The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-01-30

General Mnson were receiving cable
grams Offering assistance, II agreeable
to the French government.
II am sure that contributions from
Americans In all parts of the world.
or from anybody else. will be CRATE
fully received said Mr.. Bacon.
The ambassador explained that the
contributions should be made through
the embassy direct to the French gov
eminent, leaving the government TO de-
eide the agencies for distribution. Mr..
Bacon himself subscribed $1,000, and
the amount through this agency to-
night reached $4,000. The newspaper
subscriptions alone now exceed $780,
600
There have beef, a dozen instances
where persons have disappeared In
crevasses suddenly opened and swept
away in the sewer flood. Many pitiful
stories arc told of tho rescue of half
starved persons who had been linz
prfsoned In their houses. Two families
with nine children who had been drift
ing on a raft Gil night were discovered
in the Iavcl district ana rescued. a
number of persons have become insane
through fear and suffering. one sailor,
who had engaged in the work of res
cue until lie reached the limit of phys
ical and mental endurance became
clazed, Jumped into the Seine and was
drowned
In many streets mail is being de-
1ivered by boats. Hundreds of soldiers.
policemen, firemen and civilians are
throwing UP dams OF cement. The
convent of st Sulpice shelters many
refugees and homeless persons
Fuel and food prices have scared to
famine rates
The Saint Lazare Railroad Station is
surrounded by water. Not train can
enter there. Suffering from cold and
hunger is intense. Only the highest
quarters of the city are unaffected
Damage Not known Yet.
These are only a few visible evi.
dences of the damage wrought by the
flood Damage to the sewers, water |
pipes. conduits. subway, foundations
of buildings, pavements and sidewalks |
are as vet unseen. When the water
recedes to its normal level they will /
be visible for the first time, and will I
undoubtedly run far into the millions.
No one can even guess at the total
approximate damage. 1t Will take
months and perhaps years to restore
the city to its former state.
Though the Seine fell perccptibly to-
day, the water above and below tho /
surface of the city is still causing tre-
nendous damage. Many streets hither-
to immune were invaded. while tho
underground torrents opened new
crevasscs, especially in the Place de
Opera. the Royale and the Place de
Concorde. The situation at the first
named is precarious.
The famous bankers, the RothSchilds
to-day placed all their automobiles and
carriages at the disposal of the au-
thorities and many other private in
dividuals followed their lead.
Tho government has requisitioned
every boat obtainablo and posted no.
tices warning the flood sufferers not TO
pay the boatmen for their services.
Americans Leaving.
United States Ambassador Bacon to-
day cabled Washington that all Amer 4
leans are safe, but many have been
forced to desert their homes by the
Hoods. There is n report that Assist
ant Secretary Smith, of the American
Chamber of Commerce has been miss
ing for two days. Efforts are being
made to locate him at some hotel.
Many Americans are leaving the city
for London.
Telephone communication with Lon
don was restored temporarily to-day,
but that city can he reached by tele-
graph only by way of Berlin and by
cabling TO New York
The bikes hastily constructed to
protect the Quai du Louvre are be-
ginning to give way Colonel Huns
ko whose offices are in the Equitable
Life Assurance Society building, stated
this afternoon that the building was
in no danger of collapse, though tho
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