Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1903-10-16
HOMELESS PEOPLE
Floods Drive New Jersey People
From Their Houses.
OTHER DISTRICTS AFFECTED
Delaware Avenue In Philade phia
Completely Inundated For Time
-Four-ffths of Burlington, N. j.
Under Water.

Paterson, ~ j.. Oct l2.-For over
two days Paterson has been at BE
mercy of the Passaic river. The wa
tiers have maintained height Su.'
kcient to cut the western half Of The
city from the eastern, and almost az
means Of communication by bridges
have been destroyed Two bridges
above the falls remain,b Ut approach
TO them is impossible The bridges
| below the valley of the rocks still
stand, but il is impossible TO live Ia
reaching them. Seven other bridges
! in the city have been carried away,
and their loss alone is half million
dollars The inundation of the low ly'
| ing districts of the city has resulted
In inconceivable damage to property.
The food, however. is beginning -
recede A number of buildings ie!i
Sunday and many others have been
undermined II they do not fall they
will be at least untenantable. Spruce
Street hill is falling away piecemeai
and only a little more than two feet on
dirt and stone separate the falls basin
from the big black race through which
millions of gallons Of water are rush
ing every hour The gatehouse is in
very weakened condition and is :"
able 10 go il Spruce hill breaks mu"h
further.
All day Sunday boatmen were t
work rescuing people from the fioode'
districts The suffering in the first
and second wards has been intense, as
il was almost impossible to reach he
residents here Several hundred per
sons were removed from houses com
pletely surrounded by the food and
ready to collapse at any moment
dozen more of these houses later d'd
collapse and loated down the stream
Mill Properties Suffer.
The damage to mill property Is
chiefly from the submersion of por-
tions of the plants and great quaint
ties OF products. Thousands of men,
women and children will be out Of EN-
ployment for a long time, and it seems
altogether probable that this flood VIII
cause TO the city OF Paterson greater
direct loss of money and property
than the fire OF nearly two years ago.
Five hundred families are homeless.
OF these about $50 families are being
sheltered in the Apollo hall, while otN-
ers are In the armory, Governor Muir
ply having issued orders that the
armory be thrown open for this pur-
pose.
Passaic is a greater sufferer froIn
the flood than even Paterson.
Twenty mills in Passaic alone are
under water and 5000 workers are out
OF employment. Ten thousand persons
have left their homes. Eight hundred
houses are flooded 10 the caves, and in
all 900 acres are covered with water
from a depth Of few inches 10 twenty
feet.
Philadelphia Oct 12.-Delaware
avenue. which runs along the Della
ware river in this city, was again
flooded for a distance of two miles
at high tide Sunday afternoon. The
cellars Of most OF the business houses
on Delaware avenue in the flooded dis
trict were filed with water. and goods
valued at many thousands OF dollars
were either entirely ruined or dam
aged. The water in the avenue re
coded with the tide but il is feared
that the next high tide Will send the
water ND into the thoroughfare again,
as the river is still far above normal
Much damage was done along both
banks of the river all the way TO Della
ware bay. The food did some damage
in the League Island navy yard and
flooded industrial establishments 81
Chester and other points.
Burlington, n. j., Oct l2.-Th's
town is suffering from the worst flood
In its history, approximately four
ffths Of the place being under water,
caused by the tremendous food in the
Delaware river. The highest point OF
the town is only three feet above tie
food in some of the streets, and rs
the river is still rising IL is feared that
the situation will become more sert
Gus. The southern section OF the town
:, is flooded to a depth OF from two to
six feet and much OF the surrounding
. country is also under water. In East
q Burlington II is estimated 9 per ce?t
4 Of the houses are inundated. Many
families are in want for food. and Sun
day afternoon the mayor and chief Of
police made tour OF some streets in
4 batteau and furnished food TO those
S In need.
4 The water is rushing down the main
!. street so rapidly that people who a-c
n navigating through the town in boats
are having difficult time Of il. Some
: E buildings have become undermined
= and unless promptly repaired will
!. probably collapse.