Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-03-27

| MARCH IL, 191S-LOWer MISSISSIPPI
was old and was thought to be in M
condition to withstand the pressure
Of the raging torrents.
Cloudy skies and a cold drizzlins
rain addel to the dismal aspect of the
city this morning. The temperature
fell steadily all night and when day
| light came the thermometer showed
that it was only three degrees above
| freezing. This condition, however,
was welcomed because a hard freeze
will aid materially in holding back
the innumerable tributaries Of the
flooded streams and will assist the
earth in retaining the moisture that
has been soaked into it steadily for
tie last five days.
Food, food, food, and all we can
get of it," was the appeal that reach.
ed here today from the portion of
Dayton north Of the rivers. The plea
came from a relief committee which
started out in boats and met an en-
ploye Of the American Telegraph and
Telephone Co., who with the post
master Of this village attempted to
drive to Dayton with a horse and
buggy. The telephone man i'm
mediately- cut in" on the line and
transmitted the appeal.
At Least 500 Are Dead.
At least 500 are known to have lost
their lives in the district north of the
river Residents of that section had
no word from the south side, which Is
thickly populated and contains the
business district Of the town.
The relief committee pressed less
than two miles from Dayton when they
met the. telephone employe. They told
i'm that any and all kinds Of provis-
ions were needed and could be dis
tributed, but the relief must come soon
if indescribable suffering is to be
avoided.
Peace officers of Dayton are swear
ing in all available men as deputies,
provisions and charg-
ing the expense to the state of Ohio.
The available supplies are SO slender,
however, that one thousand persons
on the north side of the river are al
ready destitute.
Attempts by the relief committee to
get in communication with the ad-
iytant general at Columbus were fu-
tile for a while because the lineman's
test set, which the telephone employe
in question was using, was not power
full enough. The nearest regular
telephone was nearly mile north OF
the point where the two parties met
Leon Smith, one of the relief COM
mittee in North Dayton, is to be sworn
in as a deputy justice of the peace,
with power to enlist other deputies to
preserve order, guard against crimes
and relieve distress.
What we need most" said Mr..
Smith over the telephone, sis food for
The living and assistance in recovering
and burying the dead before an cpl
1emic sets in
Reports 1000 Lost Lives.
Wolf Creek, O., March 26.-Accord-
ng to reports that have reached Wolf
Creek, which is two miles west Of
Dayton, at least one thousand persons
lost their lives in the Dayton flood.
Most of the victims were residents of
North Dayton, who were caught like
rats in a trap and had no warning. To-
day the cityis under fifteen feet of wa
ter and although the flood is receding,
the rain is beginning again and the
chances are that the flood will remain
at the present level until the rain
ceases.
Some damage has been done by fire,
to reports that have reached
The Western Union here but all con-
hagrations are believed to have been
brought under control. The Dayton
fire department worked from boats
and dynamited the upper stories of
several buildings in successful efforts
to halt the flames.
Homeless Cared For.
There are hundreds of homeless per-
sons in the city but most Of them are
being cared for by citizens whose
homes were above the water level.
Excepting railroad bridge or two all
such structures leading into the city
have been washed away.
The water extends from River street
On the north, S ummit street on the
west and High street on the east down
past the southern borders Of the city.
This covers the main part of the town
and the most thickly populated Sec
ton. Reports received here had it
that woman has been marooned on
top of a moving van in the middle Of
Broadway since 10 o'clock yesterday
Among the concerns reported des-
troyed by fire is the Rike-Kumler dry
goods store. s. .ea ...-sa.. -. II.
Falling at Hamilton.