The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1913-04-02
WILD EYED REPORTS
ARE SCANDALOUS
Vcen.,nsed rrom PAss L,

possible for these kilograms to get in
or for any of the thousands of persons
who started for Indiana to penetrate
the flood zone. This. of course, added
to the confusion and alarm.
Nice Little Munchausen.
One newspaper reporter sent a story
to his papers over the country that he
himself had taken twenty-five dead
bodies out OF the water In this city and
that hundreds more had been seen
floating away. This was a lie of the
worst kind. The total death toll In In
ldianapolis thus far not counting
rumors. but relying on actual known
conditions. is one death. A boy is
known to have geen drowned last Tues
day night. That Ia all that Is known
| to be dead
Why anyone should send out such
reports is past ell human understand
ing. 1t was the work of the irrespon-
sible and unreliable element in the
newspaper business and not OF the re-
liable kind.
| 1t was Impossible for several days to
get any accurate Information In this
city from Fort Wayne. Peru, Logan
sport, Brookville Kokomo. Lafayette
and the other flood swept cities, and In
the meantime all kinds of rumors crept
in. One had 500 dead at Peru. Another
report said 40 were dead a. Brookville.
Lafayette came to bat with a heavy
death loss. according to rumor. Logan
sport had suffered terribly and many
people were killed according to an
other report. And so 1t went. But
when tho truth actually came through
LIT was found that the total death toll
In the entire state would fall far short
of 100. The property loss has not yet
| been estimated. One report about Peru
was so alarming that the Governor ord
cred a hundred coffins sent there al
once. They were not needed.
All state business at the state house
has given way during the last week tc
flood relief work Governor Ralstor
was implored to declare martial law ir
indianapolis. Peru. Logansport and
some other places, and for time he
Thought he would do so. In fact he
had a proclamation written one day de-
lclaring martial law In Indianapolis ir
lorder to prevent threatened wholesale
Ilooting of food damaged and deserted
homes, but he found that the loca
authorities were fully able to handle
the situation and the proclamation wa.
not issued. Offers of aid from all owe
the country have come to the Governor
minnesota, Missouri. California, Illinois
Wisconsin and other states. through
their Governor, have offered flnancia
and other assistance. Minnesota offer
ed to ship thousand military tents t.
. help shelter the homeless.
Many cities raised big relief fund
and notined the Governor that the.
were at his disposal. But It was de
cided that Indiana was able largely t,
take care of itself. and little of thi
outside help. so generously offered, ha
been called for. Carload after carloa,
of food and provisions have been ship
ped into Indiana from surrounding
states and cities. This has been dis
tributed among the various flood strick
en- places for Immediate relief of tn
distress caused by the floods. and muc
more of this kind OF relief Is said to b
on the way.
II indianapolis already has raised NOR
than $50, 900 for the relief of flood stuff
erers, and the fund VIII go above 500,
| 900 in the next two three days. TIL
Indianapolis News already has raise
more than $4,000 of this sum.
ID Several thousand dollars also Ia
been received by the Governor for us
throughout the state. and this is afford
! ing much relief. The fact is that In
= diana came nobiy to the relief of 1T
own people. man from Vermont
Xl