Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-31
CHIEF DAYTON NEEDS
TOLD BY PATTERSON
Many Months Will Be Required to Rebuild Flood City
and Martial Law May Prevail
for a Year.
for a Year.

plots on the outskirts of the city, where
they were burned.
Hundreds of sightseers arrived for a
holiday in the city yesterday, only to be
department, and were forced, in some in
stances at the points of bayonets in the
nands OF National Guardsmen, to assist
In the removal of carcasses.
Cleaning Up Their Homes.
From end to end of Dayton the people
were cleaning house. Those who had no
houses to clean were working cheerfully
in assisting those who had
Merchants and what numbers Of their
employees who could be found were clear
ing the piles of wrecked stocks Of mer-
chandise with scoops and shovels. The
mud, In some places several feet deep,
was being thrown into the streets
Broken glass was piled into great heaps
ready to be carted away. Counters and
store fixtures were piled in alleys and
carloads of merchandise, water-soaked
and for the most part practically worth
less, were piled on the sidewalks and on
improvised shelves in stores
In Riverdale and North Dayton, where
the flood waters attained the greatest
depth and degree Of destructiveness, sew
eral thousand persons waded knee deep
IN Shiny mud, rummaging their desc
lated homes for clothing. All of this,
OF course, was soaked and plastered with
mud, but 1t was dried on the hillsides
where the populace has taken refuge In
some places in these districts the water
had so far receded as to render possible
the beginning Of the work Of cleaning
the lower floors Of mud and debris, so
that in few days fires can be built with
In the houses and the premises dried out.
Homes Must Be Rebuilt.
But 1t will be long time before all
Daytonians again live in their own
homes. There are 1900 residences which
1t will be necessary to plaster and pa
per before they can be occupied. There
are $500 houses which 1t will be neces-
sary to build foundations under, to
stra1ghten, sreroof, put in doors and win
dows rebuild chimneys and make other
repairs before their owners can move in
again.
There are 1000 houses which 1t will be
necessary to RAE and new structures
built. The citizens relief committee, on
advfces from engineers, has decided that
this reconstruction work will require four
months, even If building material can be
obtained promptly.
So far as the business and industrial
buildings necessary are concerned, 1t has
been estimated by architects who have
looked over the different premises that
it will require eight months before the
repair work and rebuilding can be &C
complished. In the interim business will
be done in whatever premises may be
available.
H. E. Talbot, who was commissioned
by Gov. Cox, chief engineer Of the mill
tary zone, has completed his plans for be-
ginning the rehabilitation. He announced
that four departments have been created
with an assistant engineer in charge OF
each. One will have charge Of rebuilding
the streets and alleys: another the levees
along the rivers; another the sewerage
system, and still another the bridges
Thousands of men will be employed, to-
gether with many teams of horses, and
work will be pushed to the utmost in all
departments. Cursory surveys Of the
damage done have been made and large
quantities of material ordered by tele
granh. to be Skinned immediately.