplished
union, we must begin a new political life.
Many difficulties confront us. We can only or
ganize and put In operation the machinery of
our City, by violating the letter of the statute
that controls our official acttrns. Our condition
is so anomalohs that there Is precedent to guide
us. We must rough-hew our own way, and mark
out our destiny, governed mainly by the
light of reason and legal analogies, if we wish
to achieve success In our new relation there
must be not onli tact In managing, but discre
tion In planning and prudence In execution of
the law under which we have organized. The
officers selected to organize the City Government
must be zealous, Industrious, honest, and Im
partial In the execution of the trust confided to
them by the people.
With our bridges, the very arteries of commu
nication between the several parts of the City,
swept away; our streets torn by the flood; no
municipal buildings to cover our heads ; the
water courses which thtead their devious ways
In serpentine colls through the very heart of our
domain, encumbered by debris, encroached up
on by cupidity, until they stand, to-day a men
ace of danger to us all: with no funds In our
treasury, and an assessment so scandalously
below the " actual value In cash " which the as
sessors swore they would value at, that It
startles the conscience of the average man ; we
have much to discourage us In the start toward
the restoration of things to the condition we all
desire to accomplish.
our rivers mhst be cleaned out and widened to
nearly. If not quite, their original breadth and
depth of channel, if we wish to escape the an
noyance and peril of spring and fall floods. We
have quietly trespassed upon the domain
Nature marked out for herseh for the line of the
flow of waters—with a roar she will smite us for
our temerity. The weakest laborer, the strong
est corporation must alike bow to the power of
Dame Nature when she moves to assert herself.
Let us, now, before the wild terrorsof a destruct
ive flood sweeps over us, yield back the lines of
channel nature provided for the flow of the
waters which dash down our mountain sides
and which will brook no restraint. Obstructions
which will, on the slight-st provocation, form
gorges of timber or Ice and construct a dam that
will back the water over a large portion of the
City, must be gotten rid of, It the application
of the law to the cause of the menace win op
erate to accomplish the removal.
Our great industrial establishments must not
be closed down at every rainfall by reason of
Impediments to the free flow of the water In the
channel, throwing out of employment hundreds
of our people, upon whose wage-earnings so
many depend.
our bridges must be speedily built,our streets
put In good condition for travel; and public
buildings for the use of our muninlpal officers at
once constructed. Short, broken and narrow
streets must be lengthened, extended and
widened; useless highways vacated and aband
oned ; cobble stones must give way to a better
material for paving; sewers must be laid on a
large and scientific scale ; antiquated notions
abandoned and modern views udopted. A com
plete survey and plot of the City must be made.
New names must be given to many of our
streets In order that location may be found and
not confounded ; and a new and better system
of numbering houses than now exists In severs;
wards adopted. Wliolsesome and prudently con
ceived ordinances for the government or the
City must bo adopted and when adopted, faith
fully and Impartially enforced. The rough ele
ment that gathers on several prominent corners
and highways and offers rude Insults to passers
by, must be dispersed, and tlfe time hastened
when a lady can, unattended In proper hours
visit all parts of the built up portions of the
City without fear of Interruption or affront.
Our side-walks must be cleansed and put in
respectable condition for pedestrians. An or
dinance designating the limits In which wooden
structures may not be constructed should as
soon as possible be adopted, as the tlre-llmlt or
dinance adopted by Johnstown borough, seems
to have either been .improperly enforced or else
treated as obsolete, and has Just been repealed
as It would not have been proper now to enroree
It since many innocent people would have to
suffer the destruction of their buildings erected
In good faith, believing the ordinance of no
effect. The Inflammable buildings on the Park,
a standing menace of danger, must, as soon as
possible, be removed and steps taken to restore
the Park to Its former lines of beauty.
A Hoard of Health under the law governing
Cities of the third class, should be at once
created to save us frorn the perils sure to How
from the waste and unhealthy condition we
were left In following the sweep of the flood.
our fire department should be organized and
controlled so as to have a recognized head anil
leadeshlpto the end that discord, strife and
wrangles detrimental to the purpose for which
firemen are organized, should not exist.
A large revenue Is derived from license paid
by legalized venders of liquors. A vigilance on
the part of the;oflicers must be maintained to
keep the '• speak easy " from flourishing to the
end that, If liquors are sold, a revenue which
shall support the police win Inure to the City,
The shameless spectacle of men and boys reel.
