The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-25
Indications Point to Continued Rise In Seine With Very
 Severe Loss
TRAFFIC IS TIED UP AND
 FOOD HIGH AND SCARCE
Bill Has Been Introduced in Chamber of Deputies Appropriating $4o0,-
 900 For the Relief of the A..ss Flood Sufferers.

Paris, January 24-The situation re- sulting from the floods is fast becoming desperate. The premier and minister of the interior made this declaration tonight. All indications indicate a further rise of several inches in the river Seine and the cold rain which still continues is causing intense suffering among those who have been rendered homeless with little pros pect of relief.
 M. Millerand, minister of public works, after hours of inspection, said that if the rise continued nothing could prevent de- plorable disaster and the flooding of the most populous quarters of Paris.
 The measures that had been taken, he said, appeared to him to be adequate flor the present. but only for the pres ent"
 Paris is threatened with an imme- diate and complete tie-up of transpor- tation and traffic. This condition has raised the price of foods which are be- coming scant The supply of water in many arrondissements has been crippled as the pumping stations have stopped work and the reservoirs are low. The authorities assert that drinking water is assured but there is no water for the
 
 ly suspended.
 The question of transportation is be- coming more and more difficult and most of the remaining lines of the subway were forced to close down tonight because of lack of electrical current.
 The Red Cross society is organizing aid for the sufferers. Subscriptions have been opened and the theatres are arranging benefits.
 Streets Are Flooded.
 At 2 o'clock this morning the water which was rushing through the tunnel under the quay D'Orsay station burst through the roadway and flooded the streets, including the Rue de Lille, the Rue de Potiers and the Rue de Benechasse. on which there are many aristocratic residences.
 any time. Those who occupied the houses were hastily awakened and hurried to places of safety.
 Premier Briand today introduced Il bill appropriating S400 900 for the relief of sufferers from the flood. He described what the government was already doing to abate the distress and highly praised the heroic rescue work done by the sol diers and gendarmes. The bill was passed.
 It is estimated that 2500o laborers have been thrown out of their regular employment
 Fortunately the casualties have been comparatively few. but frequent narrow escapes from death are reported
 The explosion of boilers in inundated factories is an occasional element of danger. An enormous amount of live stock is reported to have been drowned in the departments of Marne, Aube Aisnee and Mouse.
 The wireless station at the top of the Eiffel tower has been abandoned tenn porarily.
 Some Rivers Falling.
 The rivers Ahone and Loire are re- ported to be falling and the sit-'ation accordingly improved at Lyons, Li- moges, Troyes. Annecy and Auxerre
 The property damage cannot be es- timated with any pretense of accuracy, but it will be very great.
 Late this afternoon President Fall leires and Premier Briand made a tour of the flooded district in an automobile. The crest of the flood had then almost touched the top of the arches of the Pont Alma. Preparations were made to blow up the span with dynamite if it should become necessary.
 The sewer in the Place Havre caved in and the Avenue Montague was inun- dated by the waters.
 The schools in the flooded suburbs nave been closed.
 The Quay De La Rapee is submerged and the water is even with the top of the Quay Louvre Villiot. Traversiere and Watt streets have been invaded by the streams and the Lyons and St. Michaels stations are flooded.
 In front of the Palais De Justice the street caved in for a distance of 100 feet. At Ivry one of the walls of the hospital fell out.
  Alfortvile and Thias to rescue the peo- pie on the islands, where 100c persons are without shelter. Troops also have been sent to Choisy Le Roi to prevent pillage.
 Bridge in Danger.
 At midnight the water was less than a foot from the bottom of the bridge Pont de L'Alama. The big sewers in the Place Du Havre and near Place De la Madeleine burst tonight and threat ened the foundations of the house Part of Rue St. Lazare threatens to cave in and the street has been closed. The, tunnels of the subway now under con- struction are flooded. The Orleans terminus is vast pool and the en- gIneers fear that the tunnels may col- lapse.
 The immense warehouses at Bercy are beginning to feel the encroaching
  ed. Two thousand persons are homel,ss at Albertfortville, where the water is 10 feet deep.
 The prefect of police is directing tho work of salvage. All the factories above and below Paris are closed and thousands of persons are out of em- ployment < The provinces so as it is possible to ascertain through> defective com munications show Improvements. In Marne and Upper Seine the floods ap- pear to be decreasing.
 In Tonne the waters are stationary but the heavy rain has again set in. The Doubs and Saon are still rising and now exceed the record of 1S4O.
 At Tours Sur Marne eight houses and at iJuveigny l5 houses collapsed
 The authorities have decided to blow up the dam and allow the canal to flow into the river to save the other buildings. A hundred houses ct Chalona A E.I