Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-04-02
OHIO RIVER Floods
CONDITIONS GRAVE
Is Rising 0ne-Tenth of an Inch
an Hour.
FEARED MANY LIVES LOST
Surgeon General Blue Orders Three.
Federal Hospitals to Be Pre-
pared to Receive Victims of
HIGH Water

HIGH Water.
Cincinnati, Ohio, March 31.-Antici-
pating serious flood conditions in the
Ohio valley, Surgeon General r. Blue
has wired to the commanding officer in
charge of the United States marine
hospital at Cairo, Ill, Evansville, Ind,
and Memphis, Tenn, to be prepared
to open their hospitals to flood vic
tins.
Doctor Blue has federal funds to
the amount of 100000 available for
work in the flooded district.
Two Lost at Portsmouth.
Telephone reports from nearby
towns state flood conditions at Hunt
ington, w. Va, and Portsmouth, O.,
are grave. At Portsmouth two lives
are reported lost Both cities are cut
off from direct communication, but
telephone reports are to the effect
that both cities are well under water.
The reports state both towns have
sufficient foodstuffs for three days
The Ohio river here is rising stead
lily one-tenth of an inch an hour. The
crest is above, but not yet in sight
Newport and Covington, KY, just
across the river. The loss is mostly
monetary. Places never before
touched are now inundated.
Believe Many Dead
Many are believed to be dead in
villages along the line from Pittsburg
to Louisville. Lawrenceburg is in
lucky from one end to the other suf-
fers severely. The situation is very
grave.
A request was received at Fort
Thomas, KY, from Covington, KY,
city officials requesting that two COM
panies of the Ninth United States in
fantry be dispatched to Covington for
patrol duty, while the flood threat
ened that city. This request was i'm
mediately telegraphed to the war de-
partment at Washington, and reply
received that the request had been re-
ferred to Secretary of War Garrison
and Major General Wood, who have
the matter under consideration.
Carlo Levees Holding.
Cairo, ILL.,, March 31-The river
at Cairo reached 513 feet and
is gradually creeping upward. A
big force of patrolmen and la
borers have been put upon the Cairo
and drainage district levees.
The Cairo levees were never in bet
ter shape and is believed they can
hold a 57-foot stage. The local wealth
er office issued the following state
ment:
with weather conditions becoming
somewhat unsettled in this river dis
trict and rapid rises continuing in
the Ohio and Wabash, 81 feet is re-
garded as certain at Cairo if levees
below hold With conditions as they
now are Sc feet is regarded as strong
possibility here, subject to the levees
below holding the water"
Calls FOR Troops.
Owing to scarcity of laborers a call
was made upon Governor Dunno for
men and he responded that he would
send 1000 men, 200 National Guards,
10000 rations. which are needed for
the laborers and many refugees now
in Cairo. The governor stated that
he would send 100000 sacks. Cairo
now has 100000 empty sacks and
over 100000 filled with sand ready for
use. Is Is
Shawneetown in Danger.
Springfield, ILL.,, March 31.-Word
has been received here that the stu
alton at Shawneetown is growing more
and more alarming. The struggle IN
hold the levee is too great for the eiti-
zens. The troops have arrived. The
residents of the town have practically
given up hope that Shawneetown can
be saved from destruction. No more
trains can get In or out of the town.