Ing and staggering from Intoxication on the pub
lic streets on Sunday must and |wlll cease to
wound the sensibilities of all good people, If
ward constables and policemen are compelled
to do their duty.
A wise license system enacted by .the Council
and vigorously enforced will reach a class of
persons and property which has heretofore reap
ed the benefit of the protection of our munici
palities, dominated our streets, used them at
will and brought no revenue to the Borough
Treasury. The corporations that have their
system of pipes as a net work under our streots,
open their ditches and trenches to connect the
consumer with the lines of supply, and In most
eases mar the streets and leave pit hojes, breaks
or sunken lines, wl< lch In the end become a bill
ot expense lo the City, make no return tor the
privilege In the shape of direct tax for the
maintenance of the munipal government. These
may all now he made the subject of a license
tax r id the matter should receive the prompt
attention of the city Goverment, to the end that
the burden of the ordinary taxpayer may be so
far reduced,
Owners of property are compelled at their own
expense to lay and keep In repair the side-walks,
and set the curbing In iront ot their lots, and
see that the side-walks are kept clean for the
use of not only the property holders of the City,
hut also for the resident who owns no real estate.
The Act of Assembly under which we are or.
gan'zlng empower! the Council to levy and col
lect a poll tax. if this Is levied It will reach a
class who enjoy all the advantages of good,
clean side-walks and contribute nothing toward
their creation or maintenance, and to that ex
tent will reduce the amount of taxes of those
who In addition to the payment of ordinary
taxes, pi ovlde for us all the conveniences and
comforts of decent side-walks.
Milk wagons and huckster caits which are
owned by non-residents, use the streets and
help to wear them out. If these vehicles
should be broken or injured by reason of de
fects in the streets, the municipality will be
called upon to pay the damages, under the
law the owners ot these vehicles may have Im
posed upon them a license tax ; and why should
they not contribute a portion of the funds nec
essary to repair and fit up the streets they
use 1
A valuation of all the taxable property In the
City should be made in accordance with the
oath of the assessors—assessing the same " at
Its actual value In cash " tor City purposes—to
the end tha' every man shall pay taxes in ac
cordance with Ills wealth whereby the smaller
property owners wtll not as heretofore be called
upon to pay an unjust portion.
If we reach all these hitherto exempt proper
ties, and persons and other interests which un
der the borough system could not be taxed, but
which there Is no good reason for not Insisting
upon their paying a Just pro portion of the pub
lic burden t In return for the protection afford
on them, and make them bear their proportion
ate share of taxation. It will be found that aside
from the great expanse which the waste of the
flood has put upon us. In our new relation we
wlil have more comforts, conveniences, and
police protection with less expense to those who
tn the separate borough system heretofore bore
the burden of maintaining the govcrment. It
should be noticed too. that the recent addition
of properly to the seventh ward of Johnstown
Borough, whose revenue and taxation did not
pass into the Borough Treasury, win be a source
of revenue, over and above the revenues of that
borough before consolidation. That section
upon the notoriously low valuation of last year's
appraisement, stands in real estate valuation
alone at upwards of one hundred and eighteen
thousand dollars, less than one-sixth the actual
value of the property.
competent men must be selected to fill the
places and positions necessary to the organiza
tion and carrying on of the several departments
o< the City Government, and decent salaries
awarded for their labors. Good service re
quires good pay. 11l paid men seldom well
perform the duties of their positions.
Wblle our revenues will be greater and de
rived from some new sources of taxation, our
condition Is such however, that, to accomplish
all the matters and things suggested, a debt
must be Incurred. Let It be Incurred, despite
the whine of the miser who growls at the pit
tance he pays In the shape of taxes. Let the
City be hullt in accordance with the ideas cf
the present age, and. If It Inflicts a burden too
great for us to bear, let the bonds be of long
duration, and leave a future generation dis
charge the debt, for they wlUenjoythe blessing.
Progress, the people whose servants public of
ficers are, want; and progress they will have.
