The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1913-04-04
.OH|OANS GOING
BACK TO HOMES
WITH REcEplNG or WATERS AT
DAYTON THE WORK OF RE-
FACILITATING HAS BEGUN.
Greatest Danger Now is From Impure
Water and Sickness Which May
Follow Narrowing Week Of
Flood and Famine.

Dayton, Ohio.-The work OF renabil-
itating has begun here. 1t Is believed
that there is no danger of the terrible
floods OF last week being repeated
The greatest cause for worry for the
future is the lack of pure water Tor
drinking and culinary purposes, and
the fear OF an epidemic of sickness
following the receding of the waters
and the decomposition Of animal mat
ter and refuse.
The undertakers of the city now es-
innate the number OF dead at zoo,
while others place the number as low
as $50.
Dayton's period OF reconstruction
will run into months, according 10
engineers just returned from tne
hood districts. Disposition OF dead
animals and the disinfecting OF thou
sands Of submerged homes Is the
most pressing problem. .
| No attempt at the rebuilding OF the
sewerage system will be made for sew
| eral days. Until this is accomplished
| the menace Of disease will not be en-
| tirely lost sight OF.
Great distress among the survivors
was caused by the separation of fam
| lilies and the consequent dread that
the missing had been drowned.
Since the rescue work began, nearly
100 children of the flood have been
born. The authorities have opened
maternity hospital where the new
mothers with their babies are being
AIRED for.
None of the public buildings were
/ destroyed. Among these are the Day
ton club, Victoria. National and Colo
| NAL theatres city hall, courthouse,
i Beckel, Phillips, Algonquin and Atlas
4 hotels, Masonic temple, postofhce, X,
Nj. G. Al. and all churches.
The fire loss is positively limited to
| the destruction of the Dayton Gas,
Light & Coke company's plant, the
| row of two and three-story buildings
on both sides of Third street from
Jefferson street to St. Clair avenue,
the Troy-Pearl laundry plant and two
apartment houses on the west side,
The Fourth National bank building,
| which was reported several times to
have been destroyed by fire was un-
touched by the flames. although
i building Immediately adjoining It was
burned.
The newspaper offices, the News,
Herald and Journal buildings, are safe,
but are not issuing papers.
Money is of no use in Dayton at
present Every facility is free to
everyone without cost.
Refugees not living in Dayton are
leaving the city by the hundreds on
foot
The city is without means of gem
eral transportation; there is not an
electric light in the place except those
Of the National Cash Register COM
pany There is no adequate water
supply, the sewer system is ruined,
the available fuel supply is limited
and the supply Of natural gas used for
cooking has been shut off since Tues
day.
While approximately $500 persons
/ are being cared for by the relief COM
mittee, there are more than 5000
homeless persons in Dayton who are
caring for themselves as best they
can. None Of the banks are open for
business and, for the most part, the
refugees had little or no money With
them when the food came upon them.
All the grocery stores and food supply
houses have been taken over by the
military and there are no fresh meats,
eggs or milk available at any price.
Members of the United States life
saving crew of Louisville, who nayi
gated along sections OF flooded Day
ton heretofore UNEMPLOYED, returned
Friday at noon, reporting conditions
in North Dayton and Riyerdale quite
as deplorable as the first estimates
indicated as far as the suffering OF the
people was concerned. The tour, how
ever, failed to verify fears that there
had been a tremendous death toll in
that section.
In North Dayton privation among
II he marooned has been severe, but &C
tual suffering. except among children
/, as neglible. Cruising the southern
end of Riverdale. where 1t was feared
there would be found a big dealt
,, list. Captain Gillooly, in charge of tn,
crew, reported conditions parallelini
those in other sections OF the stricken
city, but only two dead bodies wer,
reported to him as having been recov
cred from that district. The floode'
territory in Riverdale. which is a sec
ton of substantial home owners, al
proximately is seventeen blocks lon
and seven blocks wide
l
; 1890. r>.i.... -. - ,-.,.,.