The San Francisco call., 1910-01-27
ALL OF FRANCE
UNDER SCOURGE
OF STORM KING
From All Quarters Come Re-
ports of Death and DesOIa=
ton Wrought by Floods
Government and People Unite
in Effort TO Solve Problem
of Relief

PARIS, Jan. 26.-At Point Royal this
morning the raging torrent was q feet
above low water mark and was rising
at the rate Of nearly an inch an hour
Although the river Marine was re-
ported stationary at Fretesous to the
cast of Paris. the huvial navigation de-
partment declares that the volume of
water rushing down from the Yonne
and other afiuents OF the Seine above
leaves no hope that the high water
mark viii be reached before tomorrow
morning. when the flood is expected
10 reach a maximum of 81 feet, or A
height greater than was reached by the
disastrous flood of 1892
STORM SCOURGED FRANCE
At the same time the department
admits confidentfally that il is impossi-
bic to predict anything with accuracy
as the whole Of France is still in the
grip Of an unprecedented storm. Rain,
snow and hail are falling everywhere,
the coasts are stOrmbOund and ships
are fleeing 10 the harbors for refuge.
a binding snow storm ragged in
Paris today and. coupled with the bit
ter cold. added 70 the general con-
sternation, suffering and misery Of the
poor and homeless.
EXHIBITION OF PLUCK
Ia the face of national disaster
France is giving a fine exhibition of
pluck Political divisions have been
buried and the government and people
have united 10 solve the problem of
relief Powerless TO do anything to
coniure the rage of the elements, those
i'm authority have devoted themselves
wholly TO the work of rescue and of
providing shelter and food for the
homeless. Every resource Of the gov
ernment. including the army, was en-
pl0ved today Boats were requisitioned
at al ports and soldiers and firemen
worked tirelessly.
TRAFFIC IL PARALYZED
The situation in Paris was not
changed appreciably from yesterday
except that more streets had been con-
verted into shallow canals, more streets
evacuated. q Few more paNements had
-caVed in and traffic communication was
completely paralyzed. one of the
greatest causes OF alarm continued TO
be the constant rise OF the subterra-
mean streams under the center OF Paris,
which flooded cellars and undermined
the foundations Of buildings.
Whole streets have been roped off
as unsafe. All the bridges over the
Seine are still standing, but traffic over
more than half OF them has been closed
The report Of yesterday that a steamer
had broken from its moorings and
crashed against the Alma bridge was
incorrect Should such an accident oc-
cur it would be necessary to destroy
The bridge with explosives.
The refuse Of the city, which was
carried OF formerly in barges. is now
being dumped into the Seine
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE
Another serious phase of the situa-
tion is that Paris is becoming rapidly
isolated. telegraph and telephone wires
being drowned" or grounded" Wire
Communication is falling in all diree-
tions.
Il is impossible today to communi-
cate by telephone between the two
banks Of the Seine. This greatly Grip
pled the work OF relief and the dis
patch Of prompt succor. Only two rail
roads to the north and west were oper-
ating directly into Paris today.
Railroad communication TO the south
and with italy. Switzerland and the
Spanish peninsula is slow and by long
and tedious detours to avoid places
where the tracks have been washed out.
DEATH AND DESoLATION
The newspa pers today are filed with
pages Of details which constitute a
long and pitiful recital Of death and
desolation. Of ruined homesteads and
fleeing refugees Half Of the arron-
easements Of Paris are affected direct
ly now and the rich as well as the poor
are beginning 10 suffer.
The wealthy Champs Elysees district
is without gas or electricity and some
Of the homes have no heat. Many of
the residents are leaving their homes
for the hotels. which are crowded.
DEPLORABLE SITUATION.
The most depIOrable situation in the
neigh borhood of Paris continues to be
= Ivrv and Alfortville where the river
Marne joins the Seine.
Prefect Of Police Lepine has taken
Up quarters in the district and is direct
ing the work OF rescue. After cease
less work through the night with row
boats and auto boats the morning
found more than 5000 persons impris-
oned in the second stories Of their
houses.
PINCH OF HUNGER
Paris is beginning to feel tie pinch
Of hunger. The supply of fresh meat
and vegetables is falling and prices
are soaring 10 famine figures. Some
svaricious bakers who attempted to
double the price OF bread were roughly
handled today and two OF them were
thrown into the Seine at Charanton
The immense losses in every branch
of industry were reflected on the
bourse. where bad slump in indus
trials and railroad stocks occurred.
Floods in Italy
ROME. Jan. 2s-The weather has
been stormy throughout Italy for sew
ersl days. causing much damage. The
Tiber rose 40 feet. flooding the country,
and many trees and walls were blown
down. A number Of persons were in
5ured.
Along the Mediterranean coast the
damage is even more serious. Several
beats were driven ashore.
The steamer Admiral, having on
board the duke and duchess Of Con-
nsught, has been delayed two days at
Naples
In the south there have been serious
floods and numerous earth shocks.