Norwich bulletin., 1910-01-24
Floods in France
 Situation Grave
HUNDREDS ARE HOMELESS AND
 RUINED.
VAST VOLUME OF WATER
Sweeping Down Toward Paris-The Saone and Doubs Valley One Huge Lake-Six Villages Under Water.

Paris, Jan. 23.-The floods tonight exceed all records and are fast assum- ing the proportions of a national dis
 aster. In the north, east and west hundreds are homeless and ruined. All though it is impossible at the present time to estimate the damage, it will be very great.
 Rise in Waters Continues.
 The rise in the waters continued all today. At Paris the Seine, which reg istered 6.4S metres yesterday, had reached TAO at noon today. The nor mal height of the river at this sea ason is PAS. The torrent almost touched the arches of the beautiful bridges, threat ening their destruction. The Pont De L'Alma is in momentary danger and is guarded by police.
 The sharp cold of yesterday led to an abatement of the floods, but this morning a heavy snow set in, turning in the afternoon to rain, which is still falling. This aggravated the situation and caused great suffering to the vic tims.
 Prefeot of Paris Frightened.
 A despatch from Chalons Sur -Marne says that a huge volume of water is sweeping down stream towards Paris. M. Lepine, prefect of Paris, after a tour of inspection in an automobile this afternoon, took the gravest view of the Situa tion.
 .HThe weather bureau" he said, fore casts further rise of thirty centi- L. to do in the face of this situation" Flood invades Paris Pumping Stations
 serious accident occurred tonight. One Of the water mains serving five of the most pOpulous sections in the south and east of the city burst and these districts are now without water. It IS feared that the city will be in a like condition very soon, for the flood is invading the pumping stations. The compressed air factory which supplies the elevators in Paris has also been forced to shut down.
 One of the great engines which pump the sewage in the eastern sec ton of Paris broke down on account Of the flood and as a result the sewers threaten to overflow the streets. Sew eral quarters are without electric light and all the trolley lines to the eastern suburbs are out of commission. The man man track E,, or the Lyons railroad has been partially cut and it is feared that traffic on this line will be completely suspended tomorrow.
 Streets UninhabitabIe.
 The officials of the prefecture are busy providing for the homeless but they are finding great difficulty in se- curing shelter Several of the streets on the river sides of Passy Auteuiu are uninhabitabIe Many of the resi- dents were compalled to vacate ther quarters yesterday and about POO more vacated today. A considera ble number of houses have sunk in the soft muG and water and on the boulevard of S. Germain a house under construction is tottering and threatening to fall on the chamber of deputies.
 Waters Reach PaIais D'Orsay Hotel.
 There is a big hole outside of the foreign office, and the main gaspipe in the adjoining street has broken, giving rise to considerable apprehe = sion. The Invalides railroad station next door is partially inundated, while the cellars of the PaIais D'Orsay ho.el are flooded. The basement of the Louvre museum is invaded and the military storehouse flooded, the steam heating plant of the former being ruin ed.
 Funds Needed for the Homeless. > Thousands of people thronged the banks of the river all day, watching the waters rushing by. One of che few casualties reported was the sweeping away Of a man who was try ing to drag out some floating logs. The situation in the outskirts of PaIjs is even worse than within the cIty proper. The prefect of the Seine de- partment made an urgent request r.. the government tonight for funds t.. assist the homeless At Alfortville the dam burst overwhelming 200 houses, the people being forced to fly, leaving their belongings behind. The Saone about ten miles broad. Of six villages the roofs alone are showing above the water.
 Most. of the bakers of the troops | are making bread as few of the great 1 bakehouses have escaped the destruc- | tion. The whole champagne region is in critical position. Urgent Call for 5000 Rations of Bread. i
 Paris, Jan. 24.-The Seine continues | to rise rapidly and at 2 o'clock this | had reached within a couple i of feet of the roadway at the Place De | La Concorde. Many additional build 1 ings have been flooded, including the | printing works of the Official Journal |
 Montereau Is totally under water and | without food. An urgent request has | been sent to the military authorities at ] for 5000 rations of bread. |