Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-03-29

rush of the waters are being fed on
short rations.
Three traiuIoads of foOdstuifs have
arrived from Nenia, but as yet there
has been no chance to deliver them.
and suffering from hunger as well as
exposure is bound TO occur Tn" ram
continues and the waters are still ris-
ing.
The union railroad bridge. that ad-
mits all except one of the railroads
i'm the city. was dynamited, but the
effect was not felt to any marked de-
gree.
Making Boats for Rescuing.
In the woodworking department OF
the National Cash Register Company
boats were being turned out at the
rate of ten an hour. and these were
rushed to where the waters had cross
ed Main street in a sort of guley.
But the waters crept up and the
strength of the current was far 700
strong for the crude punts, though
they we're the best that could be made
in a hurry. Trip after trip was made,
and hundreds of the refugees were
taken from this stretch of houses and
the houses on the other side. Then
came the path of the flames. starting
at Vine and Main streets. II jumped
Main street. and the houses on the
other side were soon aflame.
In the middle of the street were
few frame houses that had been wash
ed from their foundations. These
were swirled about for a time, and,
as thought to aid in the passing Of
the section by fire, they were cast
into the path OF the flames.
Persons hurried from their Uof
tops. where they had been driven by
the .flood. to the roof tops of adjoin-
ing houses.
Then the sun went down. leaving a
desoiate light from the fire.
Slides on Telegraph Wires.
The first to seek safety by sliding
his body along the telegraph conduits
was a man. Then came four women.
The first of the women was Mrs.
Luella Meyers. She is a widow with
one son. A boy in knee breeches got
out on the wire and with the agility
of a cat was soon across. But the
widow Meyers was not so young as
the boy and possibly more aware to
the danger below. When she was over
the boiling torrent beneath she sway.
ed as though in faint and the crowd
stood by without breath. BY a lucky
chance her senses came back to her in
time that she could grasp one of the
wires.
Hand-over-hand she was able slow
" to pull herself to the nearest pole
where she rested her aching arms be
fore again making the trial. This
time she did not falter, but when she
was picked up by the rescuers at the
farthest pole toward safety she was
limp from exhaustion.
One man carried his baby to safet!
in a FELLOWSHIP and the youngster cele
brated his arrival to safe ground b!
a lusty yell.
The worst OF the flooded district in
cludes all OF North and West Dayton
all of the downtown section, the soutl
side as far as lakewood and all of tn
residence suburb of Glendale. TIL
district has a normal population O
more than $4,000.
Rescuers and those at the hospital
said an estimate OF 5000 dead nigh
be as accurate as an estimate of lot
While those marooned in the OF
fees and hotels are in no immediat
danger of drowning. there is no wa
for food or drinking water to reac
them until the water recedes.
Those in the residences are in car
, of constant danger both by flood an
fire. First the Trailer building
swept into the stream, many shown
faces of women and children perrin
from the windows. These were 70
lowed by more substantial brick buil'
ings until il became evident that n
house in the flood zone was safe. Til
houses as a rule lasted but fe
, blocks before disintegrating.
The body OF one gray-haired woma
floated down the stream only a fe
feet from the watchers at South Par
|. street, caught on guard rope, bl
swept on down the street.
Flood Came When levee Broke.
The flood came early Tuesda
morning The main levee of the Ri
Miami broke at Webster street ;
z about S o'clock. An hour later ii
$ water was through in a dozen place
e and wall OF water ten feet dee
l. swept through the main street ju
n above the juncture of the Big Miar
and the Mad rivers and where Il
d water Of Saltwater river poured in
Il the Miami, the flood reached
5. height and rolled into the busine
IS section, wall twenty feet high.
The Dayton News is under TWEEN
n feet of water, the flood rising to q
a. second floor of the Algonquin hot
e and all along Main street occupan
is We're driven 70 the third floors. VIII
has happened TO them since no one
the outside can tell.
House footing began early in t
III night and while the local militia a
n on duty. they are wholly incapable
ly handling the situation.
he Swept to Death Before Watchers
IS. Incidents without number are nj
rated of persons in the flooded
trict waving handkerchiefs and 9th