Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 38, Number 118, 28 March 1913 — Page 1

UM AND SUN-TELEGRAM VOL. XXXVIII. NO. 1 17. RICHMOND, IXD., FRIDAY 3IARCII 28, 1913. SINGLE COPY : CENTS Witasl Annan Vaurtoims

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Predicted That SoriOieni Towis Will Be Hooded; Provisions Sent to Pern

INDIANAPOLIS, 3:45 a. m. At this hour conditions in the Southern part of the state are much worse. The Wabash river is rising steadily and it is predicted that the river will be the highest in its history at Vincennes. The Wabash passed the flood stage some hours ago and all townsand cities along the river have been greatly damaged. Late reports say that there is danger of loss of life in Vincennes and other cities on the river. It is difficult to secure details of the flood as communication is hard to maintain. Conditions in the northern part of the state are reported better this morning. At Peru it is believed the death list will be lower than at first reported. Provisions have been taken to Peru and everyone is being provided for.

CINCINNATI, O., (2:00 a. m.) At midnight the Ohio river had reached the 62.5 stage and the river was rising very rapidly. The stations along the river predict the greatest flood in the history of Cincinnati and that the river will reach the 75 foot stage within a short time. Great damage is being done along the river.

RICHMOND .MEN

Mayor ' W. W.' Zimmerman? Lewis Illff and- Clarence Jessup of this city, went to Dayton yesterday in an automobile and succeeded, after abandoning their machine on the Dayton View bridge, in getting to the Algonquin hotel, in the center of town, by rowboat and by wading. . At Monument street and the Dayton View bridge we got a rowboat and rowed to Ludlow street," Jessup stated last night.. "From Ludlow street we waded to J;he Algouquin hotel and we inquired of the manager of some Richmond people but they were not registered. The water was too deep for 'us to wade any further so we went back to Ludlow street, where we had left our boat, but it was not there and I had visions of being stranded there for three or four days and there were some men talking of the Lewistown dam having broken, which did not brighten us up any. "A little later a canvas canoe with three men in it came along and we hailed them: Fortunately one of the men in the boat was a traveling man, acquainted with Mayor Zimmerman, and he made room for us in the boat, although I thought it would sink any moment. When we finally landed at the bridge we all shook hands with ourselves." WHAT THE MAYOR SAYS. "The chief trouble at Dayton now Is the lack of organization in the relief work which is being carried on," stated Mayor Zimmerman on his return from Dayton last evening. "No one seems to have any say-so about anything. There are only a few boats available for use and these are not being worked with any attempt at system. They come and go at will and anyone uses them who wishes to. There are a few militiamen there, but they are not doing much. Everyone seems dazed. They seem to need Bomeone to take charge and direct the work. "On the west side of the river they are nt suffering greatly except for lack of light and drinking water. They are crying for drinking water and for candles, all of which have been used up. "I procured a rowboat and went across the river to the Algouquin hotel. It is still standings There seemed to be about three feet of water around it. "1 attempted to get in touch with the mayor of Dayton, but all attempts to locate him were unavailing. I do not know, but I think the people were all taken from the Steele High School building. - I watched portions of its walls crumble and fall. It cannot last lng. "I saw no evidences of looting, but heard that several had been shot. There are only about one-half dozen militiamen on the 'rest side of the river. A block just south of the Beckel house was burning when I was there. I did not see, any jther fires." McGUIRE'S STATEEMENT. Charles McGuire, who made the trip to Dayton yesterday in an automobile in company with Fred Gennett, returned with a graphic tale of the- stricken city. "It would be impossible to exaggerate and ; description of the conditions which exist in Dayton at present," he stated to a Palladium reporter last evening. "Conditions over there

