CLOUDBURST.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 554, 29 March 1913, Page 5

CLOUDBURST.

OVER A THOUSAND PERISH DAYTON'S AWFUL FATE. RUINS TAKE FIRE. PEOPLE DROWNED OR BURNED. By Telegraph..—Press Association.—Copyrigilt New York, Wednesday. The devastation wrought by the cloudburst which from Ohio was much more serious j,than was at first supposed, and the death roll id appalling. Earliest advices reported the total loss of life at Dayton at two thousand, while at Hamilton, capital of Butler County, Ohio, one thousand Were supposed to have been drowned. Later advices, however, indicate that the death roll is not so great, and bring the number down to about one thousand.

The flood at Dayton was followed by a huge explosion, supposed to have resulted from an oil tank catching fire, This explosion wrecked an additional portion of the city. The flames spread rapidly, and the whole business section is now ablaze.

Many people leaped from burning roofs only to perish in the waters. Two hundred bodies have already been recovered.

The fire-fighters are helpless owing to the water in the streets covering the plugs. 200,000 HOMELESS. ENTIRE CITY SUBMERGED, New York, Wednesday. Advices from Columbus, Ohio, state that the area bounded by Lake Erie, the Ohio river, the Indiana boundary, and the Pennsylvania boundary is suffering from flood. Two hundred thousand are homeless, Harrowing tales are percolating through of stricken people spending the night in trees and no housetops, and falling into the water when exhausted by cold and wet.

In a conserYative estimate the death-roll at Dayton is 400, in Sydney 200, in Delaware 50, in Hamilton 20, in Piqua 200, in Zanesville 15, and the surrounding villages raise the total to a thousand.

The worst ravages occurred at Peru, the entire city being submerged. Bodies were borne off by the swirling waters, none being recovered. The neighbouring States are organising relief, but great hardship is being experienced in consequence of the lack of railway transportation. RESERVOIRS BURST. 1000 REPORTED DROWNED. NOT YET CONFIRMED. New York, Wednesday.

An Indianapolis message sayß that it is reported that reservoir at Hamilton, the capita] of Butler County, Ohio, with a population of about 30,000, broke, and that the rush of water overwhelmed the town. It is stated that about 1000 people have been drowned, but confirmation of the report is impossible owing to the disorganisation of the means of communication.

The reservoir at Lewiston, Ohio, broke after a terrific Btorm and flooded the city. The damage done to property is incalculable. ESTIMATE OF LOSSES. Indianopolis, Friday. Continuous reports of disasters are arriving. Sixteen were drowned at Howesille, and thirty marooned on house tops. Twenty-five were drowned at Chillicotte, and six bodies have been recovered. The latest report from Dayton states the flood waters are within control and further loss of life is unlikely, Zannesville was submerged 30 feet, and the death-roll is definitely stated at 150, while fifteen thousand are homeless. MEASURES FOR RELIEF. APPEAL BY PRESIDENT.

Washington, Friday. The Secretary of War has organised widespread relief measures. Tents, food and ambulances have been despatched to the stricken centres. The President has appealed to the nation for a fund to relieve the distress. It is now stated the loss of life at Hamilton was les=j than a hundred; it was previously given as a thousand,