The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-01-24
PARIS At MERCY
OF BIC FLOOD
Seine Continues To Rise, Threaten
ing City With Incalculable Loss
Damage Already Is 100000

PARIS, Jan. 24.-The weather Is
warm today and IL is still raining.
causing u continuation OF the rise Of
the river Seine. which is already at an
unprecedented height. threatening the
city with incalculabIe loss. The Seine
will likly food the roadway OF the
famous Place de la Concorde within a
few hours.
The Seine is now 10 inches above
its previous high water mark OF 1876,
since which time the river has been
dredged IL feet deeper.
The Seine's retaining walls are
menRced by numerous cave-ins, due
to in1lltrations The street fronting
the chamber of deputies collapsed to.
day, barring traffic. The basement of
the deputies building is rapidly filing
with water.
The underground depot OF the Or
leans railway. in tho Place st. Michael.
was flooded today, the water bursting
through the barricaded windows.
The Carey DOrsay, the city's finest
railway station. was abandoned today.
The imminent collapse OF the entire
Orleans railway tunnel has necessi-
tated the closing OF the street under
which 1t runs, from Orsay to Austen
litz: The Morgue, one OF the historic
buildings Of Paris, is in danger OF
collapse
The entire city is in dire danger OF
a water famine. Five ACCOMPLISHMENTS
are already without water, due to the
breaking of their water mains and the
contamination OF the supply by sew
age. The suburb OF Ivry, with 10000
inhabitants. is completely under water.
The basement OF the Louvre. the
worlds greatest art palace, is flooded,
putting the heating plant out of com.
mission. Owing to the continued
dampness. pictures and plaster casts
In the Louvre are being damaged and
the loss promises to be irreparable.
Unless some way is found immedi-
ately OF ventilating that part Of the
subway that has not yet been flooded
the entire underground system will be
Put out OF commission.
The government is taking active
steps to prevent an epidemic of
typhoid fever following In the wake OF
the flood, of which there is the great
est danger.
While the situation in Paris is
alarming 1t is no more serious than in
the eastern and southern parts OF
France, where 100000 are homeless
and in destitute circumstances.
The loss in Paris alone is already
placed at $4,000. 00O,. with every inch's
riseSof the Seine adding thousands to
the loss. In the country districts, tho
situation amounts to a national dis
aster
The famous Alma bridge Was today
closed To traffic and a number of the
other bridges across the Seine are In
grave danger The Alma bridge will
have to be dynamited The
destruction of the bridge, one of the
prettiest structures across the Seine,
is believed to be necessary To save
the entire city from inundation.
The consulting engineers who have
been on duty at Eiffel tower since the
waters got out Of their banks, declared
today that this great structure is in
no danger.
1t is impossible TO estimate the num-
per of persons who are sufferers as a
direct result of the foods.
Marquis De Vogue, president OF the
Red Cross Society OF France, today
issued instructions TO all the branches
of the society in France to render
medical attendance to the sufferers.
A popular subscription has been
opened and money is pouring III for
the relief OF those who have lost
everything.