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RELATE IN FLOOD CITY are simply Indescrihahle." There is ho system to the work of rescuing those marooned on the housetops and in trees. ' The rescuers are greatly handicapped by lack of boats. Only a few little canoes, probably pleasure craft from the homes of some of the rich people near the river, are available for use. They are putting these to the best use possible, but as their capacity is limited and they are unstable, they can be used only in still water, while it is out in the current that most of the unfortunates are." The bitter cold of last night swelled the death list greatly in the opinion of McGuire, who stated that there were hundreds of unfrtunates still on the housetops and in trees who had been there without food or warmth since the first great deluge last Monday, and bo weakened from the continued exposure that he thought they would perish in great numbers tonight, especially the women and small children, who are in the majority. Loss of Property. "To attempt to even guess at the property loss would be impossible. However, as far as I could see, the larger and most substantial buildings of the business district are only slightly damaged. It is the dwelling houses out in Riverdale and directly across the river that have suffered most. It is there also that the great loss of life has been. When the dykes broke the people had no time to flee. "I saw no evidences of looting. Everything seemed to be quiet. No disorder of any kind. It seems to be the citizens themselves that are taking hold of things. As far as I could see there were no militiamen or police in evidence. I heard that soldiers had been sent from Columbus to Tippecanoe City and were marching towards Dayton. That is what it needed, someone with executive ability who can take hold and direct the rescue work. The real work of rescue has not start-1 ed yet and will not start until the river has receded and boats are brought 1 in. - J "Dayton people appreciate very much the aid that had been given them by j Richmond. I was told that it was the ! first assistance of any importance that had been received so far. Over there they want boats and drinking water i more than anything else. They have plenty of food. The number or persons rescued so far has not been great enough to even burden the people of West Dayton who are caring for them. "As to the number of deaths, it will not be known for certain until the waters go down. Only in a few cases which I saw was any attempt made to recover dead bodies.. Everything is for the living. IN CINCINNATI. ' Word was received in Richmond today that R. G. Leeds and wife and Omar G. Murray and wife and daughter had arrived at Cincinnati and were located at the Sinton. They will remain in Cincinnati until the danger period has passed in the flooded district.

OF LOCAL AUTOS TO Richmond's flying squadron of relief automobiles brought good cheer to the famished, saddened disheartened residents of West Dayton yesterday. The nineteenth car to start, a test machine driven by Russell Gaar, was the first to arrive inthe stricken city and its load of bread was seized by the refugees like a pack of starved wolves. Before returning to Richmond nearly a hundred of the homeless flood sufferers wrote letters and post cards to relatives in other cities, telling them they were safe and sound, and intrusted them to Gaar's care, to be mailed at the Richmond post office. Mrs. Leroy Howell, a former resident of Richmond, gave him a message to telephone to George McClure on his arrival in Richmond. He also bore a personal message from the son-in-law of 'Squire Hunt, living south of Richmond. Erman Smith arrived shortly after Gaar and he said that it was imperative that Richmond continue its efforts to provision and clothe the Dayton flood victims. He bore a personal message' from""" Carl Emerson; "a' PaTladium reporter, that his sister,, who had been visiting in Dayton, had survived the horrors of the flood. Smith also told of the rescue of an aged woman off a housetop, on which she had floated all the way from Piqua. He said that a Richmond woman, Mrs. Hale, formerly Miss Bessie Johnson, had escaped from the high waters. John Weller, another member of the Richmond flying squadron, also returned yesterday after a hard trip. He said the refugees cheered Richmond for its work in assisting the flood victims. After leaving his load of provisions at a little school in West Dayton he obtained permission from a militia major to cross the Dayton View bridge to assist in removing women, brought to the foot of the bridge in boats, to places of safety. "A member of the Dayton relief committee told me that 500 bodies had been found in the traction terminal station," said Weller. "I cannot see

SQUADRON

BRING CHEER

VICTIMS

where the newspaper accounts of the4do most for Dayton not by sighs

catastrophe have been overdrawn. William E. Bayfield of this city returned today after experiencing four days of the horrors of the flood in Dayton. Bayfield last Monday was enroute from Dayton to Lima, but four miles out of town the train was stalled and forced to return to Dayton. Bayfield then sought refuge in a small hotel next to the Union station. Early today he got out of the hotel, climbing down a fire escape and entering a rowboat. He was taken to the levee, along which he walked until he came to the railroad tracks, which he followed until he reached the Dayton View bridge. He returned to Richmond on a train. FIFTY DIE AT (National News Association) INDIANAPOLIS, (1:00 A. M.) Captain Geo. N. Hoffman of the police force who has been directing the rescue work on the west side, stated last night that he estimated that the dead from drowning in this city w-ould exceed 50 as he had kept account of the bodies he had seen to date and it had totaled that number. Captain Hoffman has been cut off from the balance of the city for two days and he says that he has seen many people drown by capsizing of boats. The west side is under semi-marshal law and the district is being patrolled by companies of . troops. No one is allowed to enter the district. The entire city is still without water but it is reported that the water supply will be turned on in twelve or fourteen hours. There are two city lines being operated by current being furnished by Anderson and Greenfield. ' 1 Orders have been issued to the troops patrolling the stricken district to shoot anyone on sight who is caught

INDIANAPOLIS

robbing the victims.

