Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-29
Waters Continue to Rise and Conditions Are Such
That No Part Of City Feels Safe Buildings
Fall, Streets Are Blocked, Fear Is Wide
spread THE Rescue Work UnCeaSing.

merged back to the Rue Lecourbe, a
distance of nearly mile from the
river, the water in many places reach
ing to the second stories of houses.
The water in the Bots De Boulgne
fortification reached the Grand Cascade
and below the river is one-third of
mile wide over the entire plain opposite
the Palisades. The French govern
ment is deeply touched by the express
sions of sympathy that have been re-
ceived from abroad. King Victor En-
manuel and the Italian cabinet have
sent messages of coincidence, and Pope
Plus has transmitted $4,000 to Mon
signor Annette, the archbishop of
Paris for use among the sufferers in
his archdiocese. Emperor Nicholas
and the King of Belgium also have
sent $4,000 each for the poor of Paris.
In addition public subscriptions have
been opened in Belgium for the flood
sufferers.
Expressions of sympathy are COM
ing in from England, Germany and
Austria, and President Simmons OF the
Chamber of Commerce in New York
has telegraphed the American Chamber
of Commerce here a message in which,
after expressing an appreciation of the
long and faithful friendship that has
existed between France and the United
States, requested the Chamber to act
in the capacity of intermediary in con-
veying to the French nation the pro-
found sympathy of the New York
Chamber in the terrible disaster. The
American Chamber here Immediately
replied, thanking Mr.. Simmons and
saying that his message had gone
straight to the hearts of the French
people.
The public service continues badly
crippled. The mails are slow and I'M
certain The telegraph lines are down
in every direction and communication
with England Holland. Denmark and
Austria and many of the cities and
towns in France is completely cut Off
The telephone has been practically
abandoned in Paris it being impossible
to serve three quarters OF the sub
scriber".
The situation at the st. I.azare sta
ton hourly grows worse. Fissures
have appeared in the walls of the
Boulevard Haussmann and that thor
pisliIttIc has bttIl lIGIlSioIIIicu lltO Il
river. New districts are being flooded
constantly and the people are cvacuat-
irg blocks of buildings. Several hospl-
tails where, sick and numbers of ref
ugCos We're taken are in q dreadful
plight owing to the water having
reached their cellars and quenched the
fires in the furnaces. Four hundred
patients were hurriedly removed in
ambuances from the Hospital De LIE
Salpetriere to the Hospital Bouccault.
The rescue was dramatic, some of
them were dying and aid came to them
in the nick of tire. The hospital ready
was isolated and new rush of water
threatened to level it. At this moment
the tirelcss Project of Police, M. Lee
pine. arrived and sent out score of
policemen on bicycles to summon am
balances and boats and additional po-
lice and soldiers.
While some Of the soldiers were lay
ing pontoons others tenderly lifted out
patients from the hospital, all of them
envelopcd i'm blankets. Two hundred
of them were saved in boats, while the
other 200 were carried across the pom
tonn on the backs of soldiers.
majority of the schools in Paris
are closed and many Of those in the
suburbs are in recess.
The architect of the Opera house be-
lieves that the building is not in dan
ger. although the water is rising be-
meath it,
Traffic in front of the Equitable Life
Assurance building s closed on account
of the collapse of the subway. The pre-
vailing belief is even If the damage done
by water reaches no greater extent than
is now the case, it will take years to
efface the tracks Of the flood here.
Thousands Of Americans in Paris, es-
pecially the artists and students in the
Latin quarter. are being bombarded with
cabegrams from anxious relatives. The
Associated Press has been requested to
announce that all Americans are safe. A
few of them have been obliged to leave
their lodgings in the lower part of the
city, but the Latin quarter is high and
safe.
The police are forcing evacuation of en-
tire streets in the lie De La Cite and the
lie st Louis, where the houses are in
danger Of collapsing.
The number of refugees arriving here is
enormous. Charenten alone sending in
Ss,00o who had come there from Calais and
other affiliated points.
Many thrilling rescues are reported. The
family of M. Barthou, former minister
Of public works, whose home in the Ave-
nue. D'Antin is surrounded by water were
taken out on the backs Of soldiers and
rescued in boats. A large number Of the
schools are closed because Of the lack Of
heat and the municipality Is considering
the ACCESSIBILITY Of closing them all.