The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-03-29
CONF AGRATloN SWEEP.
ING THROUGH HALF.SUe-
MERGED BUSINESS DIS
TRICT VIEWED.
HUNGER AND FRIGHT
RAMPANT EVERYWHERE
Indiana in Grip Of High Waters; No
Relief Seen--Number of Deaths
Unknown and No Attempt
to Guess at Property
Loss-cadets Aid.

fierce fire which has been sweeping
the 'half-submerged business district
of Dayton, had destroyed the Beckel
house, where there were supposed to
be more than 200 flood refugees, was
the consensus Of opinion of scores OF
watchers atop the National Cash
Register building nearly two miles
from the scene of the flames. Many
were stationed on other house tops.
Fire Seems to Abate.
Soon after midnight, however, II
appeared the flames were wavering.
While many persons conversant with
the district, and who watched from q
distance, did not agree upon the pos.
sibility that the Beckel house had
succumbed to the fire, yet all watch.
ers expressed fear that many Of the
marooned had persisted in the flames
that appeared to have worked from
east to west, a distance Of nearly two
blocks.
Fire Gets New Start.
At midnight residents of Dayton,
watching the course of the flame.
from across the wide stretch of flood
waters, beneved the fire got it's new
start in the store of the Patterson
Tool and Supply company on Third
street, just east Of Jefferson, whence
it ate its way west, apparently aided
by escaping gas and exploding chemi.
Gals in two wholesale drug establish.
ments.
Investigation of the fire at close
range was an utter impossibility
More than mile of flood water in.
tervened between the point where
staunchest boats dared to venture and
the area of the flames. Traced by aid
of maps. it appeared that the Beckel
house was destroyed. Whether the
scores Of refugees supposed to have
been there, tried to escape was only
matter Of conjecture.
Another Dam May Break.
A telephone operator at Lineman.
Ohio, said that the Lewistown reser.
voir would not hold. Lineman is IL
miles from Lewistown. 1t is the near.
est point in wire communication
thereto. Lewistown is 70 miles north
of here. It is said that if the dam
breaks a worse flood than already had
come, will result.
Flames Add Terror.
The flames cast red, weird glow
over the flood-stricken city that added
to the fears of thousands of refugees
and marooned persons; and led to ap.
prehension that there may have been
many of the waters prisoners in
burned buildings.
Notice has been posted in the head.
quarters of the emergency committee
announcing that the city Is under
martial law" and several companies
Of soldiers have arrived from neigh.
boring Ohio cities. The soldiers were
employed to patrol the edges of the
burned district and prevent further
looting of homes which have been
freed from the floods grasp.
Rescuers Work FranticaIiy.
The rescue squads worked frantical.
ly to throw back the veil that hides
the true story of the Dayton disaster
the number of dead.
The arrival of motorboats gave
hope that the northern section of the
city may shortly be penetrated, and
then may be learned the fate of hun.
dreds imprisoned by the torrent that
poured down from the broken reser.
voir.
Cold Rain Falls.
Already overburdened victims OF
the waters were compelled to suffer
again In cold smarting rain. Fire
destroyed the block bounded by Sec.
ond and Third streets and Jefferson
and st. Clair streets. In the block
we're the Fourth National Bank, Latti
man Drug company and several com
nilsson houses.
1t was impossible to ascertain even
approximately the number of persons
who might have been marooned in this
section, and who died after being
trapped by food and fire.
5000 Are Rescued.
Nevertheless, rescue work went
steadily on and about 5000 persons
were housed in places of refuge-the
majority of them In buildings of the