Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-29
GREATEST DANGER NOW
IN FALLING BUILDINGS
Pestilence and Hunger Also Expect
ed in Wake of Flood.
PITIFUL SCENES IN STREETS
Families Driven From Homes, Wan
dering in Search Of Food and
Shelter-Many Drowned
in Crevasses.

LONDON, January 20, $50
P.M.-Telephonic communication
with Paris has just been restored.
Communication with other parts
of the flooded district is still in
terrupted. I
A telephone message from the
Paris office of the New York Sun
just received says the river has
fallen slightly, but it is expected
that it will rise again tonight.
PARIS, January 29-The River Seine
lis falling today at the rate of three
fourths of an inch an hour. The sub
sidence began at o'clock this morning
and promises to continue. The River
Marine has dropped eight inches and the
River Yonne eighteen inches for its max
imum flood. The hope is strong that the
subsistence Of all the vagrant streams
will be rapid. Today the sun is shining.
The high mark reached by the River
Seine at Pont Royal was 81 feet 1 inch.
This is the highest known record. The
flood Of 1915 is said by some to have at
tanned its crest at 80 feet inches.
The situation throughout the city con-
| tinues grave, and there is fear that the
receding waters may cause the collapse
Of many buildings whose foundations had
been weakened by the inundations.
The delay in telegraphic communication
throughout France and to Italy and
Switzerland continues today.
Situation Still Grave.
Despite the fact that the waters sub
sided during the forenoon the situation
within the city was not improved today.
On the contrary. the surface water fur
ther invaded the streets, while the pres
sure from the choking torrents under,
places and at other points forced up the
pavements into great obstructing hum
mocks, fitting and sometimes tearing I'D
trees and lampposts.
This was especially noticeable in the
Place de La Concorde. the Rue RoyaIe
and the Place de L'Opera. The greatest
damage has been done at the Place de
L'Opera and at the ST. Lazare station
occurred, one in front of the new build
ing of the Equitable Life Assurance So
clety, where the water has poured into
the basement.
Workmen have succeeded in erecting
temporary walls to protect the furnaces
The situation, however is not so critical
in the Place de POpera as in the region
in front of the St. Lazare station, where
| the waters, racing through the Rue de la
Grange-Bateliere subway, joining the
flood OvSr1OWed ba
Place du Havre into a lake, and some
sections Of the Rue de rArcade. the Rue
de PIsly and the Boulevard Haussmann,
in front of the Expitori Chapel erected to
the memory of the decapitated Bourbons,
into veritable rivers.
Pitiful Scenes in Streets.
All Of the buildings within this quadri-
lateral have been evacuated and are sur
| rounded by Gordon of soldiers. The big
department stores, including the Prin-
temps and the Galleries Lafayette, have
been closed. Firemen and sappers were
engaged constructing dams in this vicin-
ity.
There was great danger in the streets.
as some of the buildings appeared likely
to collapse. There have been a dozen in
stances where persons nave disappeared
in crevaSSeS suddenly opened and swept
away in the sewer flood. Many pitiful
stories are told of the rescue of half
starved persons who had been imprisoned
In their houses. Two families with nine
children, who had been drifting about
on raft all night, were discovered in the
Javel district and rescued.
\ number of persons have become in
sane through fear and suffering. One
sailor, who had engaged in the work Of
rescue until he reached the limit of
physical and mental endurance, became
crazed. jumped into the Seine and was
drowned.
Canvas Boats Employed.
Two hundred additional canvas boats,
with crews, arrived at points on the water
front above and below the city this morn
ing They have undertaken to aid the
residents of the suburbs. The govern
ment has requisitioned every boat obtain
able, and posted notices everywhere
warning flood sufferers not to pay the
boatmen anything for their services.
Many private individuals, including the
RothSchilds, have placed their automo-
biles and carriages at the disposition OK
the authorities.
Extensive preparations are being made
for the thorough cleansing and disinfec-
ton of the city as soon as the water has
subsided.
At Genevilliers 1909 persons are held in
their homes. The flood has covered
seventy-four cantons in that section.
Americans Leaving City.
Many Americans left the city yester-
day and last night. and. since a trip
to the Riviera presents difficulties at the
present, it is London to which most OF
the wealthy refugees are fiocking.
The greatest admiration is expressed
for the courage of Mr.. Bacon. the Amer
lean ambassador. and his daughter, who
received guests on Thursday, as usual.
although the water in their cellar was
within six inches Of the floor of the
drawing room. and the only heat and
light available was a wood fire and some
candles.
1t was only at the last moment that