Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-01-27
RAIN, SNOW AND HAIL ARE FALL.
ING AND SEINE CONTINUES Ta
RISE; HAS REACHED DIMEN
sIoNs OF NATIONAL CALAMITY
BOULEVARDS HAVE
BEGUN TO CAVE.IN
SIX SQUARE MILES IN RoIs De
BoULoGNE ARE SUBMERGED
AND HISTORIC MONUMENTS
ARE THREATENED.

Paris, Jan. 26.-Premier BRAND ana
the minister of finance today estimat.
ed that the flood losses will reach
S2O0,000,000. The Seine continues to
rise and the situation is growing worse
hourly. Rain, snow and hail are fall.
ing everywhere. The coasts are
stormbound and ships are seeking
refuge.
France is giving fine exhibition Of
pluck and solidarity. The people are
united to solve the relief problem. The
rich as well as the poor are beginning
to suffer because Of lack of light and
heat. Prices are soaring. Two bakers
were thrown into the Seine for
doubling the price of bread Details
from the flooded districts Of the
provinces are narrowing.
Hundreds of persons have perished
in the valley of Doubs. The floods
throughout France have reached the
dimensions of a great national calam.
ity.
Great sections Of the French capital
are under water. Six square miles of
| the Bois De BouIogne are submerged.
The waters have inundated the Palciss
Bourbon. The foreign Office and
scores of historic monuments along
each side of the river are threatened.
A special meeting Of the cabinet was
held today to consider means to cope
with the situation Military forces
have been summoned from all parts
of the country. In Paris the situation
becomes more desperate momentarily.
| The Rue Royale, a famous church edi.
! fee, is sinking and several streets and
| boulevards have begun to cave in. The
owners Of rowboats demand fabulous
prices to remove furniture and valu.
ables to safety
| Flooded Region EnIaraina.
The region of inundation is steadily
enlarging and villages in scores OF
places are completely submerged, the
ipeople fleeing for their lives and aban-
| doning everything. In many cases the
soldiers have been obliged to use force
| in compelling the inhabitants to evac-
uate their homes. Hundreds of them
refused to leave, clamoring only for
| food and water.
In Paris the situation is rapidly be-
coming worse, the floods sparing
neither the rich nor the poor.
In many towns along the rivers the
houses are collapsing and the wreck
age is whirled off in the stream.
The rescue work at Alfortville was
/ InaInpered last night by lack of light.
There were weird scenes as the boats,
laided now and then by the glare of
searchlight, were rowed here and
there, responding to calls for help. But
the rescners had more to contend with
lthan the turbulent waters. Groups OF
Apaches had eathered and soon were
engaged in the work Of piracy They
seized several of the boats and robbed
rescued and rescuers alike. In some
cases thev entered the houses and car
ried on their depredations. Finally a
force of soldiers appeared on the scene
and drove off the looters.
Many Aged are Drowned.
There were many cases OF drowning
and death to the aged and sick as %
result of shock and exposure. Two In
. stances of death were particularly pa
thetic. Aged and infirm, and finding
themselves unable to move, a man and
a woman hanged themselves to bed
!. post.
The hospital at Ivry, containing o.
900 patients, is surrounded by water.
There is no means of cooking the food
, and the removal of the patients will
be attended with grave results.