The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-03-31
Captured as Looters and Sol
Diers Censured For Not
Shooting Them Down as
Their Orders Read.
EPIDEMIC MENACE
MUCH FEARED NOW
A Palladium Correspondent,
First Reporter Into North
Dayton, Tells of Some of
Sights He Saw.
BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT.

DAYTON. March 3I-Four men. two
whites and two negroes. were arrest
ed for looting in Second street today.
They will be tried by court martial
and may be ordered shot The sol
diers who made the arrests were rep
rimanded fer not literally executing
their orders to kill looters on sight.
Efforts to restore public utilities
were being pushed by great forces of
men today. Since the flood there has
been no means of communication
about the city except by automobile.
Three thousand horses were drowned.
The health Office forces are remov-
ing dead animals of all kinds by the
thousands. Two wagonloads of dead
cats and dogs were removed from the
wreckage of Main street today.
The situation in Dayton. as regards
the amount of water in the stricken
city, is very much improved today for
the water is steadily receding, so that
North Dayton may be explored now.
The Palladium's staff correspondent
made trip through practically all
of north Dayton Saturday night at
midnight and was the frst newspaper
man in that locality He found con-
htions there much the same as pre-
vail over every other section of the
city-wreck. ruin, slime and pesti-
lence breeding. The sewers of the
central part OF the city are now work
ing and carrying OF rivers of water.
1t is impossible now, and probably
will be for weeks. to estimate the
exact number of dead. There are
many bodies covered with mud and
wreckage in the river bottom which
viii probably never be recovered. In
one drift along the river thirty-eight
bodies were recovered Saturday.
In some places the river has chang
ed its course. and the old channel is
one seething mass of mud and wreck
age. Many bodies may be piled i'm
wind rows under the surface of this
refuse. II is said in Dayton that
bodies have been washed for miles
down the river. and some people in
Hamilton believe that many OF the
dead found there may be
from Dayton
Estimates of the death list being be-
low two hundred are much too low.
Any reports placing the total list OF
deaths at a definite figure should not
be taken as accurate.
Hundreds of places where bodies are
known to be have not been explored
yet.
The food situation is well in hand
in Dayton now. Every conceivable,
kind of provisions are coming in by
the car load. but the relief work must
for many days.
The great danger in stricken Gem
City now is an epidemic The inhabi-
tants returning to their homes are
cleaning away the wreckage as best
they can, but the menace of the hun
dreds of tons of yellow mud. laden
with germs, read for the hot sun TO
touch and transform nto a peril worse
han the rushing waters, confronis the
homeless thousands.
The scenes in the north end of the
city are absolutely beyond the power
'f human mind to comprehend II not
,ehold. For miles and miles a special
ar drove through mud wallows. some
lines the thick, evil smelling muck
-eaching almost into the engine.
Barriers OF water with two feet OF
mud at the bottom. treacherous. bro
Ten manholes. and deep washouts i'm
he strets, hidden by the thick brown
mud and water were a great hindrance
o the relief workers and TO the resi-
ients who are escaping into West DAY.
on. Decaying carcasses of animals OF
very conceivable species. and many
ead bodies were everywhere.
Old broken down men. women and
title children. worked in the mud car.
wing out their few household valus-
les. with bed clothing strapped to
heir backs
Looks of hopeless despair were on
very face. Stations over the city es-
ablished for the benefit of the hun
ry. and where basket loads of provis-
ons are being given out. were crowd
d with the hundreds of homeless and
ungry. Guards kept order in the lines.
Lootng is going on in wholesale
lyle all over the city except in the
lain business section OF the city which
J well guarded.
Hundreds of civilians have been
worn in. given police power and arm
and are rendering much assistance
! stopping the depredations OF the hu-
ian vultures. Armed with almost any