The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-03-27
DEAD IN indiana
May Be OVER 1000
The Whole State Is In Grip
Of Floods.
SURVIVORS ARE SUFFERING
Three Hundred Persons Drowned at
Peru and Only One Block Escaped
tho Water-2o0 Reported Dead In
West indianapolis.

indianapolis, Ind, March 27.-From
Lake Michigan to the Ohio river the
state of Indiana is gripped by floods.
A revised estimate places the dead
at 1000 in Indiana, but many commu.
mites are cut off, and the exact total
cannot be learned.
Peru, on the Wabash river, seems
to have suffered the worst. Between
200 and 400 persons were caught there
by the current and were drowned, &C
cording to telegram received by Gov
ernor Ralston from the mayor of Peru.
All the survivors Of the town took
refuge on a hilltop. They are home
less. The buildings not destroyed are
hopelessly damaged and untenable.
Food and water famines prevail in
some districts. Railroad traffic in
many sections Is at standstill. Hun
dreds of buildings and bridges were
carried away.
Before the crest Of the flood Is
reached the number OF dead may go
over 1900 More than 100000 persons
are homeless throughout the state
The money loss is at least $25.O00,00O.
Mayor Charles E. Goetz, of South
Bend, received an official report that
500 persons were drowned at Peru,
that no bodies had been recovered and
that there was less than one block OF
the entire city that was not under
water.
The report was telephoned to Mayor
0oetz by the relief party sent from
South Bend, which reached the out
skirts of Peru. It was stated further
that only two feet Of the upper parts
Of the houses in the submerged dis
trict could be seen; that the court
house, the hospital and some factory
buildings were crowded with surviv-
ors in need of food, and that Governor
Ralston had been asked to send more
supplies from Fort Wayne.
Mayor Goetz, who had been inform
ed of conflicting reports about the
loss of life, said he accepted the re-
port from the relief party as official.
1.-THE messages stated definitely that
at least 300 were drowned" said
Mayor Goetz. THAT seems to leave
little doubt that the loss of life is
great. l can't conceive that those in
charge of the relief party would over
estimate the loss"
Twelve bodies were recovered in a
single house in the southern part of
Peru. This was taken to indicate that
the loss of life in that section of the
city was great. as it was there that
dwellings were completely submerged
before the occupants could vacate.
It was reported that six survivors
were suffocated In the overcrowded
court house. The weather has turned
severely cold, adding to the misery OF
the unsheltered. but the food Is fall
ing rapidly.
In the belief that most Of the 900
people Of Peru were hungry, Mayor
Goetz started out another relief train
loaded with 5000 loaves Of bread, rep
resenting the output of all the South
Bend bakeries and hotels. Barrels OF
salt meat, condensed milk, the eggs
of all the grocery stores In town, a
carload Of apples. gasoline stoves, Ian
terms and some clothing also were
sent
Information was telephoned to May
or Goetz by Patrick A. Joyce, city con-
troller of South Bend, who was in
charge Of the first relief party. Mr..
Joyce said that 5000 persons were
camped out without shelted in a park
on a hill, that small court house is
crowded with 1000 survivors, the hos
children are imprisoned in a school
house. No fires are allowed to be
lighted and the women and children
are suffering intensely from the cold
and dampness.
From what seems to be authentic
information fourteen are known to
have been drowned in West Indianap-
oils as the result of the breaking OF
the Morris street levee. Rescuers say
that a family of six, consisting of the
father, mother and four children, are
dead in their home. No effort is be
ing made to bring the bodies out, as
every means is being used to get the
women and children, who in many
cases are either standing on the sec
ond floors of their homes or have gone
to the housetops and are suffering
from the cold.
Families in one-story houses were
at the mercy of the sudden rush o.
water that followed the breaks in thu
levees. It is believed that the bodie:
of these, who are supposed to have
been trapped in the houses, will b.
found when the waters recede Vari-
Gus estimates are made in West In
dianapolis as to the loss Of life, BIZ
the prevailing opinion is that not les
than 200 persons must have drowned.