The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-28

(Continued from Page Onel
vaiIing sentiment today when he said
I'VE do not want the world to think
that Dayton is unable to recover from
the effects of the disaster. We are
going to show that we are capable OF
coping with the sitaution with entire
efficiency Today began with great
promise. A brilliant sun tempered the
keenness of the frosty air The 1000
subsidized perceptibly. Flood victims,
who. had been penned in the down
town sections of the city were apIe'
unaided. to make their way to the
street, in the heart of Dayton, it was
possible to pick dry path over the
pavement"
Cooperating with the citizens
committee appointed by President
Smith, the militia began early to make
arrangements to handle the situation
in the downtown district. A survey OF
this territory, officials said, would lead
to the stationing of a sufficient patrol
to bar everyone except those engaged
in the work of rescue. Mfitiamen and
deputies were given instructions to
shoot offenders against the prear-
"Shoot at the legs first; then shoot
to kill" was the way in which the sol
diers were instructed to act
Ordered to Kill Looters.
Very few cases of looting have been
reported. Two looters caught by the
militia were taken before the chief OF
police.
Don't bring looters to me-" the Of
ficer said. Kill them where caught.
On Tuesday in the business district
showcases filled with siIverware, cost
ly cut glass and jewelry foated out
of a store, going unnoticed down
stream
fatcar weighted down with pig iron
is being run down into the flooded dis
trict on rtreet car tracks to bring out
waterbound persons. Six men go on
the car and hundred or more pail
it out of the water by cable. =
Rescued persons are lifted from the
car to waiting automobiles and taken
to shelter. First they are given sew
era1 cups of hot coffee and wrapped In
warm clothing. Women and children
collapse. Men are so weak from cold
and fatigue they have to be carried.
Hundreds have been recued here and
more wait the coming of the fiatcar.
On the sidewalk crowds of persons
who have friends and relatives in the
inundated districts scan every face.
After hanging to the roofs of their
homes for 80 hours, with strong winds
Schmidt, wife and two small children
were rescued today. None of them
co1Id move muscle. being chilled
through.
I'D have fallen into the water if it
had not been for daddy exclaimed
the little girl who was first of the four
to recover sufficiently to talk.
when the water came into the
house we had to climb on the roof.
Daddy held me and mamma held broth
er. Oh it was cold; I thought I was
going TO die"
Rescue Boats in Operation.
A score of motor boats and the life
lie
trict early today, and by tonight it was
hoped relief would be extended to all
flood victims that were still alive.
No effort was being made to take out
any of the bodies, the first care being
to provide help for the living. The
boats began to return early from the
nearer sections each depositing its
load of from fifteen to twenty sur
vivors. Most of the people rescued
were so weak from deprivation and
suffering as to be scarcely able to
move At O'Clock several hundred
had been brought to the Cash Register
hospital on stretchers from the south
side of the river
The flood situation was much
brighter today. The trucks sent from
the Cash Register company, manned
by men with military orders to con-
fiScate potatoes and food from the
farmers brought back a good supply
of vegetables, and several relief trains
reached the city with supplies. The
rescue work also had taken on SEM
bIance of system. and all the streets
from which the flood had receded
were patrolled by militia. People were
urged to get back to their homes
whenever possible.
Beware of thieves and burglars"
said an official bulletin gi~-wide
circulation. Don't leave y%~ouses
without protection. 1t was thieves
who scared you about the reservoir
has been turned off and there is no
danger of explosions" e.s
Sixty Catholic Sisters at the Acade-
nv of the Sisters of Notre Dame were
found by the Louisville life-savipg
crew today to have been entirely with
ont food or water since Tuesday. There
were several cases of illness. The life
eauers left a Supply of bread and