Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-27

| river rose feet IN three hours. W arm
ing had been given some of the resi-
dents. but many failed to heed it
THE cry to be saved from those
who saw the first boat was heaftrend-
ing. Some of them threatened to jump
into the water if we did not take
them aboard But il was impossible
with the scant boat supply to take all
away at once
! Peri md. March 26.-GNia telephone
to South Bend, by a staff corresponds
| enb Estimates of the number oil
peop,e drowned in the flood IN Peru
made. Up to o'clock this morning va
ricd from % to 100. 1t was Impossible
70 make anything like an accurate
estimate. Mayor Krutzer, who Is ma
roon.d in his home. received tele-
eAene report that the number proba-
bly would not exceed 80 or 60.
pennle isolated in downtown build
ings and in portions of the residence
sections who saw bodies floating
through the streets. stated that thus
estimate was conservative and that
Tho list of fatalities may reach 100.
several small relief boats attempted
"a venture into the city but were
s,rred back on account of the current
Nany people were seen still clinging to
hofs and several groups stood upon
l.irft pIaces attempting to signal lor
help.
s rhe daylight showed how great was
the devastation wrought since Ias'
night. when the Wabash river burst It's
banks. Houses half submerged Were
drift,nr away, other buildings appear
cd topuling over, bodies were iloatlila
with the debris in the streets ana oi'iS
a spirc Indicated the location oil
Church. -.
All the city officials were too BUSY
with relief work to answer ihqu'' ~
far information, which came III li"iii
al airections over the few teiepiloh,
wires in operation. The Chief source u
iisfofmation was telephone opera '''
Il, downtown building, VINO SUI
roundedsby water, had stuck I" mo ios,
..,i,l..,nfs Food or drinking water Tor q
,iaurs. -. ,,b5
Death faced hundreds OF persons " ~
nj dawn. today, were cllnGirE 10 -,
roofs OF buildings, where they so,'+1'.
,af,,.,a from, The flood, which, last lilsil'
sr.,.nt 4, from the overlloWn BANKS VI
no Wabash river, drowning Wl'iii" :
few minutes probably 60 persons A.
~ nrasnect at daylight was us,
,.nrrents of muddy water
s,.,,,,, 70 "a % feet deep are l'V'i'S
4. ,'s,,..,, M main streets at ~ ihlies a.
me water however, was thei
800 - he roceding slightly
Among those marooneo Ne ,i,5 .' n !,
r,.,, I l<rutzer. He was SICK o. -.
1900 and was unable to escape pei0'
~ ,vater surrounded his hon1e 70 :
Wy d.,,th. He delegated the functions
a. a.. mayor to Thomas kreuger su
.,'.,;nten,ient of lighting plant
. Lraod and clothing for 5000 persons
.ant from nearby towns, during III
night. had arrived to points within wv
!, III three miles of the downtown dls
tr,cf. but at daylight the water was run
ming between the business houses to
swiftly to admit of navigation by ordi
nary rowboats. Three motor boats ma
been brought from Winona lake % mile
away. and with these boats II wa
thought that not only food ana waite
might be soon taken into the CITY,. pu
also that the survivors might be res
cued.
No one was able to estimate the mum
her of drowned but the city oliiciai
agreed that the fatalities would not
less than 60.
All night long, while the city was
darkness. men, women and children
ana IN some instances families, lay fla
where they had crawled to the TOOLS
! their homes, waiting for daylight
! bring relief. .o.aa
| Aundreds of others We're jammed
ma court house and lodge building