Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-04-04
OHIO RIVER IS ON
RAMPAGE. RELIEF
WORKERS At HAND
Waters Receding in Ohio and Indi-
ana Cities-Federal Officers
Handle Situation.
LOSS IS ABOUT $50o,oo0,oOo.
The First Reports Exaggerated
Washington Sends Money,
Fruits and Vegetables.

Fruits and Vegetables.
AS the receding waters in Central
and Western Ohio and Eastern Indi
ana began to offer the residents of this
ill-fated section an opportunity to
reckon the death toll and property loss
exacted by the floods which devastat
ed the area last week, the situation on
the Ohio river, along the southern Dor.
ders of these states, became acute this
week, that river reaching the highest
stage known in history.
Beginning at Parkersburg, w. Va,
where the damage caused by the rising
waters of the Ohio river destroyed
more property than had been known
before, the river went on a rampage,
devastating the low lands on both
banks, submerging the river districts
of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana towns,
and reaching Illinois broke through
several levees, converting Cairo. ILL.,,
into an island and practically destroy.
ing the little town of Shawneetown,
Ill.
All through these districts the mil.
itia are in charge, to prevent looting,
and as In the iood districts Of Central
Ohio, the federal army officers are ex.
erting every effort to cope with the
situation. Brookport, KY, is reported
to be almost entirely under water, Its
residents hanging to the roofs OF
buildings awaiting rescue.
The past week has given stricken
Ohioans an opportunity to check their
losses, and while the calmer study OF
the situation has revealed the fact that
the earliest reports of property and
life loss were considerably exaggerat
ed. the conditions at Columbus, Day.
ton. GAINESVILLE and southwestern
points are the most appalling every
confronted by the state.
1t now looks from the latest reports
from the stricken cities that the esti
mate by Governor Cox of Ohio that the
Ohio property loss would exceed that
occasioned by the San Francisco dis.
aster will prove to have been modest
The best figures obtainable indicate
the state will lose at least $500, ,OOO, ,OOO
from the flood. The railroads are
heavy losers, the Pennsylvania esti
mating it's loss in bridges alone at So,
100000.
In fact, Ohio faces the largest prob
lem Of reconstruction and refinancine
1t has ever met. Public service corpo
rations have been hit hard. Many
counties have sustained staggering
losses and municipalities have their
burdens doubled and quadrupled.
Indicative of the situation, Franklin
county, in which Columbus is located
has lost 46 bridges that will cost a mil
lion dollars to replace. A similar sit
uation exists in every other county
differing only in degree. This does
not include the damage to highways
small culverts and little bridges.
1t is estimated it will require $50,
100000 to restore the bridges claimed
by the food. Cities, villages, town
ships and districts must shoulder that
load.
Municipalities have the burden OF
caring for the unfortunate and the
more extensive problem of rebuilding
with a greatly decreased tax.
The state OF Washington has re
sponded generously to the calls for
help and besides forwarding large do
nations Of money has shipped carload
after carload of apples, potatoes and
other fruits and vegetables into the
devastated districts.
Gen. Leonard Wood, chief of staff OF
the United States army. is in absolute
charge Of the sanitation work in Ohio
and Is confident that the threatened
epidemics will be controlled.
George F. Burba. secretary to Gov
ernor Cox, to elucidate the causes OF
the flood at Layton, has prepared a
chart, using the human hand as an H.
lustration. The fingers, pointing north
represent the streams flowing into the
Miami river, which Is the wrist in his
Illustration. The wrist" was blocked
by dumpings, narrow bridge abut
ments and other impediments and
could not take care of the influx OF
water from the tributaries.