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1&U RlL Mlteir (Owing to the many conflicting reports that have reached this city from the flood stricken district the Palladium publishes the following article which was written by Will W. Reller who was in charge of the press car sent out by the Palladium, Mr. Reller consented to take charge of the expedition so that the people of Richmond might have an accurate report on the conditions in Dayton Editorial Note). (By WILL W. RELLER.) DAYTON NEEDS FOOD AND CLOTHING. No newspaper report of the situation there has exaggerated Dayton's needs in this respect. Dayton needs food and clothing AT ONCE, and Richmond and the surrounding country can do more toward alleviating the suffering in the stricken Ohio city, less than fifty miles away, than any other place. Railroad service has been established sufficiently to get food and raiment through to the sufferers, and the turnpikes are also passable for automobiles and other vehicles. Each person should do his part by subscribing money , or giving food and clothing. When these commodities are delivered into Dayton they will be given to those absolutely deserving. Adequate measures have been taken for dispensing the food and clothing after it arrives. Dayton will care for its own if given the material to do with. But Dayton cannot originate food nor clothing; it must depend on the outside for this. The Palladium's correspondent does not desire to preach a sermon in this column, but he does want to make the readers of this naner know that thev can now and sympathy but by contributing. THURSDAY TURNING POINT Thursday morning was the turning point "for better things in Dayton. The sun broke through the clouds and the waters of Miami and Mad rivers and Wolf creek dropped back into their banks. The bridges across these streams which for two days had been impassable were opened to automobiles carrying relief into the down town flood district, and hundreds of sufferers who had been on roof tops, in attics and other high places were carried for the first time since Tuesday morning to a warm dry place and given a cup of hot coffee. Dayton welcomed Thursday with a silent fervent prayer to God. The- maddened elements took their final fling at the distressed city Wednesday night, and it was horrible in the extreme. Added to the desolation of the flood were licking flames of fire, a cold drenching rain turning to snow and cutting winds. v The Palladium correspondent stood at the corner of River street and Salem avenue, both paved thoroughfares in aristocratic West Dayton, at nine o'clock Wednesday night. This usually well ordered corner was the shore line of the raging water and looking toward the heart of the business district there was no land in sight. The sky was red with flames burning down town business buildings and this light showed plainly the outline of the Third street bridge with its street cars filled with hungry and cold passengers. The only electric lisrht to be seen anywhere was that in

jthe National Cash Register

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EStOE Mis building. Although the water did much damage at the Cash Register plant the main build ings are standing solidly and they have been turned into a relief station where hundreds are now sheltered. With a light beaming from every window the Cash Register plant was a most welcome sight. PATROLLED SHORE LINE. Two members of the Ohio National guard here patrolled the shore line, and assisted flood sufferers to land as a life saving boat now and then made its way through the swift current and to the bank. E. J. Anderson, su erintendent of construction of the Richmond Home Telephone company, who accompanied the Palladium correspondent to Dayton, worked bravely through the storm trying to establish com munication west from the city, And all the while persons passed carrying relief to the suffering. Some went in automobiles, but most of them were afoot. The fire, what ordinarily would be an all absorbing catastrophe, attracted no great attention; ev ery living person was apparently bent on saving others from drowning and of giving relief, to them when ashore. Even those whose homes were not ruined by the water or fire suffered for drinking water, light and fuel. The water sup ply was cut off on account of the power plant being flooded, the power plant, supplying electric light was likewise under water, and it has been impossible to furnish any gas to consumers since Wednesday night. Dayton residents use gas, both natural and artificial, very largely for heating, and almost exclusively for cooking. The hardship worked by the failure of the gas supply can easily be imagined especially when those rescued from the flood districts were so sorely in need of hot food and beverages. ESTIMATES ON DEATH TOLL Estimates on the loss of life place it all the way from 1,000 to 5,000, but as a matter of fact there is no way to accurately tell what the death toll will be. It will be a week before the true loss can be fixed. The first attention must be given to the living. That the officials feel it will be very large is shown by the call sent out to all undertakers in surrounding towns. The property loss will be millions in Dayton alone. It is estimated that fifteen thousand residences have been destroyed entirely, while nearly all the buildings in the flood district, which was three-fourths of the city, were seriously damaged. Those who manned the rescue boats said that the currents on all the streets were swift, so there mav be hundreds of buildings undermined to the point of unsafety. The loss to the municipality for river levee, bridge, sewer, street and sidewalk improvements will be enormous. An official of the city government said that a million dollars worth of bonds will be floated at once, the money to be used for cleaning the city. Then there is the enormous loss to business interests. Not a down town business house escaped. All suffered from the water and many by fire. Build ings did not burn singly, they! burned by blocks. - j The net loss in Dayton will be i greater than m many other cit

