Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-27

FLOOD L. u
SIEGE ~ RIS
French Capital is Ora, z. =. 0g
eolatsd by RiA ~
Streams.
LOSS IS NOW OVER $4,000, 900
Disaster Reaches Stage Of a Great
National Calamity.
STREETS ARE GAZING IN
STREETS ARE GAZING IN
Many Bridges Spanning Seine Are
Threatened with Destruction.
BL1NDNG sNowSTORM RAGING
six square Miles of the Historic Bots
dc BOuIOgne submerged-PaIais
bourbon and other Build
inEs Inundated.

PARIS, Jan 2s-The floods here and
throughout France have reached the di-
nension OF great national ca.amity. An
official estimate OF the money losses up to
today is $500 100000, or one-flfth the war in
cemnity paid by France to Germany.
Great sections OF the French capital are
under water, six square m;;es OF the his
toric Bols De Boulogne being submarged
while the river Seine, sweeping over its
banks, has filled the subways, inundated
the Palais Bourbon the foreign office and
scores of the historic monuments which
lio along each side of the river. The many
bridges which span the river are threat
ened with destruction, as vast accumula-
tions are banked against them by the on
rushing flood.
Special meetings of the cabinet were held
today to consider means for coping with
the situation. Military forces have been
summoned from al, parts or the country
and the city has been divided into five
military divisions for the purpose of ad-
ministering the work o. rescue and relief
In Paris the situation became more des-
perate as the day progressed At O'Clock
the Rue Royale between the Place DE La
Concorde and the Madeleine the famous
church ediflce, began to sink and was hur-
riediy roped off. Several big assures have
occurred in the Javel region
The boulevard adjoining the Pont De
Bercy and the street in front of the Louvre
museum also began to cave in.
Streets Threaten 10 collapse.
West street. at the west of the Foreign
office, is in imminent danger of collapse,
being sustained only by the compressed
air forced from the flooded subway which
runs underneath. Should this fail the en-
the street must cave in. The archives of
the Foreign office in an adjoining building
appear safe.
The rate at which the Seine is rising was
increased slightly today An additional
rise of thirty-two inches is expected. The
crest 1t is anticipated will be reached to-
night or early tomorrow ~
The water has reached the top Of the
tribune at the Long Champs race course.
Six square miles Of Du Bois de Boulogne
are submerged.
Because OF danger to those within, For
eign Minister Pinchon today ordered the
evacuation OF the wing of the Foreign Of
flee building. which borders on the flooded
Rue de Constantine.
All Of the active working departments of
the office were closed and the routine du-
ties were left temporarily in the hands OF
Minister Pinchon and his staff.
The water has invaded the postoffice
building and forced the employees to flee.
1t also reached the Chamber Of Deputies,
though the members continued in session.
The Chamber has been cut off from tele-
graphic and telephone communication.
Prefect Of Police Lepine announced this
afternoon that 1t would be possible, he
thought, to save the 5000 persons who
were imprisoned in the upper stories OF
their homes at Alfortville. Boats, manned
by soldiers, are removing the endangered
ones.
This afternoon water began to pour into
the cellars of the Hotel de Vile.
Blinding snow Storm Raging.
A binding snowstorm ragged in Paris to-
day and, coupled with the bitter cold. added
to the general CONSERVATION, suffering and
misery OF the poor and homeless.
In the face Of nationa. disaster France
is giving fine exhibition OF pluck and
solidarity Political divisions have been
buried and the government and people
united to solve the problem OF relief
Powerless to do anything to conjure the
rage OF the elements, those in authority
have devoted themselves solely ia the work
OF rescue and of providing shelter and food
for the homeless.
Every resource OF the government in
Guiding the army was employed today
Boats were requistioned at all ports and
soldiers and firemen worked trelessly
Nevertheless Premier BRAND and the other
ministers. who had not left their posts fol
forty-eight hours, were unable to respond
to the appeals for help coming in from
every direction. Authorities have been in
strueted to act on their own initiative
without awaiting orders from the centra
government
Danger I'm Underground Streams.
The situation in Paris was not changed
appreeiaby from yesterday except that
more streets had been converted into yel.
low canals, more districts evacuated a few
more pavements had caved in and traffic
communication was completely paralized
One of the greatest causes OF alarm con.
tinutd to be the constant rise OF the sub.
terranean streams under the center OF
Paris, which flooded cellars and under.
mi1ed the foundations OF buildings Whole
streets have been roped off as unsafe. Al
OF the bridges over the Seine are still stand.
ing, but traffic over more than half OF
them has been closed. The report of yes.
terday that steamer had broken from its
moorings and crashed against the Anna
bridge was Incorrect Should such an ac.
cldent occur Il would be necessary to in.
stanty destroy the bridge with explosives
The refuse OF the city which was carried
off formerly In barges is now being dumped
into the Seine
Another serious phase OF the situation
is that Paris is becoming rapidly isolated
telegraph and telephone wires being
drowned or grounded" Wire oommunica
ton is failing In all directions. 1t is i'm
possible today TO communicate by tele
phone between the two banks Of the Seine
This greatly cripples the work OF relie
and the dispatch OF suecor. Only two
railroads 70 the north and west were op
Grating directly into Paris today
b Paris Is beginning TO feel the pinch o.
e hunger The supply OF fresh meat ant