The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-10-12
Many Cities Suffer Enormous Losses
Through Rise of Rivers
Wrecks Strew Coast, Towns Are Inundated and
Every Ship Tells Of Terrific Experiences.
FACED DEATH AT sea- PASSAIC is RAGING
PATERSON'S DAMS MAY BREAK

Bridges swept Away and Buildings
ermined-Boatmen Busy Res
cuing People from Flooded Dis
tricts-EnOrmOus Loss of Life and
Property Likely If Dams Break.
Paterson, N j., Oct. 11.-With The
waters of the Passaic river falling at
the rate of an inch an hour above the
falls and at double that rate below
them, apprehension of further great
disaster to the city from the Hood has
almost disappeared, the sole question
being whether Spruce street hill. the
narrow embankment which holds the
waters above the falls, can continue
to witstand the strain until the river
recedes to it's normal proportions.
AT the hight of the food this hill
standing between the river basin above
the falls and the lower valley was rap
idly caving away into the gorge below
the falls. Lineman Horace Riley lost his
life in one such cave in and it was feared
to-day the flood would wash away the
dyke and precipitate itself, in a huge
wall. upon that portion of the city lying
below.
A dyke but little wider than the
Spruce street roadway stood between
the city and this disaster, but tonight
it is holding firm and the police feel
assured of its permanency, though
prohibiting access to it for fear that 1t
might be undermined
Below the falls a large part of the
city situated in the valley on either
side of the river. was still inundated
Tonight, but the waters were receding
rapidly, having fallen rs inches from
flood hight at o'clock this evening.
though still several inches above the
maximum hight of the flood of 1902.
Thousands of persons are temporarily
homeless, most of them being received
at the houses of friends in the unflood-
ed districts, while 1,500 were sheltered
tonight at the armory. fed and cared
for by the organized charities of the
city
1t will be impossible to closely esti-
mate the loss until the food subsidies,
but it will exceed 100000. Only
three fatalities have been reported.
This afternoon seven men who had
been imprisoned in Kearns Bros dye
house on the river margin since Fri
day without food were rescued by
Charles and Leopold Mutter in a small
boat.
The Mutter brothers also saved Capt.
William Clark and John Breen of the
fire department, who had been upset
in an earlier attempt at rescue. Three
tugs were necessary to bring all to
the shore. Venturesome boatmen as
sisted the firemen and police in re-
moving the inmates of the flooded
houses, gun used in shooting life
lines to the roof of burping buildings,
being employed as well.
Many buildings have collapsed and
the foundations of many have been
weakened by the flood, and some of
these may fall. The total will also
be largely augmented by the loss
throughout Passaic county, reports of
bridges washed away. roads destroyed
and property and crops ruined COM
ing from all points. The loss in the
county outside of Paterson will equal
that inside of the city.
On account of the exposure of many
cold rain last night an epidemic of
pneumonia is feared.
Passaic is a greater sufferer from
the flood than even Paterson. Twenty
mills in Passaic alone are under water
and 5000 workers are out of employ
ment. Ten thousand persons have
left their homes. Eight hundred
houses are flooded to the caves, and in
all 1000 acres are covered with water
from depth of few inches to TWEEN
ty feet. Several million feet of lum-
Der have been carried down to New
ark bay. fEits&
In Weaselbrook the Erie tracks are
in the air. the twentyfoot
having been washed
away. Twenty three-story frame
houses have gone floating down the
Passaic river, and as far as can be
the loss of city property, real
estate and buildings is 100000
Paterson, N. j., Oct. 11.--For nearly
forty-eight hours Paterson has been
at the mercy of the Passaic river. The
waters have maintained a hight sufi-
cient to cut the western half of the
city from the eastern, and almost all
means OF communication by bridges
have been destroyed. Two bridges above
the falls remain, but the approach to
them is impossible. Three bridges be-
low the valley of the rocks still stand
but It is impossible TO live in reaching
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