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Grief SJrictam Pcrsois Ask! RIews of Relates; MamiltoM Is ievasyiei

DAYTON, O. (4:15 a. m.) This morning the water had gone down considerably but small fires were breaking out in various sections of the city. It is impossible to check the blares, as there is no fire protection. Police authorities, Red Cross people and volunteers from Dayton View and nearby towns are doing all they can towards rescuing persons imprisoned in buildings in the flooded district. Morgues have been established in various sections and bodies were being taken to those places where attempts are being made to identify them. All night long grief stricken men, women and children crowded into these places searching for the bodies of friends and rela-

RICHMOND, (4:20 a. m.) At this hour it is impossible to get any further information regarding conditions in Hamilton except that the fire is still raging in the central part of the city and it looks as if there was no way to stop the progress of the flames until it burned itself out. The West Side is making efforts to establish telephone and telegraph connections with the East Side where most of the damage has been done. . A strip four miles wide has been devasted by the water and it will be several days before thje full extent of the damage is known. The Palladium was in communication with Cincinnati and Indianapolis, but both of these cities have been unable to reach Hamilton by telephone or telegraph. All telephone communication from Dayton and the surrounding towns is again cut off and it is impossible to get further information until lines are repaired. e The Richmond telephone exchanges have very few lines in operation and the condition of the roads has prevented the repair work from being carried on with much progress. The Bell Telephone company has but two lines, one to Indianapolis and the other to Cincinnati. The Home Telephone company can reach Oxford, Decatur, and small towns in the vicinity of Richmond. The Western Union Telegraph company are swamped with telegrams from all over the United States sending messages to Richmond people asking for information about friends and relatives in Richmond and the flood stricken district. The hotels of the city are all crowded with people trying to getto Dayton and every train brings many anxious people in search for information.

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MORGUES

ERECTED AT DAYTOH Aaron Goldfinger Declares That Many Bodies Have Been Recovered. "The loss of life at Dayton will be between 10,000 and 15,000, I believe," said Aaron Goldfinger, connected with the Palais Royal store, when he returned from Dayton early this morning. Goldfinger asserted that bodies were being picked up from every place and taken to temporary morgues. Yesterday afternoon, he aaid. it was reported that there were 500 bodies at the union station and that there were 300 bodies on the court house steps. Goldfinger says that rations have been fut down and two meals a day are being served. "It is impossible to get anything from the east side, which is isolated from the west side of Dayton. The city is under martial law and two negroes were shot yesterday afternoon for stealing. Reports of the disaster have not been exagerated."

Richmond Headquarters in Dayton The Palladium has been so besieged with requests from local people who are seeking information regarding friends arid relatives in Dayton that a special representative has been sent to Dayton to try to locate as many Richmond and Wayne County people as possible and report back by special telephone service which has been established by the Palladium between Richmond and Dayton. Arrangements have also been made for headquarters to be opened at the Third Precinct Police station in Dayton and every effort will be made to get word to all people in Dayton desiring to send word back to friends in Richmond or Wayne county. The Palladium cannot promise immediate reports; on the survivors but as fast as located information will be given to friends and relatives in

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SAKS 1,000 MAY BE KILLED AT HAMILTON Police Sergeant Says Communication With East Side is Established. WEST HAMILTON'. Via Oxford. (11:30 p. m.) The police sergeant in charge of the rescue work here states that they have been able to communicate with the east side people by means of sign boards. A wire has been sent across the river by shooting a cannon and by morning it will be possible to establish telephone communication with the east side. The C. 11. D. railway Is sending wire equipment and crews to lay telephone and telegraph wires connecting different parts of Hamilton. No estimate can be made as to the number of dead In Hamilton but It is admitted that it may reach nearly thousand. The sufferers are being taken care of by the people around Hamilton and Cincinnati is sending In food and supplies.

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