The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-31
ONCE GAY PARIS
WRAPPED IN GLOOM
Flood Situation After Week of
Suffering Only Slightly
Improved.
PLIGHT OF RAG-PICkERS
Is ESPECIALLY PITIABLE
City in Darkness, Save for
Lanterns, Oil Lamps and
Candles.

PARIS. jan 30.-While the most i'm
mincnt peril Is past. the Seine, since yes
tcrday morning, has measured only five
and half inches in decline.
At this rate IL would require a fort
night for the river 10 reach its normal
level. Fortunately, tldlngs from flooded
sections above Paris give hope OF more
rapid subsistence after tomorrow.
In the meantime. the situation In Paris
and IN many places throughout the coun-
try shows little Improvement Indeed
the ravages of the flood In the city
cr in some streets. while the situation
in the towns between Paris and ST. Ger
main was distinctly more serious.
Driven TO the Roofs.
a stream of water twelve feet deer
was rushing through Gennevillieres and
Coiombes. making the work Of rescue
and succor more difficult even than yes.
terday. Several houses collapsed and
many persons were taken off the roofs
of their houses, where they had beer
.ngiug for days.
Hundreds are reported without fooc
OF shelter, and all day an army OF troops
flooded territory. bringing aid 10 tho dis
trcsscd and distributing provisions by
boat TO the thousands OF marooncd VIC
Tins who refused To quit their homes
Within the city itself. are great throng>
OF slglltscors.
The Champs Elysees. ordinarily path
way OF thrilling scenes and lights. to-
night had hand lanterns strung alonl
the curbs. The usually gay boucyardS
were wrapped I'm silence and darkness
Restaurants and cafes were reduced tc
Venetian lamps
The soldiers have orders TO give shor
shift 10 criminals caught in the act %
looting. Thus far there have been M
such cases in the city, but the dangel
Is great. as the French keep their mon
cy and valuables in their homes.
Much OF Looting.
Outside OF Paris. however many de
reported. \ band Of thieves has been q
work near Clarendon. but soldiers have
been shooting them at sight. The Zou
svcs last night killed two pilagers Il
1vry and two at Rrie. These ghouls hav
transferred their operations TO tho de
vastated region below Paris. many at
tempts TO piliage the deserted villas an,
homes being reported
Papers recount many deeds of hero
ism on the part Of priests at Alfortvillo
who continued the work Of rescue be
tween midnight and daylight. when In,
soldiers. juclSieS and firemc1. after sew
cral DAYS without rest had become cN.
hausted Sisters Of charity rowed {,
houses. giving assistance in several case!
OF starvation.
Besides the aid distributed directly by
the government and the municipality
more than $3.50. 000 from the fund raised
by The newspap apors has been handed over
10 the various relief societies and To tho
local authorities OF towns and villages
near Paris.
The press refers 70 the spontaneous
help coming from abroad most gratefully
and recognizes tho illustrations of Sgm-
DathY in the United States.
y pitablc feature Of the food in Cen
nevilieres is the plight Of the colony oi
5000 ragpickers. n fourth Of whom are
children They arc tho poorest OF al
the Paris poor, and early each morning
they cross The Seine TO sort the refuse
barrels OF the great city.
The village was cluster Of riSera hle
bowels OF plaster and earth. ilanked with
heaps Of bones, rags. iron and odds and
ends.