The Mena weekly star., 1910-02-03
PACKERS WILL FIGHT PARIS UNDERMINED
FLOOD CONDITIONS AT FRENCH CAPITAL ARE WORSE THAN
 EVER.
BUSINESS IS AT A STANDSTiLL
The Suburban Traffic Has Ceased And All Bridges Over the Seine Have Been Closed to Travel--No Street Car Transportation.


 Paris, Jan. 30.-A rise of tempera ture accompanied by heavy rain and change of wind to the southwest made the situation of Paris even moro desperate and 1t is feared that the worst has not yet been reached. The cold was intense during the night and rain began falling early in the morning. The authorities are doing their utmost to prevent a panic, and are keeping sharp eye on the news papers to prevent the publication of exaggerated reports.
 The reassuring news from the up per reaches of the Seine and Harne say they are still falling is discounted by the alarming rapidity with which the flood continues to rise and spread in Paris itself. Experts believe that 1t will be at least two days before the fall in the upper region Is visible in Paris.
 Late in the afternoon the Seine was still rising At sunset the water gauge at Pont Royal registered 30 feet and 8 inches. higher figure than had been officially predicted for the crest of the flood.
 The inundated area was doubled. Streets at numerous points were liter. ally blown up by the undermining flood. The "city of light" has become city of slime, filled with muddy water. War Itself would hardly cause such havoc.
 Business Is at a standstill. Subur. ban traffic has ceased. Travel over the 25 bridges over the Seine has been closed. The city is fairly crumbling Thousands of Americans in Paris, especially the artists and students in the Latin quarter, are be. ing bsmbarded with cablsgrams from anxious relatives.
 The authorities request the Ameri. can newspapers to announce that all Americans resident in Paris are safe and so far as reported have not sui. fered.
 The police compelled the evacua- ton of entire streets on the He de La Cite and lie St. Louis, where the houses are in danger of collopsing. The He St. Louis Is fast disappear. ing beneath the waters and unless conditions change soon will be sub merged
 Within the city there Is practically no means of transportation except by cabs and ambulances, the owners of which charge fabulous prices. The steam tramways which were the only surface lines remaining after the cleo tric cars failed, were unable to move as the water on the tracks was so deep that the engine fires were ex- tinguished.
 In the suburbs the situation is even more desperate. In Charenton alone 10000 people are homeless, which at Ivry, Issy, Gentilly, Alfortville. Passy and Auteuil there is hardly house that is not flooded
 Whether or not the flood has reach ed It's greatest point. a question that Is much discussed pro and con in Paris, the authorities are of the opinion that the city has still its worst experience before 1t. It is be- lieved that If the water begins to sub side nok, the suction will carry away much of the building foundations and retaining walls which have already been weakened and undermined. The height of the Seine exceeded all previous records. The last high est was that of the terrible flood of 1858. The height record then, which Is marked on the Pont Royal, was eight meters, S1 centimeters. Tester day at the same point the height was nine meters, 30 centimeters.