The era of " conemaugh old Town," when the
rude Indian dwelt In the Valley of the Cone
maugh, has passed. We are a civilized, en
lightened ltcople, who live In the uge of pon
derous rolling mills, steel works, railroads,
streetcars, telegraphs, telephones and electric
lights Wampum Is no longer a commodity In
this Valley—John si own municipal bonds will
sell above par.
These remarks have been more especially di
rected to those upon whom the burden of of
ficial responsibility will fall. To the public I
mav say—Be patient with your servants. Your
waste and desolate places cannot be restored In
a day. The task Is great, tho difficulties In the
way, many, it would be far easier to build a
new city, than to rebuild Johnstown. At every
turn, where a grade Is to be changed, a street
opened, widened or straightened, a useless alley
vacated, a curb to be reset or a sidewalk repair
ed or laid, some private, personal Interest will
be touched upon and growlers will be
In the land. The voice of lamentation
will be heard, the mean selfishness will carp at
the best efforts of the officers to carry out a gen
eral plan of reform and restoration. Faults will
exist and win be committed, despite the best
efforts of those appointed to rule and govern.
The council of the wise and prudent is needed,
the forbearance and Indulgence of the best ele
ment of our people Is Invoked, and will be found
necessary to be often called Into activity before
the task of fully completing the organization of
the City, in all Its departments, and establlsh
leg order, system, convenience, and perfection,
where now confusion, Irregularity, Inconven
ience and Imperfection exists, Is ended, Years
must elapse before wo recover from the calamity
of our desolation and disorder, and every good
citizen must give his aid In order to accomplish
the end.
For myself, I .shall observe the admonition Of
Ahab, King of Israel, who to his boastful antag
onist, Benhadad, King of Syria said : " Let not
him that glrdeth on his harness boast himself,
as he that putleth it off." I shall, with a ;deep
sense of responsibility, enter upon the discharge
of the duties of the office to which the people
have called tne by a vote so large that It excites
my gratitude to u su..iotne degree, but awakens
a fear tbat tco much Is expected of me. My
pride shall be to discharge with honest Impar
tiality the duties of the position, yet fearing
that I have before me a task of organization and
executive requirement which will tax my best
endeavors, and absorb for a long period my time
and thoughts, and that I shall fall short of
1 accomplishing the end of my own and your de
sires.
| Trusting my actions to. the considerate judg
ment of my fellow citizens. In the community
wherein I was born, I am now ready to take up
on myself the oath of office, and enter upon the
discharge of the duties devolving upon the first
Mayor or the City of Johnstown.
Several points in the address were em
phasized by hearty applause, but the most
profound sileuee reigned while the oath
of office was being administered to the
Mayor by Judge Johnston This was at
the conclusion of the inaugural address.
The other city officers were then sworn
in ; viz., George C. Miller, City Treasurer;
Jihu Dowlmg, City Controller; Joseph
Kuntz, Gottleib Bantley and John O'Toole
City Assessors.
The rain still poured, but no attention
was paid to it, but before the close of
Colonel W. D. Moore's address, which
followed, the clouds had broken and the
sun'a rays poured down on the vast as
semblage. Colonel Moore spoke as fol
lows :
lYu.ile of Johnstown,
It Is a sad pleasure to congratulate you, the
survivors of on awful calamity, upon the reno
vation of your desolated city, the re-establlsh
ment and enlargement of your civic life, and the
renewal ot your own energy and hope, and with
you to lift up my heart in thanksgiving to that
God, who having listened to your cry "out of
the depths" has to you to-day given " beauty
for ashes, the oil of Joy for mourning, and the
gai ment of praise for the spirit of heaviness."
.Vhen on last Memorial Day, I Ptood among
you, Ilooked uponas fair and beautiful a scene
as often greets the eye of man : girt round, as
Jerusalem of old, by mountains from base to
summit robed In the emerald of the spring, en
girdling and guarding busy Industries and lovely
homes; veined by rivers whose crystal clear
ness mirrored the cloudless blue above and
sparkled In the flood ot sunlight upon them,
whose banks were already bright with the
anemone, the arbutus, and the sweet forget-me
nots that bloom tor happy lovers, I could not
wonder at the strong attachment which you
cherished for your appointed dwelling-place,
nor repress the delight which I felt as I gazeJ
upon that picture ot beauty and peace.
