The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1910-01-27
RIVER SEINE
FLOODS PARIS
Highest Water Ever Known Has City
at Its Mercy.
Sideways Filled, Sewers Burst. Streets
Torn Up and Buildings Topping
to Ruin-Many Rescurers Drown
Whole Country Submerged and
Waters are Still RisIngI


morning the water, which was rushing
through the tunnel under the Quai d.
Orsay station burst through the road
way and flooded the streets, including
the Rue de Lille, and Rue de Poitiers
and the Rue de Bellechasse, on which
are many aristocratic residences The
sidewalks are likely to cave in at any
time. Those who occupied the houses
were awakened and hurried to places Of
safety.
At 3 80 this morning the food from
the Quai d. Orsay station extended to
the Rue de l'Universite. 1t is esti-
mated that the homeless in the out
skirts of Paris number at least 5000.
Four soldiers have been drowned at
Villeneuve and three at Alfotville,
while engaged in rescue work.
The situation resulting from the
floods is fast becoming desperate. The
premier and minister Of the interior
made this declaration tonight. All
conditions indicated further rise of
several inches of the River Seine and
the cold rain, which still continues, is
causing intenLe suffering among those
who have been made homeless. There
is little prospect Of relief.
M. Millerand, minister of the public
works, after tour of inspection, said
that If the rise continued nothing could
prevent deplorable disaster and the
flooding of the most populous quarters
in Paris. Measures that had been
taken, he said, appeared to him to be
adequate "for the present, but only for
the present
Paris is threatened with an immedi-
ate and complete tie-up. The stoppage
of transportation has raised prices OF
food, which is becoming scarce, and
the supply of water in seven arrondis-
sements has been crippled. Authori-
ties assert that drinking water is as
sured, but there is no water for indus
trial services, which are practically
suspended.
The Red Cross society is organizing
aid for the sufferers. Subscriptions
have been opened and theaters are ar
ranging benefits. At midnight ths
water was less than a foot from thu
arch of the Pont de Palma. Othe,
bridges are not in such danger, unless
river craft is swept against them
Big sewers in the Place de Havre anC
near Place de al Madelaine burst to
day, threatened foundations of houses
Part of Rue st. Lazare threatens +
cave in and the whole street had beer
closed. Tunnels of the subway nov
1 aNDIad Th
Orleans terminus is vast pool and en-
gineers fear that the tunnels may col
lapse.
At AlforvilIe 1000 people are home
less. The water is IL feet deep.
The salvage. is being done by solo
iers in autoboats at the risk of thei
lives.
. All the factories above and belo'
Paris are closed and thousands of per
sons are out of employment.
The provinces show improvement
At Tours Sur Marine, however, eigt
houses collapsed and at Juvigny IL co
lapsed. The authorities have decide
to blow up the dam and allow the cant
Z to flow into the river and save tn
buildings. A hundred houses at Chalo
1 threaten to fall.
D The situation at several places U
: and down the river is deplorable. I'll
lower quarters of all the towns or II
river below Paris are under water, tt
, streets at Auteil resembling those 1
. Venice. A dyke near St Germai
broke today, flooding the valley as f;
as Malmaison.
The lower portion of the Bots
Boulogne is blanket of water reac
ing to Bagatelle. Judging from repor
received today from the provinces
:. quarter of France is under waite
: The Eastern, Central and Southesstel
g districts of France are terribly Attic
ed. The valleys and plains are lou
dated and the cities and towns are
darkness. Troops everywhere ha
!, been ordered to the work of rescu
but often they encounter the create
a difficulty in driving the peasants
a places of safety. The cities of No
= targis, Macon, Chalvns sur Saone Al
Epernay and the entire Champag
country are experiencing the most d
! astrous floods since 1856. The wat
4 in many of the villages along the Sac
and Marine reaches to the roofs of t