The San Francisco call., 1910-01-31
PFSTILENCE IN
PARIS FEARED
AFTER DFLUGE
Authorities Seek TO Prevent
City From Becoming Vasr
Metropolis
Water Slowly Falling, but Con-
ditioH Throughout Capital
Is Serious

Uinenr peril is past the Seine since
yesterday has measured only 81
inches Sd decline.
Al this rate ii would require A fort
night fo- the river TO reach its normal
level Fortunately tidfngs from food
81 sections above Paris give hope Of
more rapid subsistence after tomorrow.
FLOODS RANAGES INCREASE
Tn the meantime the situation in
Paris and in many places throughout
the country shows little Improvement.
Indeed. the ravages Of the food in the
city seemed ID increase. The water
was high in some streets. while the
situation In the towns between Paris
and 81. German was distinctly more
serious. A stream of water u feet
deep was rushing through GonneviI-
lferes and Colonies making the work
Of rescue and succor more difficult even
than yesterday.
Several houses collapsed and many
persons were taken of the roofs OF
their bones. where they had been
cliuEilg for DAYS.
SCORES WITHOUT FOOD.
Hundreds are repofted without food
or shelter. and all day an army of
troops and civilians worked relent-
lessr in the fooded territory. bring
rg aid 10 the distressed and distrib-
lrne provisions by boat TO the thou
sands ~ marooued victims who re-
fused IN quit their homes. Within the
etE itself ere great throngs Of sight
The Champs Elysees. ordinarily q
rat sway of thrilling scenes and light.
has hand lanterns strung along
rre erhs The usually gay boulevard
Eera wrapped in silence ana darkness
le- rants and cafes were reduced to
Venetian lamps
NATION THEATER OPEN
3Iost ~ the theaters were closed. but
c7e n0medie Francaise. with its cleo
and its heat gone, was open.
.lus c-areri. The manager, explaining
IKE mesger audience before the
curre rose that be considered the
National taeater Of France should not
efose ils doors
N= will- give a performance" he
~ -wftl candles. as in the days OF
1[o-ie-e. and show the world that Paris
can he as heroic as in the time OF revo-
iltfou."
although there is no intention on the
rarr ~ the government TO declare mar
Rial aW the completely submerged dis
rrirts. such as Javel, are in the hands
Of lle military 10 prevent pIllage.
DANCER or LOOTING
THE soldiers have orders 10 give
short slrift 10 criminals caught in the
sct af looting- Thus far there have
been no such cases in the city. but the
danger is great, as the French keep
tleir money and valuables in their
homes.
Outside OF Paris however. many de
E.o-a1 1Ia Instances Of lOOting have been
reported A band of thieves has been
~ work near Charenton, but soldiers
have been shooting them at sight. The
Zouares last night killed TWO pillagers
a- TrrE and two at Brie. These ghouls
have transferred their operations 10 the
devastated region below Paris. many
attempts 10 piIage the deserted villas
and homes being reported
Papers recount many deeds Of hero
ISM 0u the part Of priests at Abort
ie. who continued the work Of rescue
between midnight and daylight when
rle soldiers. sailors and fremen. after
several days without rest. had become
1susted. Sisters OF Charity rowed 10
houses. giving assistance in several
cases ~ starvation
AID Il DISTRIBUTED
Besides tile aid distributed directly
nv tile government and the municipal
tE. more thau S250.000 from the fund
raised hy the newspa pers has been
banded over 20 the various relief So
cieries and 20 the local authorities of
towns and villages near Paris
The press refers most gratefully to
the spontaneous help coming from
abroad and recognizes the illustrations
Of sympathy n the United States.
q Ditiahle feature Of the uOOd in
--rr = =
.onz of 5000 ragpickers. fourth Of
whom are children. They are the poor
est If al the Paris poor, and early
each morning they cross the Seine to
sort the refuse barrels Of the great
city
Their village was center Of misera-
bic novels OF plaster and "a rth flanked
witl heaps Of bones ags, iron and
ODDS and ends on the bursting Of the
dam. the torrents Of the Seine swept
away everything. Those ragpickers
who had remained in the village
Snatched up their children and fed.
most ~ them scantily clad They suf-
rered bitterly from the cold. but after
few hours the authorities were able
90 nnd shelter for them in public
buildings Of surrounding towns. But.
10 the entire colony. the food means
lrretrievable ruin.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST PLAGUE
At "a meeting Of the municipal coun-
eli TODAY. one Of the members protested
against eXaeEerations being spread in
various countries, representing that
Paris would become vast Metropolis
after the water subsided because of the
aern-iufected houses. II is pointed
our. however. that the government has
taken the most elaborate precautions
and that there is nothing TO fear II
Tie public viii follow Instructions is
sued by the board Of health
There is "A large quantity of water
now in Tie m0lding chamber Of the
Louvre museum.
Tr the ninth reimbursement a series
of powerful pumps was installed TO re-.
move water from several banks. but
residents who feared that this would
make conditions I'm their own cellars
worse gathered in force and slashed
the hose with knives. They finally
were driven of by the police.
Italian Rivers Rising
ROME. Jan. 30.-Aithough weather
-ondftions nave improved throughout
Fra1v reports are still being received
III the flooding Of much territory. The