Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-04
Harry 1. Laws Writes That
Supplies to Clean City Are
Most in Demand.
GRAPHICALLY DESCRIBES
EFFECTS OF THE FLOOD
Stores Covered by Foot of Mud.
Money in Bank Vaults Rendered
Useless by Water.

graphic word picture of the condi-
tons in Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio.
during and especially just after the flood
is contained in a letter dated April sent
to Rev. 8. 8. Laws Of this city by his
nephew. Harry L. Laws, a merchant of
Cincinnati. While declaring that some
of the first reports Of the flood were ex-
aggerated, he explains that in many in
stances the water rose SO rapidly that
many people were marooned in their
houses and the current in Dayton was
SO swift that it was impossible to pene-
trate the heart Of the city. Many, caught
like rate in the second stories Of their
homes, were unable to get food, he said;
stores were covered with mud from six
inches to foot and a half deep, and
freight, cars. automobiles and dead
horses were strewn about the city.
! The water even got into the vaults Of
the banks and tho money became so
water-soaked that 1t was practically i'm
possible to use 1t.
What is needed now, he declared, are
shovels. wheefharrows, mops and other
supplies with which to clean up the city.
First Reports Exaggerated.
| Mr.. Laws letter says. in part
Some Of the first reports that were
sent out were exaggerated. The water
in the algonquin Hotel did not reach
the third story. as reported, but as mat
ter Of fact was only eight or nine feet
on the first floor. and the first floor is
about four feet above the street, SO that
the people in the Algonquin Hotel were
very comfortable, as the kitchen and din
ing rooms We're located on the second
| floor.
| THE water rose SO rapidly that the
people were marooned in their houses
and there was no way Of getting out
The current was 50 swift through Dayton
heart of the city. and, as a result, people
were driven upstairs in their houses with
no way OF getting out and no means Of
getting food supplies, and many of them
had to starve for two or three days"
He tells Of two women living within
two blocks Of the Algonquin Hotel who
were marooned In the second story of
their house and the water just two feet
eat or drink for fifty hours except whisky
and cough drops. They were located
Thursday night and the following day
were removed through the roof Of the
house. according to the letter.
Stores Covered With Mud.
Sunday he said he walked all through
the heart Of Dayton and 1t was a remark
able sight to see The leading dry goods
stores. department stores, banks. jewelrv
stores, boot and shoe stores-in fact,
every kind Of store was under water. They
had been caught SO quickly that the mer-
cnandise was flooded, glass fronts were
wiped out and mud from six inches to a
Ioot and half deep in their places of
business Many of the streets were torn
up. some places the curbstones and
cement sidewalks undermined: street cars
caught In the Streets some of them
twisted and badly damaged.
Il saw freight cars where the box car
was thrown over into the street and the
trucks were separated from the car and
lying In the street
Il presume that I saw 100 automobiles
scattered around the streets, all kinds
and all OF them badly damaged
Dur1ng the two hours that was in
the heart Of the city saw six or eight
automobile trucks loaded with three or
making rapid progress trying to clean I'm
the debris out OF the streets, so as to
make same passable.
Banks Were All Flooded.
The banks were all flooded, and the
water rose so rapidly that it penetrated
safety deposit vaults in all of the hanks
except those with screw doors, and "a a
result hundreds of thousands of money
have been soaked so that it Is not in a
condition to circulate. and the city of
Cincinnati has sent probably a. million
to million and q half of currency to
Dayton today. The First National Bank
sent over 5000 pounds of silver alone.
which was wanted in the flooded district.
where the people were wet and could not
carry paper money in their pockets. as
1t was liable to become DESTROYED The
government Is assisting in getting cur
rency that has been water soaked re-
deemed, SO that they will have some to
circulate. The people now want money
to circulate, as all the stores have been
wiped out and the people have no money
to spend. and they have been fed by
charity, but, Of course this will change
In short time and conditions will get
down to a working basis. ~
Mn the city OF Cincinnati the disaster
Is not In proportion to that which it was
In. Dayton, because our flooded district
Is In the lower portion OF the city, which
Is more or less susceptible to floods
while in Dayton the people never expect
ed to have flood and were not prepared
they were simply dazed and did not
know what to do; in fact. there was
nothing that they could do but to protect
themselves as best they could until the
danger had passed.
II presume that it will be eight or ten
days before the water in Cincinnati will
be within its banks