The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-29
Flooded River in Threatening
Condition at Cincinnati.
Sixty Blocks of the City Are
Now Under Water.
TIMELY WARNINGS SENT OUT
People in Flood Area Hav'
Plenty of Time to Escape.
Refugees From Other Sections
Flock to River City.

Cincinnati. Ohio, March 29.-With the
Ohio river covering the entire lower
section of this fty, and refugees from
the stricken upper sections of the state
coming in by hundreds. Cincinnati this
morning faces a situation that will re-
uuire the combined efforts of all of
its relief and civic organizations to cope
with Every hotel in the city is crowded
to its capacity, while every moving v--1.
truck, freight and :eet car has bee
pressed into service removing families
from the flooded area. Tie river
reached the stage of $50 feet at day
break and was rising at the rate of IL
tenths of a foot an hour. More than
sixty city blocks are under waters,
whose depth ranges from between half
a foot to ten feet
Suffering, however, has been at a
minimum, owing to warnings sent out
early that stage of 70 feet would
probably be reached before the waters
began to recede.
The city was practically cut off from
traffic communication with Covington,
KY, early last evening when the ap-
proach to the suspension bridge be-
come covered with water at a depth
that prevents car or foot service.
A raise of another foot will put the
South Covington and Cincinnati street
car lines, which operate all street cars
entering from Kentucky, out of COM
mission owing to the fact that the
power house will become swamped at
this stage. The central bridge leading
into Newport was abandoned early last
evening.
The water reached the second floor of
q large number of business houses
along ront street and was half way up
on the first floor of several blocks of
houses on Second street. Several lines
of the Cincinnati Traction company
operating in the lower district, have
been abandoned. Reassuring word from
packers, commission men and general
produce merchants came early when it
was estimated by experts that Cincin-
natl had enough food supplies to last
at least ten days without inconvenience.
Sixty blocks in Newport and Coving
ton are under water and as almost all
of the manufacturing plants on that
side of the Ohio river are located in
IT, lowlands, thousands have been
thrown out of employment.
Garrison on Scene.
Secretary of War Garrison accom-
panied by Major General Leonard
Wood arrived here at Ais this morn
ting, enroute to Dayton. Upon his ad-
VeI in.o this city, he answered the
first telegram that he had received
from Governor Cox at Columbus. 1t
rea ed the secretary and said:
Would suggest that you go to Day
ton first. Greatly pl> Used that you are
with us. Have been sending messages
all along your route but apparently the
bad condition of the wires have pre-
vented them from reaching you"
Immediately upon arriving here, Sec
retary Garrison sent a message to Pres
ident Wilson notifying him of his arri-
val, and stating that he would press
on to Dayton
Governor Cox also was notified by
the secretary that he would proceed to
Dayton with all possible haste.
The local flood interferred, however,
with the Garrison party inasmuch as
the special train could not be trans
ferred from the tracks of the Louis
VILE & Nashville road to the Cincinnati.
Lebanon & Northern owing to these
tracks being submerged.
Consequently a new special train was
made up and it will leave the city
about $3.50 o'clock. This will give the
secretary time to confer with Mayor
Henry T. Hunt and hold a long dis
tance talk with Governor Cox at Col
umbus at o'clock this morning.
Mayor Hunt received the secretary on
his arrival here. Secretary Garrison
received a letter from the president at
Winchester last night stating that the
situation at Hamilton, Ohio, was re-
ported serious and answered from here
this morning in a telegram which said:
Il shall do all that is possible to re-
lieve the situation at Hamilton"
After a conference this morning be-
tween Secretary of War Garrison and
Major General Wood it was decided to
abandon the special train to Dayton
and proceed to that city by automo-
bile. 1t also was decided that Major
General Wood should stay in this
city and assist Mayor Hunt and the
Red Cross society in clearing the situ-
alton here. Accompanying Secretary
Garrison will be Major Rhodes and
General Mccoy Major McConnor, of
the signal corps, and Captain Whaley,
of the medical corps. were detailed to
the situation there.
Flood Bulletin Issued.
Here is today's special flood bulle-
tin issued by the weather bureau at
Washington:
The stage of the Ohio river at Pitts
burg Saturday morning was 2A.6 feet,
a fall of Sc feet since Friday.
Reports from the stretch between
Pittsburg and Parkersburg are miss
ing.
At Cincinnati the morning stage was
66 feet. 16 feet above the food stage
and further rise of about . feet is
expected. Present indications at Gin
cinnau point to a somewhat lower
crest stage than first reported, about
6S feet, rather than near 20 feet. At
Louisville the morning stage is Al
feet, IS feet above the flood stage
further rise is expected. Reports
from Evansville are missing The last
the lowlands would be inundated last
night The Cairo Sfa