Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-27
PRESIDENT MAY co
TO FLOOD DISTRICT
He Sends Secretary Garrison,
Gen. Wood and Other
Officers There.
SPECIAL TRAIN LEAVES
AT 3 O'CLOCK FOR OHIO
If Head of War Department So Ad-
vises on Arrival, Wilson Will
Join Party Later.

President Wilson has determined to go
to the Ohio food district if his presence
there can do any good. 1t was announc-
ed at the White House today that the
President would await word from Secre-
tary Garrison after he arrives in the food
district and decide then il he will Join
the aid party.
At the suggestion of the President Sec
retary Garrison of the War Department.
Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, chief of staff
of the army, and about a dozen officers
of the army, will leave here at 3 o'clock
this afternoon on special train on the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad for the
flooded district of Ohio with view to
aiding in relieving the great suffering re-
sulting from the recent floods.
Presidents Direct Instructions.
Secretary Garrison stated that he was
undertaking this mission by direct in
structions from President Wilson to offer
all the aid within the power of the ma
tional government to render to the gov
ernors of the afflicted states and to be
in position to meet any emergency that
might arise without delay. Whether
troops shall be ordered into the affected
district also will be. determined by the
Secretary and Gen. Wood when they are
directly upon the ground.
The party will travel directly to Chilli
cothe, Ohio. which point they reach early
tomorrow morning. That city is distant
80 miles from Columbus and 12O miles
from Dayton, either of which places may
be reached by the party tomorrow after
noon IL the lines of communication are
open.
Besides Secretary Garrison and Mai
Gen. Leonard Wood, the party will con-
sist Of Quartermaster General Aleshire,
Frank r. Mccoy, general staff, and Mai
Thomas l.. Rhoades Of the medical de-
partment who Is the Presidents military
aid and medical adviser. Capt Edward
T. Hartmann, Quartermaster CORPS will
be in charge OF the train and transporta-
ton arrangements. Two stenographers
and a messenger OF, the War Department
will also be of the party.
Bureau of Mines Car.
The Interior Department has put at the
disposal of the War Department the fully
equipped first-aid car owned by the
bureau of mines and used to meet mine
disasters. These cars have been ordered
fully provisioned and manned and are
held in readiness to be sent into the
| flooded district upon orders.
At present the cars are at Kingston.
Pa: Evansville, Ind; Pittsburg, Kan.
Bruceton, Pa, and Stearns. KY, five in
all.
Through the big naval wireless towers
at Arlington, Gen. Scriven. chief signal
officer has been today trying to get into
radio communication with some of the
privately owned and operated wireless
outfits in the flooded district. So far the
attempt has not been successful, prob
ably for the reason that, even if the
| small individual plants receive the offers
| Of assistance, they have been unable to
reply, because of their weak sending ap-
paratus.
The incident probably will form the ba-
| sis of a recommendation by the War De-
partnlent to Congress for the authorize
| ton of appropriation to defray the cost
OF erecting and maintaining government