The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-27
Victims In Indiana.

INDIANAPOLIS, March 26.-The
Information obtainable up to IL F.
M. here tonight. Is that upwards Of
one thousand persons have persisted
in the foods that have submerged In
diana cities in the White, Wabash,
White Water. Miami and Ohio river
valleys Nobody can approximate the
property damage, but millions of dol
lars will be required to repair the
losses caused by storm and food
Owing To the wrecking of telegraph
and telephone lines. and the inability
Of the companies to handle press dis
patches on the few wires that are
needed for government and personal
messages, 1t is difficult to collect au-
thentic details from the food district
However. il seems certain that the
number of dead in Peru is all of three
hundred. that two hundred have been
drowned or died from exposure in the
outskirts Of this city, and that in
Brookville, Franklin county. fifty lost
their lives. 1t is believed that when
the fun details of the loss of life in
the cities and towns that suffered
most are received that the number of
dead will reach one thousand.
Conditions in Peru.
Undoubtedly the worst conditions
are in Peru. where the Wabash river.
swollen by phenomenal rains, burst
its banks and swept through the
city. At least five thousand people
there are homeless, and in the utmost
need of help. but IT has been almost
impossible to get supplies to Peru
by rail. Attempts are being made
Wayne. South Bend, and Indianapolis
to reach Peru with much-needed food
and medical supplies, but few trains
are running. Officials of the Wabash
railroad. notified the State authorities
that their tracks were under water,
and that they could not run trains
to the distressed city. The Lake Erie
and Western is also submerged near
Peru.
Governor Ralston is interchangeable in
attempts to relieve conditions. He has
been in communication with the
mayor of Fort Wayne. and the mayor
of South Bend. The governor has ask
ed for contributions. and liberal re-
sponses are being made. The problem
appears to be how to reach the ma
rooned people in Peru. South Bend re-
phone that the only means of getting
help TO the citizens was by motor
boats or skilfs.
Mayor Flood Prisoner.
Mayor KrutZer, OF the city. is pris-
oner of the flood. Confined to his
home with ten feet OF water under
him, he mas been using the phone
vigorously in describing conditions
and appealing for help. From the
mayor calls to South Bend, and from
other reports received here the news
was obtained that hundreds of peo-
pie were ciiHging tonight to the roofs
OF buildings or were precariously hold
ing out in the upper stories Of their
houses. Bodies were floating in the
streets Buildings have collapsed
The city is without lights and drink
ing water Only four blocks of the
whole city are not submerged, and
this district is damned with refugees
who have no food.
A telephone operator stuck to his
switchboard this morning and 'phoned
such news as he had. He told South
Bend that Tuesday night was a night
of terror; that hundreds huddled on
rooftops in the cold all night, not
daring to move.
Indianapolis Conditions
In indianapolis conditions are the
worst ever known from food. The
White river, ordinarily a shallow un-
navtgahle stream at this point, left
its banks. cut West indianapolis from
the main city, swept through half
a dozen small towns and villages, and
left ten thousand people destitute.
The bridge over the White river in
West Washington street was torn
from its abutments this morning. The
Morris street levee gave way. There
was a rush of waters that caused the
death of perhaps two hundred, Most
of those who were drowned lived in
one-story houses. They had relied on
the protection OF the levee When
the cave-in occurred they were over
ferried over TO West Indianapolis. and
great quantities of provisions have
been sent there by order of the
mayor. All along Fall creek and
other tributaries of the White river
are bad.