The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-29
SEINE is FALLING.
The Great Flood at Paris Has
Begun to Recede
After Having Reached an I'm
precedented Height.
CREST WAS REACHED
At Midnight and Held Steady
for Two Hours.
Drop of Two Inches in Follow
ing Six Hours.
CREST WAS REACHED

Paris, Jan. 29.-The waters of the
Seine, after having reached an unprec-
edented height and causing great de-
struction, began to recede today.
The crest of the flood was reached
at last midnight The waters remained
stationary until O'Clock, after which
they fell slowly At 8 o'clock there
had been a drop of two inches. ac-
cording to an official statement issued
this forenoon. During the night the
storm clouds disappeared and the
weather cleared. This morning the sun
shone brightly.
Devastation Continues.
The delay in telegraphic communi-
cation in France and to ItalV and
Switzerland continues today.
Despite the fact that the waters sub
sided during the forenoon, the situa-
ton within the city was not improved.
On the contrary, the surface water
further invaded the streets. while the
pressure from the choking torrents
under ground opened new crevices in
some places and at other points forced
up the pavements into great obstruct-
ing hummockS. fitting and sometimes
tearing up trees and lamp posts.
This was especially noticeable in the
! and the Place De L'Opera.
The greatest damage has been done
at the Place De L'Opera and at the
st. Lazare station.
At the former four bad oave-ins
have occurred, one in front of the new
building of the Equitable Assurance
society. where the water has poured
into the basement. Workmen have
succeed in erecting temporary walls TO
protect the furnaces.
The situation however is not so
critical in the Place De L'Opera as in
the region in front of the st. Lazare
station, where the waters. racing
through the Rue De LaGrar ge-Ba-
overhowed sewers. has turned the
Place Du Havre into lake and some
sections of the Rue De L'Arcade. the
Rue De L'Isly and the Boulevard
Haussmann, in front of the Expitori
chapel erected to the memory of the
decapitated Bourbons into veritabIe
rivers All of the buildings within this
quadratoriaI have been evacuated and
are surrounded by Gordon of soldiers.
Department Stores Closed.
The big department stores, includ
ing the Printemps and the Galleries
Lafayette have been closed. Firemen
and sappers were engaged in con-
structing dams in this vicinity. There
was great danger in the streets. as
some of the buildings appeared likely
to collapse. There have been a dozen
instances where persons have disap-
peared in crevices suddenly opened
under their feet or been swept away in
the sewer flood.
Many pitiful stories are told of the
rescue of half starved persons who
had been imprisoned in their houses
Two families with nine children who
had been drifting about on a raft all
night were discovered in the Javel dis
trict at daylight and rescued. A num-
ber of persons have become insane
through fear and suffering. One sailor
who had engaged in the work of res
cue until he reached the limit of physi-
cal and mental endurance became
crazed, jumped into the Seine and was
drowned.
Two hundred additional canvas
, boats with crews arrived at points on
the water front above and below the
city this morning They have under
taken to aid the residents of the sub
urbs. The government has requisi-
ktioned every boat obtainable and post
ed notices everywhere warning flood
sufferers not to pay the boatmen any
thing for their services. MANY pri-
vate individuals including the Roth
schilds, have placed their autom obiles
and carriages at the disposal of the
authorities. Extensive preparations are
being made for the thorough cleansing
and disinfecting of the city as soon as
the water had subsided. Much appre-
hension is felt regarding the effect on
the weakened foundations of streets
and houses when the pressure is with
drawn.
The river Seine is falling TODAY a.
the rate of q of an inch an hour The
River Marine has dropped eight inches
and the River Yonne 1S inches from
its maximJ m flood. The hope is strong