The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-27

simultaneously WIN the break IN the
levee.
! when the horses. which were
hftched in record time. reached the
street said Vincent, I'VE were met by
wall Of water which must have been
ten feet high. The driver was forced
to turn and fee in the opposite direc-
ton to save the team and the APP
paratus."
The water poured into Third street
and fifteen minutes later Main street
was under ten feet of water. Many of
the buildings on the right side of the
river were so insecure that they had
left their foundations within an hour.
What were blocks Of thicizly popu-
lated one and two-storv residences oc-
cupied mostly by foreigners are to-
day only shattered lumber. They are
believed to contain many bodies.
Every effort has been made to reach
houses containing living persons. Re-
ports of having seen bodies floating by
in the flood make it certain that no
part OF the district under water escaped
contributing It's toll to the food.
George Burba, secretary to Gov.
Cox, said at noon that he, had seen two
bodies floating in the waters along the
shore in the south side residence dis
trict. Rescuers from time to time have
seen a body disappearing in the flood.
Organized relief was concentrated
today in the National Cash Register
Offices. All OF the buildings available
had been filled with cots and means
for providing food for the sufferers.
The crop of food babies was in
creased today by two, making five little
ones to be born in the hospital rooms
of the factory within twenty-four
hours.
Dayton is still cut off from direct
communication with the outside world.
Railroad trains have been unable to
enter and the nearest telephone or tele-
graph station operating is Lebanon,
twenty five miles away, where a single
wire Permits the news to be sent out.
All linemen and electricians who ordf-
narily could make repairs are held in
the flooded districts and no relief can
be given until outside aid is sent.
PLANNING RELIEF.
A plan by the relief committee to
make a systematic effort to penetrate
the downtown district today failed
through the nom arrival of a. number
OF naotorboats which had been ordered.
These are expected to be brought in
tomorrow.
Hundreds of neighboring farmers
came today bearing whatever supplies
their own stores would permit. Wagons
con attaining bushels of potatoes and
vegetables and many loads OF bread
were delivered to the cash register
company to be used by the refugees
Rescue work was continued in a dis
connected fashion and many boat loads
OF women and children were taken out
of houses in the flood zone. The pow
erful current on each cross street made
hi For
boats to pass a street crossing without
the aid of tow ropes. Automobiles
meet the boats and the refugees are
taken at once to the hospitals.
The rumor that St. Elizabeth's hos
Pital, with six hundred patients, had
been swept away, which gained circu-
lation last night. today proved 20 be
untrue. Although 1T has been inpos-
sible to reach the hospital, field glasses
standing. The water is not thought to
he much above the first floor OF the
building and It is believed the patients
have not suffered
Numerous stories of looting are told
and numerous prisoners have been
taken and locked UP. In most cases
these had entered houses and had
been searching for valuables. Repeat
ed revolver shots last night gave rise
to the reports that some desperate
Eouseholders had shot themselves
rather than suffer death by drowning
When some of the shots were traced
today. however. they proved to have
been fired by men in an effort to AZ
tract rescuers to their homes.
NO RELIEF IN SIGHT.
Daylight brought little hope Of i'm
mediate relief to the food sufferers
here who had spent the night in horror.
At daybrea1S it was believed that the
runlber Of drowned had been greatly |
increased during the twelve hours of
darkness The crest of the flood
passed shortly after midnight.
The rescue work looked hopeless as
on yesterday, however No one at |
tempted TO sleep. The only known |
dead are Anton Saetell. grocer, Vine |
and Main streets, killed in explosion; /
his wife drowned; unidentified woman |
found nearby hanging on wirei the
Bish family wiped out a son, John /
Rish. his mother, aged SIS: his sister, |
Florence. 81: niece. Viola. and Muriel /
wife OF John Bish. all victims of the /
food.
It is not believed the rescuers win |
be able to make an advance into the /
flooded districts today. but win have
to content themselves with saving
those who were marooned within O. few /
doors of the waters edge.
More than seventy. thousand persons /
either were unable to reach their homes
or held in their water-locked houses
unable to reach land.
The inundated district is estimated |
at more than Is square miles. which
is under from to Is feet OF water.
No communication could be estab-
lished with those in commercial dis
tricts and any attempt to say whether