GRIEF is unreasonable. Pain is impatient. People maddened with woe and bereavement do not cultivate analytical and logical traits of mind. Let us not wonder, then, that the people of Johnstown ere long murmured and found fault with the very men who had come among them to bring relief and succor. Governor Beaver and his coadjutors were practical farseeing men of affairs, bent on distributing the vast sums confided to them in a way to do the greatest good to the greatest number of people. To do this they were compelled to pursue a course that often seemed harsh to those who did not look beyond the immediate satisfaction of their present needs. But the judgment of America commends the work of the almoners as eminently just and judicious.

    As early as Jun 14th Governor Beaver issued a proclamation in which he said: “The propriety of using the money contributed by generous donors for the benefit of individual sufferers, for the purpose of starting men in business, might be questioned, particularly if that business should prove remunerative hereafter. There can be little doubt, however, that the most useful and judicious expenditure at the present moment for the entire people of the region would be a fund which could be used for putting up simple board shanties in which business might be commenced by the courageous business men of Johnstown, who have signified their intention of remaining where they are and assisting in building up the ruins that speak so eloquently in their behalf. Credit is tendered them to any extent by merchants in our great trading centres. What they need is simply a cover for their goods and wares. Contributions in kind, or specially designated for the purpose of building board shanties in which business can be commenced would be a great boon to the entire community and will tend more than anything else at the present moment to the restoration of the normal condition of affairs at that community. One firm in the far West offered days ago twenty-five car-loads of lumber, with the expressed intention of doubling it. Such gifts would be more than acceptable at this time. They can be consigned to General D. H. Hastings, Johnstown, Pa., who will see that they will be properly distributed if designated specially for that purpose. If persons who have already contributed desire that their contributions should be appropriated toward this object, a simple intimation from them as to their wishes will be sufficient.

    By June 25th the condition of affairs had so far been ameliorated that a citizens' meeting was held, at which a resolution was adopted, to the effect that the time had arrived for a reduction of the supplies daily distributed, and that General Hastings be requested to take measures to that end. Two days later the Johnstown Finance Committee sent out an appeal to all Committees holding funds for the relief of the Johnstown sufferers, representing the urgent necessity for the prompt and wise use of the money so generously contributed, and declaring that, large as these sums were, they would be utterly inadequate to do more than mitigate the present distress, and aid the community in making an effort for self help. They urged that the money be forwarded without delay, and said that it was their intention, after the completion of an accurate registration of the survivors, to divide the money which the Committee now holds equally among them, and to continue the distribution as the money came in, on a basis equitable to all and satisfactory to the country.

    “The registration spoken of,” the Committee said, “takes into account merely the number of survivors to be reached quickly by the first distribution. The above is for speed. Following this, the same machinery will collect close and accurate statistics, so that by the time the good effects of the first distribution have worn away, we will be ready for a fair and equitable further distribution of further sums secured based, not upon the number of the flood sufferers, but upon their respective losses.

    “We should strongly urge you to consider the plan we lay before you, and we would beg of you, unless you can suggest something better, to come at once to our aid with your fund. Do not wait longer on the proposed action of anybody else, but act at once and for yourself. If you do not approve of our plan, we stand ready to change or amend it. We stand ready to do anything that will quickly bridge over the present sufferings of this community.”

    At the same time the Flood Relief Committee at Harrisburg adopted the following rules of action to govern their operations in distributing the fund:

    “1.    In that the said fund is in the nature of a charity to the needy, and not as a general indemnity for losses sustained,

    “2.    That a distribution per capita would be manifestly unjust, as it would go alike to the rich and poor, and alike to all sufferers, no matter what their needs or extent of their suffering.

    “3.    That a distribution by percentage on the amount of losses would be manifestly unjust, as it would result in giving the largest sum to the person having lost the most without regard to the value of the remaining estate of such person.

    “4.    That this fund cannot be used for the benefit of any private or public corporation.

    “5.    That the fund must go only to the most needy sufferers from the floods, in accordance with and in the spirit of the trust impressed upon it by the donors.”

    Early in July unpleasant rumors arose, none exactly knew whence. It was said that one million seven hundred thousand dollars had already been expended for the Johnstown people, and no one could see or tell where it had gone to. Mr. J. B. Scott, of Pittsburg, a member of the State Flood Commission, on July 12th, declared this to be entirely misleading. It was possible based on a report of the Commission which in itself was misleading. It referred to the expenditures and the amount appropriated, which had not been expended. If he were going to make up a table he would make the figures something like this: Expended by Pittsburg Relief Committee, $250,000; expended by Philadelphia Committee, $200,000; on account of the State, $500,000; appropriated for the Eastern part of the State, $250,000; for Conemaugh Valley, $500,000; total, $1,700,000. This included $15,000 expended by the Johnstown people. This money was sent in from various sources, and no account of it was kept. The Johnstown people handled it themselves, He was afraid it had been frittered away. One man whose family of four and property as well had been swept away, said he had not heard from the fund.

    Mr. Scott and Mr. Reuben Miller, also of the Commission, said that every dollar expended by the Relief Committees and Flood Commission could be accounted for readily, as there were vouchers for everything. The $500,000 referred to was credited in the appropriation. Altogether only $990,000 had, as yet, been spent out of the fund, $200,000 having been spent by the State since it took hold of the work. The money had not all been spent in the Conemaugh Valley. The amount collected up to date by the Pittsburg Committee was $763,000 with $250,000 expended, and of that $127,000 came back from the State.

    Mr. S. S. Marvin, another member of the Commission, said about $10,000 was still outstanding, for which warrants had not been drawn. He thought a marvelous amount of work had been done for the amount of money expended. Mr. Scott said the Committee might be charged with being slow, but no one had starved as yet. If the Johnstown people were dissatisfied with the Oklahoma houses, sufferers on the east side of the mountain would be glad to get them. They would not be forced on anyone. He thought the $1,700,000 statement came from a rough guess made by Governor Beaver in private conversation and referred to all expended and appropriated.