Imperial Valley press., 1913-03-27

COLUMBUS, March 27.-Conditions in
Ohio and Indiana are the worst since
the inception of the floods Rain fell
throughout both states until midnight,
The intense cold is causing awful suf-
fering among the homeless. Reports
from GAINESVILLE are of bitter cold.
Governor Cox today put Highway
Commissioner Marker in charge of the
office of State Public Works Superin-
tendent John Miller, because Miller
went to bed while the governor was
fighting to save the Lewiston reservoir.
At noon Marker communicated that
Lewiston and Grand reservoir dams
are both still intact after terrific
fight.
! A wire from McConnellsville says
Malta. a town with population of 400,
| has been destroyed. The fatalities are
unknown.
at noon from the governors secretary,
Burba, who wired: "A thousand have
been rescued along the Pennsylvania
railroads. right of way. The first train
load Of supplies should arrive soon
Other trains with lifesavers are fol-
lowing closely. Four hundred soldiers
of the Eighth regiment have arrived" +"
The governor has declared ten
day legal holiday in the flood districts
to aid persons who must meet notes,
mort cages, etc.
Frantic telephone messages ot noon
from st. Mary's and other points said
the Grand reservoir had broken. This
proved premature. probably originat-
ing from the action Of the guards in
allowing a quantity of water to eS-
cape when the east walls were en-
dangered. The pressure has been re
lieved and the dam will hold for the
present
WASHINGTON, March 27-The pres
ident has asked Secretary of War Gar
rison to go to Ohio personally to survey
conditions. He will start with the army
chief of staff, Gen. Leonard Wood this
q c
conditions improve imm ediately, Presi-
dent Wilson will himself go.
CHICAGO March 27.-While the at
tention of the world is especially fixed
on three or four points where the suf
fering from the floods is m ost intense
the influence of the horror is reaching
out to affect an immense territory
This is illustrated by the fact thai
this city stalled by the floods and
waiting to get through to the east.
There is but one wire working out
/ Of Chicago this morning, and all tele-
graph service is congested, with thou
sands of messages piled up on the
files waiting to get through.
It is believed the news service covera
the points where the greatest sufferins e
is being experienced, and yet the fact
remains that there are still scores OF
towns from which no word has come
and one can only conjecture what is
taking place in them
Hundreds of thousands of men ara
at work trying to bring order out oi
the chaos that exists and to get relief
through to stricken communities, but
this has been rendered only the more
difficult by the intense cold which ha:
succeeded the terrible downpour of wa
ter.
IN one respect the turn in tempera
ture is working good. While it is
bringing added suffering, it is turning
the water in tens of thousands of rivu-
lets to ice and is thus checking the
rush OF water to the big courses
In many localities there are losses
that under ordinary conditions Would
be chronicled in the dispatches, but
which are lost sight CT in the more
terrible news from the few centers OF
disaster and it will be days before a
summary of the situation is possible
and any estimate of the total destruc-
ton Of life and property can be made
DAYTON
/ DAYTON, March 27-iDirect from
the Cityl-Charles H. Van Horn, a res
cuer who penetrated into North Day-
ton in a boat further than any other
declares the spectacle is CHASTITY Twen-
ty-five hundred at least are dead there
alone. Women's shrieks for help are
coming from hundreds of buildings i
is impossible to reach. The greater
part of the business section of Dayton
is burning this m orning. A blizzard
is sweeping the flames where thou
/ SanOS OF persons are penneQ by the
flood staggering holocaust is i'm
pending and the odds are against the
imprisoned populace.
Van Horn dictated his experiences
to the United Press, as follows:
Il hope my eyes will never be pun
ished again by such sights as was
inflicted on them last night The aw-
full happenings cannot be exaggerated.
We went to Third and st. Clair streets
and the boat was struck twice by
Whirling human bodies. / reached out
once and touched woman's head
and the other time I saw mans
bearded face.
We went as near as the fire per-
mitted to many buildings where wo-
men were shrieking for help. All Day
ton will burn unless the fires are soon
eXtinguished.
/ At Adams wholesale house we res