Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1913-03-27

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othinp less than a seething river three
,;les wide, a mile and half on each
ide of Main street, its principal tho
Fouehfare, while it is estimated that
rom 5000 to 5000 people have perished.
The Algonquin hotel is submerged in
Kater up to its third story and above
b;s level in the downtown district
bffice buildings and business houses are
places of refuge.
A school building that was known to
have housed not less than 400 pupils
kborlty before the water rushed in that
direction, is entirely submerged and as
lar as can be ascertained, all those little
bnes met a watery grave.
The flooded district comprises cir
cle with radius of mile and a half
Ind nowhere is water less than six feet
deep. In Main street in the downtown
bection the water is 20 feet deep.
The horror is heightened by more
lUdu u uOZcu lIiCS VhiSh DC SCSH
in the looded district, but out of the
reach of fire fighters.
Most of the business houses and
nearly all the residences have occup.
ants. Down town the offices are filled
with men unable to get home and on the
upper floors and on some of the roofs
of residences are helpless women and
children. Hundreds Of houses, substan-
| tal buildings in the residence district,
many of them with helpless occupants,
have been washed away.
The st. Elizabeth s hospital with 900
patients, was reported to have been
washed away. The building was known
| to be in many feet of water and indica-
tions are that the report nave prove
| true.
The electric light plants were put
out of business early in the day and
total darkness, coupled with a torrent
ial downpOur added to the horrors of
the night.
Famine also became an immediate
possibility.
All the supply and grocery houses
are in the submerged district and at
midnight it was said there was not
enough bread to last the survivors an,
other day.
John H. Patterson, president of the
National Cash Register company who
headed the relief work in the south end
of the city, sent out an appeal fol
food supplies and for doctors and me
dicine. Tonight 5000 homeless were
housed in the Cash Register offices.
The breaking of the carlton reser
yoir, which supplies the drinking water
left the city without water and phys
clans declare there was great danger
Of typhoid in the use of the flood water
There are no boats in Dayton thai
can breast the current, and those OF
the outside early gave up any attempts
to reach the business section.
How many houses have been swep
away and how many occupants wer'
carried to their death cannot be learne,
until the water recede.
At Wyoming street on the south side
where the National Cash Register com
pany centered it's efforts at rescue
many saved their lives by creeping ol
telephone cable 100 feet above tn
flood. At first linemen crept alon,
the cable carrying two ropes to whicl
the flat bottomed boats were attached
When the flood became so strong tina
the boats no longer were able to max
way against it, men and women crep
along the cables to safety. Others, les
daring, saw darkness fall and gave u
hope of rescue.
Those willing to risk their lives il
the attempt to rescue found themselve
helpless in face of the water.
Seventy thousand of Dayton IS popu
ation, it is reported. are homeless,
The National Cash Register plant
On high hill, offers the only heaven i
the south end. Three women becam
mothers in its offices tonight.
Main street near Apple street, wa
one OF the concentration points. !
the woodworking department of tn
National Cash Register company boat
were being turned out at the rate of l
an hour and these were rushed to wher
Inc water had crossed Main street in
gully. But the water crept up and th
strength of the current was far to
strong for the crude punts, though the
were the best that could be made in
hurry.
Trip after trip was made and huns
reds of the refugees were taken fro
'nls stretch of houses. Then came I'll
pain OF flames, starting at Vine an