THE AMERICAN FLOODS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 282, 28 March 1913, Page 5

THE AMERICAN FLOODS.

200,000 PEOPLE HOMELESS.

lIARROWLNG TALES.

BIG DEATH ROLL.

By Cable-Press Association—Copyright. Sew York, March 20.

The area hounded by Lake Erie and the Ohio river, the Indiana boundary and Pennsylvania, is suffering from tire floods.

Two hundred thousand people are homeless. Harrowing tales are percolating through of stricken people spending nights in trees and on house-tops, falling into the water when exhausted by the cold and wet. Communication is completely shut off at Bayton.

Zanesvillo reports fifteen drowned. Conservative estimates of the deathroll are:—At Dayton 400, Sydney 20, Delaware 50, -Hamilton 20, Piqua 20o! Surrounding villages raise the total to a thousand.

The worst ravages are at Peru, where the entire city was submerged, and the bodies borne off by the swirling waters. None have been recovered.

The neighboring States are organising relief, but great hardships will be caused in consequence of the lack of railways for transportation. The water is now subsiding.

At Dayton, a huge explosion, caused by the fire, wrecked an additional portion of the city. The floods have spread.

The whole business section is ablaze, people leaping from the burning roofs' only to perish in the waters. Two hundred bodies have already been recovered.

The fire-fighters are helpless, owing to the water. The fire is reported to liav been due to the explosion of an oil tank.

FURTHER DETAILS. SUFFERIXfiS FROM FLOOD, FLAME AXD FROST. Received 27, 10.1.1 p.m. Xew York, March 20. The citizen* of Peru, Indiana, finding looting rampant, organised, vigilance committee and gave notice that all looters would be summarily shot. Thousands of people are marooned in the courthouse and hospitals. Snow is falling heavily, and the suffering is intense.

Relief is beginning to arrive, but scores of persons are perishing of cold and fatigue.

Flames are raging in Dayton, and eight business houses have been burnt down. There are no means of checking the outbreak.

Fifteen thousand people have taken refuge in the hospitals, waiting for the floods to subside. The river is four

miles wide. > Men were rescued, half frozen, from trees. Many boats are engaged in rescue work; but the terrific currents,*even in the streets, make it dangerous work. The President has ordered the despatch of tents, supplies and physicians immediately, ami an army corps has been ordered to render aid.

West Indianapolis reports that 150 people have been drowned there. Received 2S, 12.1.-) a.m.

The people of Peru are drinking contaminated water, and pestilence is feared. There are r.o blankets and no fires.

A midnight report from Lewiston states that the dam is weakening and is likely to collapse. The Governor has despatched a special train, with men and materials to strengthen the dam.