The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-31
Government Announces That it Has
the Situation in Hand Now and
is in Position to Re-
cover from Blow.
HALF AN INCH AN HOUR
Biggest Damage From the Flood Was
Done to the subways, Almost
the Entire System Having
Been Ruined.

PARIS. Jan. 31.--With 100000 per.
sons actually homeless in Paris and
suburban towns and 100000 without
employment, hundreds still emperill-
ed by the food, the government an.
nounced today that it has the situa.
ton we'll in hand.
This statement means no more than
that the crisis from the flood itself
has passed and that if everything goes
we'll and none of the threatened dan.
gers materialize, the city is in posi-
tion to recover from the blow that has
fallen on it.
The Seine is receding slowly, only
at the rate of half an inch an hour.
The temperature at noon was "a, while
there We're no clouds to threaten
further rain, the atmosphere was
murky. The people in Paris have not
suffered alone. In the towns and
provinces conditions are as deplorable
as here.
In such suburbs as Gennevillers, a
serious problem confronts the mill.
tary--that of saving the residents. All
day long boats put in from this and
other places, loaded with luckless peo-
pie who have been picked from the
roofs and upper floors. Many of these
have been without food for several
days and were sick and delirious. The
/ soldiers work in Paris was chiefly to
guard property from the idlers that
! thronged the city and to distribute
4 food to the destitute. That there is
still great danger of further catas-
trophies in the undermining of the
streets and buildings was shown to-
day by the collapse of the sidewalks
of the Rue St. Lazare and Caumartis.
The sidewalks were precipitated in
| to the subway These streets have
been added to the large portion of the
city that has been roped off and
barred to the public.
Paris biggest rebuilding job will be
| in her many miles of subway which
have been almost completely wrecked
Food supplies are delivered at hum
dreds of houses in boats. Nearly all
of the big stores have substituted
boat lines for their delivery wagons.
In few places is the water shallow
enough to permit of wagon traffic.
! 1t is believed today that the govern
ment will assume the entire cost of
disinfecting Paris as the work will
not be done properly if left to in
dividual persons. In several parts Of
the city the danger of disease is al
ready imminent. The air is foul
from the decomposed matters
/ A reign of crime and pillage by
thieves and "Apaches' is sweeping the
flood devasted section of Paris and
suburbs today, despite the vigilence
of thousands of soldiers and police.
The increasing depredations have so
enraged the people that they are tax
ing the law into their own hands and
are even fighting with the authorities
who attempt to save the looters from
the peoples wrath.
At Allfortville, boat containing
4 four "Apaches" was chased by boat
load of marines. A revolver battle
was fought between the two crews
The looters' boat was finally sunk.
4 Two of the robbers were drowned.
One was captured and lynched and
the fourth escaped.
A thief arrested at Evirgy attempt
ed to sink the boat of his captors
They then tied rope to the robber
threw him overheard and dragged him
through the icy water for three-quar-
ters of an hour. The man was SO
chilled when finally taken from the
water that he will probably die An
attempt 10 lynch looter here in Paris
was prevented by the arrival of the
police, who cut the rope just in time
to save his life. This SO enraged the
people that they turned on the officers
and fought pitched battle. Eight
armed robbers took refuge in de
serted hotel and for more than an
hour held at bay the mob that sought
their lives. The gendarms finally
gained entrance to the building and
overpowered the bandits.
Scores of other such fights have oc
Cured and it is likely that the soldiers
and police will be ordered to shoot Oh
sight,