For, on that day, business had ceased. All who
could poured from their homes, and hundreds
from abroad met tnd mingled with you In the
solemn services by which we sought to com
memorate the honored dead and Inspire the liv
ing with new pride In and love for our redeemed
country; martial music filled the air, banners
and Hags floated from every dwelling. Fathers,
mothers, brothers, sisters, above all troops of
happy children, covered with flowers, and wear
ing the red, white, and blue. Joined In the pro
cession whlcjj marched to the cemetery and back
to thcOpera House, alas l little dreaming of the
doom Impending, and knowing not that ere a
day stiould pass, Zaarah deserts would be beau
tllulcompared with the city of your love, and
many hundreds of these souls would have gone
up to God amid the roar and clamor of a
delugepltlless as death and Insatiable as the
grave.
one month afte, want l tootceu In vain Jer the
streets-sandy wastes covered the places w here
happy homes had been; wrecks of all that
art and Industry had reared, strewed the
earth. Johnstown had become a grave, and
the lew forlorn wanderers one met, wore
that dazed and stricken look which they
only wear who have been smitten by a sudden.
Incomprehensible, hopeless sorrow Into an
apathy of mental terror and tearless despair.
Hastily I said, as l turned away, as savanna la
Mar, in one niglit sank temples, palaces, dwell
ings and thronging multitudes to the depths,
never more to be seen of men, so this unhappy
clty has come to Its mournful end. Hastily, 1
spake, for now I look around once more and see,
thanks to the munltlcence of a pitying world
and your own manliness, courage, and energy
a new city, an enlarged, consolidated, and
nobler municipality, and a people, who, coming
out from this black cloud of desolation and
death, and still mourning over the awful past
may nevertheless look forward with hope and
faith to a prosperous and happy future.
Who that have sorrowed with you in your sor
row can help rejoicing In your Joy ? Who that
have stretched out to you pitying and helping
arms but must be glad to-day to chop your
bands In felicitation and congratulation t What
bean that has been wrung for yoj but must
tills day be tilled with deep thankfulness to God,
who though for a small moment ne forsake us,
yet will He gather us to Himself again with
everlasting mercy. May ills wisdom guide you
In the future and His benealetion rest upon you.
As you have been bitterly afflicted, so may you
be abundantly blessed. Be sure It Is not 1 alone
who utter the prayer with which I cease, but
that It rises from every heart la all lands to
which your sad story has gone, and I am sure
rises not In valu for you and your future-
' Throw away thy rod,
Throw away thy wrath;
oh! my uod :
Take the gentle path.
Throw away thy rod,
Though man frailties hath;
Thou art Clod!
Throw away thy wrath."
The Chairman then introduced Mr. A.
J. Moxham, saying as he did so that to
him more than to any other oue man was
due the accomplishment of consolidation.
Mr. Moxham spoke very pleasantly,
comparing the beginning of the city gov
ernment to the becoming of age of a man.
We have lmd the sympathy of the world
and the shadow of the past. That shadow
lias brought us to the becoming of age.
Mr. Moxham spoke of the confidence that
our people were willing to repose in our
Mayor and in the Counciimen elected to
legislate for the city. The concluding
part of the speech was as follows :
I,et It be our part, by our patience, by our pub
lic Interest, by our willingness even to tho ex
tent of sacrifice, to aid these men In so building
up this city that her valleys will teem with fac
tories and be overrun with people. There Is
room In these valleys for one hundred and fifty
thousand people. Let us so aid these men—who
will need our aid and who will have to face tho
responsibility and guide our steps as to estab
lish that precedent which will pave the way for
these one hundred and fifty thousand people.'
Mr. Mayor and citizens, I bid welcome, thrice
welcome, to our coming of age; and may nod
speed the new city of Johnstown.
At the conclusion of Mr. Moxham's re
marks, Rev. D. M. Miller pronounced the
NO 51.
benediction. This ended the exercises at
the grand stand, and the people went
home for their dintii-rs.
B> 3 o'clock the streets were alive with
people. The bands played line music,
and the sky was clear save a tew strag
gling clouds. Promptly at 2:30 the im
mense column began to move over the
route published yesterday in the follow
ing order:
Uniformed Police.
Capt. Jas. u. Gageby, Chief Marshal.
Dr. G. \V. wagoner, chairman Executive com
mittee.
