Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-29
FRANCE, CRAZED
BY FLOODS, BEGS
FOR ASSISTANCE
Deluge Wreaks. Ruin and
Thousands Appeal for
Bread and Shelter
HORROR MULTIPLIES
IndeScribable Misery in
the Famous Metropolis.
Crest Not Reached
Especial Gable to The Herald

N ARIS, Jan. 2S.-Thousands Of per-
sons in Paris tonight are hungry
n and shelterless. From the flooded
districts, where hundreds are clinging
to their roofs, or are peering from
marooned second and third-story win
dows, women and men can be heard
crying out across the muddy chaos
over the roaring torrent of waters and
assistance.
Women are heard shrieking in the
darkness; children's cries are waited
oyer the roaring torrent of waters, and
the darkness of the night, intensified
by the terrific downpour of rain, can
be likened only to choas and inferno.
One hundred and fifty thousand peo-
pie tonight are without food, bed or
shelter, and many of them are scantily
attired, cropping among the labyrinths
of wreckage, or wading knee-deep
through the shallow inundations, in
search of edibles or clothing.
Horror runs rampant. Never in the
history of France has such an appalling
diaster been visited upon its people.
To night the authorities agreed the
situation was such they could no long
er hope to compete with it, and 1t is
believed before another day has passed
the nation will have appealed to the
world for aid for the distitute.
Appeal for Aid
Already appeals have been sent to
friendly sources for financial succor.
An agonizing cry goes up from the
people tonight:
"Will the end never Gomez"
After-a slow, but steady rise of the
flood water all day, the fuvial depart
ment at midnight could only issue
statement in answer saying that it
was probable the crest of the flood
would be reached tomorrow
The water has begun to fall in all of
the tributaries of the Seine above
Paris, but the passage through the city
Is clogged by bridges and an immense
accumulation of drift.
Tonight the city presents a weird
spectacle Soldiers, sailors, firemen
and police are hastily constructing
temporary walls by the light of camp
fires and torches, in another endeavor
to keep out the invading floods, while
piclkets patrol those sections of the
city that are plunged in darkness.
The situation in the Place de rOpera
tonight is serious. The entire terri
tory has been roped off as being un-
safe. It is stated also that the new
Equitable Life Assurance building is
in danger of collapse.
President Fallieres and Premier
BRAND today drove in automobiles TO
flooded suburbs where distress is
greatest, speaking words Of comfort
to the homeless, and encouraging SOL
diers and others engaged in salvage
and rescue work.
Refugees Sheltered
Charitable organizations are coop
Ine I,a tIrN
ing open their buildings and in sue
coring refugees. Several converts and
a number of public buildings have
been equipped with military cots and
bedding and transformed into hos
pitfalls. The Red Cross is performing
splendid service in distributing food
and clothing.
Nevertheless, numerous instances are
cited of women and children who had
refused to leave their homes In the
submerged districts, shrieking from
windows for bread.
The number of refugees arriving
here is enormous. Charenton alone
sending $4,000 who had got there from
Calais and other afflicted points.
Many thrilling rescues are recorded.
The family of M. Barthou, former min
lister of public works, whose home in
the Avenue dAntun is surrounded,
WAS ldhen OuI Oll LllC OetSho VI HOA
diers and in boats.
A large number of schools are closed
because of lack of heat, and the mu-
nicipality is considering the advisa-
bility of closing all.
Practically all flooded suburban
towns about Paris tonight are with
out light and several are without
water Their inhabitants are hastily
leaving.
The chamber of deputies held sit
ting today in the water -beleaguered
Palais Bourbon, believing a transfer of
their activities to Versailles would only
serve to increase the popular panic.
Parliament today voted a bill extending
business notes one month.
Storm Continues
There is a steady downpour of rain
and the temperature is falling. Every
where the situation is appreciably
worse than yesterday.
An unfortunate shifting of the wind,
accompanied by a falling barometer
and heavy rain, added a new thrill of
horror to the stricken city and country
this forenoon. Throughout the night
the condition grew more serious.
The devastation has now penetrated
the heart of Paris, the Gorgian rivers
and sewers underneath literally blow
ing up the streets, while the area of
the surface overflowed by the waters
of the Seine had been doubled today.
Twelve of the twenty-five bridges
over the river have been closed and the
auays on either side from one end of
the city to the other are either mum
dated or have been roped off as unsafe.
The Esplanade des Invalides is a
sheet of water. The turbid flood has
crapt back almost to the Jardin du
Luxembourg on its left bank and in
vaded the place de la Concorde which
was closed and guarded by soldiers,
and the lower Champs Elysees on the
right bank.
The Palais de Gelace and other re-
sorts and restaurants are surrounded,
even the Place de LOpera at the core
of the city threatening to sink to the
subway beneath. Cellars throughout
the district from that point to the st.
Lazare station comprising Fauberg
Montmarte and the richer sections in
the Rue de Province and the Rue de
Rouat are filed to the street level with
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