The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1910-01-27
FLOODS OvERWHELM
FRANCE
Exhibition of Pluck in
Face of Disaster
Maine Floods Mere Drop In Bucket In
Comparison.

Paris, Jan. 26.-The Seine continues
to rise today and the situation grows
worse The flooded districts have
in charge of a military commander
who will control the relief and res
cue work.
The whole of France is still in the
grip of an unprecedented storm. Rain,
snow and hail are falling everywhere;
the coasts are storm bound; the
ships are fleeing to the harbors for
refuge. A binding snow storm ragged
in Paris today and coupled with the
bitter cold added to the general mis-
cry of the poor and homeless.
Every reserve of the government,
including the army, was employed to-
day. Boats were requisitioned at all
points and soldiers and firemen
worked tirelessly.
In the face of a national disaster
10 6ifin6 u CAiiibAtiCA' Va
pluck and solidarity. Political divi-
sions have been buried and the gov
eminent and people united to solve
the problem of relief. Those in au-
thority are devoting themselves solely
to the work of rescue and of provid-
ing shelter and food for the home
| less.
Nevertheless, Premier BRAND and
the other ministers, who had not left
their posts for AZ hours, We're unable
to. respond to the appeals for help
coming from every direction. Pro-
yincial authorities received general
instruction to act on their own initia-
tive without awaiting orders from the
central government, the situation In
Paris was not changed appreciably
from yesterday, except that more
streets had been converted into yell
low canals; more districts evacuated;
few more pavements had cayed H.
and traffic communication WAS more
completely paralyzed. One of the
greatest causes of alarm continued
to be the constant rise of the subter-
ranean streams under the centre of
Paris, which flooded cellars, under
mining the foundations of buildings
Whole streets have been roped off as
unsafe.
All OF the bridges over the Seine
are still standing but traffic on more
than half OF them has been closed.
The report of yesterday that a steam
er had broken from Its moorings and
crashed against the Pont DAlma was
incorrect. Such an accident would
make 1t necessary instantly to destroy
the bridge with explosives. The re-
fuse of the city which was carried on
formerly In barges Is now being
dumped into the Seine. Another seri-
GUS phase of the situation is that
Paris is becoming rapidly isolated,
telegraph and telephone wires being
drowned or grounded" 1t Is impos-
sible today to communicate by tele-
phone between the two banks OF the
Seine This greatly crippled the
work of the relief and the dispatch of
prompt succor. Only two railroads
to the North and West were operat-
ing directly into Paris today.
A later report from Paris dated
January 26, reads as follows:
The snow storm has ceased and
the weather Is moderating but the
Seine is still rising. and Paris like
domed city is holding its breath in
terror. Half the city is in darkness
In the gloom galloping orderlies are
bearing instructions which can no
longer be sent by telephone. The
army OF police, firemen and soldiers
give the appearance of city fight
ing for it's life.
Every minute brings graver dan
gers. New areas are being inundated,
quays are collapsing, yawning
chasms appear in the streets.
What new disaster will come to the
water-logged city before the Seine
begins to fall no one can predict. AL
ready the damage is offcially esti-
mated at 5000, 1000 and every hour
adds millions more. The death roll
also Is growing at frightful rate,