Aids to chief Marshal—John 11. Brown, Esq.,
Johnson Allen, Dr. A. hi. Wakeßeld, Jas.
J. Mlillgan, Jas. O. Kelly, John
Burkhardt, Winter Kose.
Mineral city Band.
Mayor Rose and ex-Burgess llorrell, city Offi
cers, Guests, Councils, In Carriages.
FIRST DIVISION.
capt. John Downey, Division Marshal.
Seventh ward Band.
National Guard, captain Wonders commanding.
Assistance Fire company.
Iroquois Club, mounted.
SECOND DIVISION.
James Shumaker, Division Marshal.
Reed Band.
vigilant Fire Company.
Good Wilt Ilose, Ilook and Ladder company.
Ho:nerstown Drum corps.
Squad of Regular Ti oops.
U. S. Mall carriers.
Turners.
THIRD DIVISION.
Austin Neary, Division Marshal.
MorrellvlUe City Band.
Hibernians.
Thirteenth Ward Hose company.
Eclipse Band.
Cambria Hose company.
FOURTH DIVISION.
Harry Coulter, Chief Marshal.
Hussar Band,
conemaugh Fire company.
Johnson company's Display.
Trade Display.
FIFTH DIVISION.
John W. selgh, Division Mais'ial.
Austrian Band.
Knights ol St. George.
Harmonic Singing Society.
Business Men's Display.
CULLED BY THE OBSERVER.
I'idu'tthe man-earners and the post
ottice employes show up nicely ?
The Johnson Company's display
dieted much favorable comment.
Mr. W. F. Carpenter's bricklayers with
the words "We Help to Kebuild the
CHy," on the side of their wagon, gave
pleasant variety to the procession.
The new Dibert building was a fine
sight while the uarudc was passing.
Every window of the four stories was full
of people, while a profusion of flags deco
rated the whole exterior of the buildiug.
Mr. I\ S. Fisher had some very fin j
decorations of flags, laurels and other
evergreens. In fact his decorations were
the finest on the "hole ionic.
'• The Elk " liatl a fine large Hag with
evergreen decorations stretched across
the street.
One of the observed features of tne pro
cessiou was C. J. Bcegle's blacksmith
shop on wheels. It was in a two horse
wagon and was Qrubbtown's principa
contribution to the demonstration. It
consisted of n bellows, tire, anvil, and
Mr. Beegle with his helper busily at
work.
The Fourth and Seventh ward wagon
four horses and two mules, with a man
mounted on each animal and about
twenty-live in tbe laige wagon attracted a
great deal of attention. The boys from
the Fourth and. S • ''i did themselves
proud.
The large flag tds.'iayed on the resi
dence of Mr. John V. Shatter's B. & O.
Hotel, ou Washington street, is a flood
relic. The way it was saved from the
great deluge makes it of more than ordin
ary value to its owner.
The tirst gentleman to congratulate
.Mayor Hose after he took the oath of
office, when many of his friends gathered
around him, was his pastor, ltcv. D. J.
Beale, I). I)., of the Presbyterian Church.
The 1). & 0. excursion was a great suc
cess, about 400 people having taken ad
vantage of it.
Both sides of Main street .were lined
three and four people deep from above
Clinton street to Walnut, while many of
the cross streets were filled with people.
As the rear of the marching column
readied the corner of Slain and Franklin
streets, the head arrived at the same
point, the column reaching all the way
over Franklin from Main to Washington,
up Washington and Railroad to Adam,
over Adam to Main, and down Slain to
Franklin.
CaDtam Gageby looks well on horse
back, and tbe same can be said of his
aids.
A cheering crowd occupied the U. P.
Church building. They made themselves
heard at various times. Some merriment
was excited by their pranks.
Tbe new city's first moments were
baptized in the rain shower.
Who didn't admire the Turners' new
flag '! Yesterday was its first public ap
pearance.
The fine red nlumes of the Knights of
St. George gleamed conspicuously in the
sunshine.
The flood-wrecked engine of the Vigi
lant Company contrasted strikingly with
their fine new Siisby.
There were no more conspicious march
ers yestcrdfc than those who wore the
green. M
Bouquets adorned the tables on the
Grand Stand, and also the desks in both
Council rooms.
The Seventh Ward Drum Corps was by
no means the least noticahle feature of
the parade.