The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-27
SCORES DROWNED:
MANY HOMELESS
Impossible Even to Estimate
Destruction Wrought at
Peru, Ind.
TRYING TO RESCUE LIVING
Till They Are Cared For There
Will Be No Time to Think
of Those Lost.
TRYING TO RESCUE LIVING
by Associated Press.l


Peru, Ind, March 2G.-(viu teIenhone
to South BendD Vivid details of the
disastrous flood which visited Peru.
drowning scores OF its inbnbItant.
and rendering homclcss more thun
half Its POPULATION, were obtained late
to-day, when rcscuers succeeded In
propeiiing boats through the inundated
htreets. The facts established were,
Number of Persons drowned eati
mated from nifty up To as high M 100,
IL being Impossible TO learn exactly he
cause many bodtes nrc hidden in houseH
StiIl wholly submerged.
Number of persons homeless, 1880.
Two hundred and twenty live INJURED
or alex survivors rescued and removed
10 temporary hospital at Plymouth,
Indiana.
Property loss. s25o0.0oo.
Only two of the dead Observation-Disclosures
Rose Whittle and Mrs. Elsie Smith.
tenants OF what was known as Wal
nut Row" composed OF twelve frame
cottages, where twelve fam!liss were
drowned
Winter quarters of big circus
menagerie destroyed. about 500 yalu-
able animals being drowned. includ-
Ing lions, bears, camels. elephants.
ponies. monkeys and a rare collection
OF birds
Citizens. finding lawlessness in every
block OF the city above water, organ
lied vigilance committee with or
ders 10 shoot looters
Condition tonight.
Several thousand persons SIN ma
rooned in the courthouse, hospital.
factory buildings and other structures
because the various relief parties sent
from South Btnd and other cities had
| not sufioient boats To carry them TO
the nearest dry land. three miles away:
snow falling heavily and suffering in
tense because Of the lack OF heating
facilities; city In darkness except for
scan, supply OF lanterns. The city
had no electric power and no drink
Ing water supply.
The only communication from Peru
to-day was maintained over feeble
telephone line. Much food. clothing
and blankets already have arrived on
the sc@ne. but more help is needed
The difficulty OF beginning anything
like death list is explained by the
! fact that tho rescue parties devoted
the entire day TO carrying away the
survivors who had climbed to perilous
positions on icy roofs Ten mon who
! hnd remained for two days on top OF
the tank at the water works. became
panic stricken at the sight OF the hrst
rescue ppaI. .hOSt OF THESE men Yell
into the water in attempting 10 jump
into the boat and several OF them were
carried away
How soon. II ever. the names Of all
the dead will be listed or The known.
was given little thought by the res
cuers to- might.
our energies arc being devoted en-
tirely to saving those stu living
said Iicutenant-G O'Neill III
is impossible for us even 10 try To
learn the whereabouts OF tho bodies
just now
II was said that many OF those
taken TO the hospital at Plymouth had
become sick through drinking muddy
water. To prevent this by supplying
fresh water was one OF the problems
confronting the rescuers.
One OF the rescue party. who made
the trip In the first boat that entered
the city. said: I'VE learned from the
survivors that the food rushed IN
upon the city about 10 o'clock Mon
day night The river roee six fee, in
three hours. Warning had beer given
some Of the residents. hut many fail
ed to heed IT.
THE cry. to be saved from those
who saw the first boat was heart
rending. Some OF them threatened
TO jump into the water II we did not
take them aboard. But II was i'm
possible with the scant boat supply
TO take all away at once