Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-01-29
PARIS FLOOD
SPREADS RUIN
$4,000 Soldiers Are Fighting
Rising Waters.
STREETS ARE CAVlRG IN
Industrial Life Of French Capital Is
Rapidly Becoming Psralyzed-street
Cars Tied Up and Factories Shutting
Down.

Paris. Jan. 26.-Fifty thousand sol
diers, comprising the garrison of Paris,
were placed at the disposal Of the
municipal authorities to help fight the
food which is spreading ruin and con-
sternation throughout the city.
The water at the Point Royal has
touched twenty-six feet above low tide
and is still rising at the rate of al
most half an inch an hour
The damage already done is meal
culable. The industrial life of the city
is rapidly becoming paralyzed. Only
two sections of the subway are in op-
GRAFTON. while three-fourths Of the sur
face lines are tied up Factories are
shutting down because Of lack of pow
or due 10 the electric plants having
been flooded Half of the telephones
In the city are out OF commission. and
telegraph and railroad communication
is almost shut down
The disaster locally is due chiefly
20 the fact that the whole marvellous
underground architecture of the city.
which Is honeycombed witty labyrinths.
is filling up with water. causing the
in and threatening the foundations Of
buildings.
The scene on the river front is ma
jestic but appalling The Seine has
broken its barriers at several points
and is pouring it's yellow torrents into
the surrounding streets. converting
them into vertabIe lakes. At any mo-
ment IL may be necessary TO blow up
the Alma bridge. where the water is
but few inches from the keystone OF
the arch. as dam there might turn
the course Of the Seine in such a way
as to flood several OF the most fash
ionable partitions OF the city.
During the night the subway sta
lions at the Orleans terminus and at
DUAL d'Orsay were flooded and closed.
and the sinking OF the Rue de Poitiers
let the water through a foot and a
half deep into the Rue de Lille and the
Rue de TUniverslte. streets in which
live many OF the old aristocracy. The
Vanguard district near the Boucicault
hospital also is inundated
The weather grows worse rather
than better. and at, noon Paris was
the center OF an era OF low pressure
and bitter cold. Rain and sleet were
falling throughout the flooded regions.
adding 20 the suffering of the poor
and homeless. The price OF bread and
other foods increases owing to the fact
that communication with the provinces
is crippled
The depleted supply OF drinking wa
ter has caused the greatest alarm.
With the rise OF the food but a few
inches higher the pumping stations
still In operation must stop. and Paris.
In the midst OF a miniature ocean. will
be without water At TO drink
The situation at between twenty and
thirty suburban towns above this city
is worse than in the capital itself At
Clarendon. where the swollen river
Marne enters the Seine. an area OF
200 square miles has been flooded.
The submerged district includes AL.
fortville and Ivry-Sur-Seine. with a to-
tai population OF $4,000. At this point
the soldiers are fremen are doing he
role work in rescuing families in boats
and pontoOns. At AlfortvilIe the GENE.
terry has been washed out and caskets
lifted from their resting places are
floating down stream.
The animals of the Geological Gar
den, which were in danger OF drown
ing. have been removed 10 higher
ground.
Physicians fear an epidemic when
the floods subside. as the overlooking
sewers are likely to contaminate the
drinking supply of water. and the rats
driven out Of their underground homes
are invading residences.