The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-27
DAYTON FLAMES
UNDER CONTROL

Ccontinued from Page one)
throughout the city. A man came into
the Pennsylvania station in West
Dayton, where temporary Western
Union headquarters had been estab-
lished, and seeing some bread on a
table exclaimed:
That's the first bread I've seen
since Monday
The fuel situation is serious. Per-
sons with bags, Nheelbarrows, tubs
and wagons were helping themselves
to all the coal standing in the Penn
sylvania yards. In the Riverdale sec
fuel.
The glare of the fires that practical
ly wiped out the business district
lighted the sky for miles around last
night and until daylight. The glow
would come and go. Each time the
light would grow dim. refugees at
the Van Cleve school building in
Riverdale took hope that the inces-
SAINT rain and flood had conquered the
flames.
The burning district was said to be
In the neighborhood of Third and JEFF
ferson street and included the city hall
the Johnson and Shelton, Adler and
Surprise stores and the Western Union
main office No doubt hundreds OF
persons, trapped in the upper stories of
the buildings were burned.
Many bodies are being removed from
the river at RiverdaIe. They are being
stacked three deep along the bank, ac-
cording to word just received here. It
started showing again this afternoon.
The estimate of dead, 5000, apparently
is near correct The total number dead
never will De known and Dayton breads
the day when receding waters will lay
bare the full extent of the disaster.
Bodies Washed Up.
All of today's bodies were washed up
or exposed as the water fell No one
knows how many have been recovered
The five different sections of the town
central. west, southern, eastern, and
Riverdale on the north are practically
all cut off from each other
A belief in the strength in the great
Miami river 1evee added much to the
huge death loss. Tarly Tuesday morn
ing volunteers hurried through the
threatened districts warning residents
to move.
These warnings largely were disre-
garded and at o'clock the people who
dropped the warning lightly were
battling for their lives in the rush of
waters.
The west Ievee had gone, other
breaks followed q reservoir break added
to the torrents and homes were jerked
from their foundations and torn to
pieces.
Fifth street bridge and a railroad
[.
standing and can be used as soon as the
water goes down.
The toll of life also was augmented
by the lack of boats. Riverdale of which
the greater number was saved had %
boats taken from a pleasure resort |
There volunteers risked their lives to |
remove persons trapped in their homes. /!
Women and children first was the |
rule
SWIM the rescuers told the men
who were BILE to do so. Before the |
first day was over oats could not be |
used. Time and again they were |
smashed. On the roof of one house all |
day yesterday a little boy chung. He |
was removed more dead than live to-
day.
Sidney, Ohio, March ga message
received here from Dayton, via Tippe- /
canoe. today says that fire has cod
stunned that territory in the flooded city I
bounded on the north by First street !
on the east by st. Clair, on the south |
by Third street and on the vest by |
the Boulevard. The message came to
the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton
railway. If true, the information
means territory nine blocks long and |
two blocks wide has burned.
The district is fine residence sec
ton and contains the Beckel house.
courthouse. Jail, Central Union Tele-
phone company, Cdlanan Oank Du1IQ-
ing and several other structures.
Lima. March 27.-Telephone report
has reached here that the reservoir be-
tween St Marys and Celina has given
way and the water is reported rushing
north
A blizzard is raging throughout the
flood district this morning, hampering
the work of relief for the flood suf-
ferers. While the cold has lessened the
flood, it has added greatly to the misery
of the victims.
Dayton, March 27.-Snow added to
terrors of the elements today Hun
drers of refugees are being taken out of
the Hickory street school. The weather
is bitter cold. adding to the suffering
of those who have been trapped on the
top of their homes since the levees
broke. Fire is sweeping almost the en-
tire downtown district and the flames
are leaping hundreds of feet into the
air. The conflagration has destroyed
several blocks in the heart of the bust
ness section as indicated from observa-
tons taken early from the roof of the