Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-26
Continued From Page One.
and water stations out Of Commissi'
Victims Suffering Untold.

Victims Suffering Untold.
People are now huddled in second
story rooms and on housetops waiting
for attempts to rescue them.
There is untold suffering. and many
have now been without food for hours.
while those who escaped the flood and
fed 10 the hills are being supplied with
short rations
John A. Bell, chief operator Of the
Central Union Telephone Company
whose office is I'm Ludlow street, near
the Algonquin hotel. sat on a chair sur
rounded by water, working the only
wire he could command He was un-
able 10 get any ore in Dayton, but was
able 10 talk to Governor Cox, at Co
lumbus. long enough to appeal for aid.
Communication was also established
AT intervals with Phoneton, the tele-
phone station six miles north Of Day
ton.
report from Dayton to-day said
that the flood had reached its crest at
midnight and is falling at the rate of
half an inch an hour.
Reports that the Phillips House, "a
hotel at Third and Main streets. and
the National Cash Register Works had
caught fire were circulated, but il is
impossible TO confirm them
Every office building. hotel and bust
ness block in the city has been turned
into a place Of refuge.
Three trainloads of foodsiuffs have
been sent from here but as yet there
has been no chance to deliver them,
and suffering from hunger as well as
exposure. is bound to occur within the
next few hours The rain continues to
pour down in torrents.
Numerous fires have been burning
throughout Dayton, and several build
ings have burned to the waters edge.
The mayor of Dayton, in an appeal
issued early today, asked for food for
the stricken people of his city.
Towns Flooded and Cut OF.
The town Of Troy, near Piqua, has
been hood-swept. and Tippecanoe city
is reported to be half under water. Eff
forts TO go to the relief Of these towns
have been made from various direc-
lions and all have been unsuccessful
owing to the fact that the bridges are
washed out.
\ report that the grand reservoir at
Celina had broken is doubted as the ef-
fects of its flood have not been felt in
towns near its path.
Details of flood suffering in Dayton
were reported by a telephone lineman
who reached the telephone building aft
or struggle He said the business
section of Dayton is like a stormy sea,
with the water from 10 to is feet deep
and rushing i'm torrents between the
buildings, so that il is impossible for
boat 10 live one boat went by with
two men in it, rowing desperately, try
ing to keep the bow to the waves. The
boat overturned, but both men escaped
drowning by swimming to lamp post.
They chung to the post for half an houl
before a rope could be thrown to them.
After repeated casts, the line fen near
enough to them to be caught, and the
men were rescued with great difficulty.
The lineman reported that a number
of objects like bundles of clothing have
been swept within sight of the tele-
phone building, and some Of those that
have passed are thought to be bodies
of drowned.
Magnitude of Calamity Stunning.
COLUMBUS. OHIO. March 26.-A
calamity which can only be measured
in death and destruction against the
horrors and devastation Of war has
overtaken the state of Ohio.
Floods are sweeping practically All
the river towns of the state and fire
has added its rsvages to some Of the
ruined cities.
The chief arena Of desolation is in
Dayton where between five thousand
and six thousand are reported dead.
More than thirty thousand persons
are homeless in Dayton. Three hun
dred thousand persons are homeless
throughout the state.
From seven thousand to ten thou
sand are dead in the entire state ac-
cording TO estimates. but those figures
are based upon meager and fragmou-
tary reports. Panic stricken refugees
are fleeing from the lowIands. The
property loss is estimated at more than
100000, 900
In Dayton despairing men. who saw
escape for themselves and their fam
flies hopeless. shot their loved ones
and committed suicide rather than see
them perish In the torrent
Fire is sweeping the business dis
trict of Dayton, according to report
received here. There was no means
OF fighting the flames.
State officials are stunned by the
magnitude Of the disaster. Governc-
Cox said that the legislature would
take relief measures.
100000 Needed for Refugees
At least 100000 Will be needed TO
succor the homeless. An appeal to the
outside world for aid has been issued.
Every stream in the state from the
Ohio valley on the South TO Lake Erie
on the north is out Of its banks. bikes
and leyees are bursting beneath the
strain Of the rising waters, The cH-
max Of the disaster will not be heard
until to- morrow.
Refugees arriving at Nenia TODAY
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