New-York tribune., 1902-03-05
WROUGHT BY FLOOD
STREETS WASHED AWAY AND HOUSES
UNDERMINED.
Epidemic FEARED IN PATERsoN-1caoa
LOSS N PASSAIC-wATCHING
FOR THIEVES
FOR THIEVES.

FOR THIEVES
Paterson. y. J. March tspeciaD-The r.ced.
ing of the waters in the flooded district shows
that woful havoc has been done the streets
and the founds tions OF buildings When the
water fell away from Bank and Main SITS. this
morning it was found that Bank-st. had been
torn up by the water, and the sidewalk in Main
ST. had fallen eighteen inches. Main-st. Is paved
with asphalt. and no damage had been done 70
that part which has reappeared above the water.
Nearly all the streets flooded are macadamized.
and the food will leave them like the dry chan
mel OF a stream
Street department men who were out in boats
this morning report that the foundations OF a
number of houses were washed away partly.
and that the structures are IN danger Of falling.
Several buildings are tottering. and it is ex-
pected that some of them will fall as the water
leaves them.
The water has receded $50 feet In some OF
the streets representing fall Of four feet. It
probably will be two days vet before the water
leaves the streets, though the food is going
down more rapidly to-day than it did yesterday
Nain-st bridge reappeared above the water this
morning and wagons are now crossing it and
the west-st bridge, thus esta blishing communi-
cation with the north side OF the city. which
was practically cut off from the centrs of the
city.
new danger has appeared as result OF the
food There are four hundred homeless people
AZ the armory. Most of them went there with
wet clothes and nothing with which 10 make a
change Fifteen Of them are now i'll, and an
epidemic is feared This alarming condition
was realized this morning. and those in charge
Of the arrnory Immediately called in physicians
70 direct ARA angements for the prevention %
the spread OF disease The doctors ordered all
the heads Of families to carry their mattresses
into the air and all the unused clothing was
also taken out for airing The people who
are being sheltered are not a Cleanly class. and
stringent measures are being taken to keep them
clean. \ corps OF nurses has been engaged 70
attend 70 the sick az the armOry.
There Is going 10 be cleanliness here" said
the Rev Dr D. s Hamilton. who is at the head
oS the relief work. 'ff have n get the soldiers
here 70 enforce the rules We need infants
clothing very much. Clothing Of any kind will
be received. but the little tots are the poorest
clad now"
There was meeting Of the Board OF Free
holders this forenoon. and the country members
told of the damage done to the county bridges
1t is estimated that the loss 10 the county On
bridges will be $3OOOON
FOUR HUNDRED STORES FLOODED.
It is thought that about four hundred small
stores were flooded. and the loss 10 them can
before they can do business again. as nearly all
the owners lived in apartments in the rear OF
their stores and these houses will be untenable
for several days after the water leaves them.
The gas company Will resume the supply Of
gas tomorrow and This Will relieve a great In
convenience which affects all parts OF the city.
Policemen are now patrolltng the flooded dis
triCt in boats They are on the lookout Tor
thieves as many rurnors are ahoat that houses
hair IaTr
Only one case OF robbery has been reported
That took place az Oats's drug store. which
burned on sunday when the Hood st It's
height
Passaic. N J. March CSpeciaD.-Now that
the waters in the Passaic River have subsided
so that il is possible for men in boats to cover
the greater part Of the flooded territory. a close
estimate of the probable damage done has been
made At a conference held to-day between
Mayor Collins Of Wellington and Mayor Howe
Of Passaic IT was figured that the damage would
foot up at least S1.OO0.0OO.
Passaic mills Will lose about 100000. while
about 100000 damage has been done 20 per-
sonaI property and streets. In Wellington the
loss Is about 100000.
RAILROAD BRIDGE DECLARED SAFE.
This afternoon the Erie Railroad Company
declared that its big drawbridge was safe. and
withdrew the heavily loaded which were
put there on Friday Traffic was resumed on
both tracks. Not car Of freight has been
moved fror, the mills since Friday. as the Sus-
queharna and Erie bridges over the river at
Dundee Island are sttn under water.
1t IS thought that by tomorrow night the
greater number Of the houses that We're flooded
can be reached. Thirty-four houses were flood
ed sufficiently TO compel the inmates to leave
them. relief committee was formed and steps
were taken TO raise money to help the sufferers
when Mayor Howe announced that the city
would take care OF whoever needed help. Only
a few applications were made,
An the houses on Dundee Island were de-
stroyed In WailngtOn 200 houses were flooded
and one-third OF them viii have to be rebuilt
partly, In many the foundations caved In. The
town hall Is badly damaged. though II Is
housing 100 persons,
Passaio Is stin without gas, and f1re engines
have been working for forty hours at the cleo