Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-27

section last night cast q red. weird
glow over the food-stricken city that
added TO the fears OF thousands of
refugees and marooned persons and
led 10 apprehension that there may
have been many Of the waters pris-
Oners in the burned buildings.
Soon Aafterward notice was posted
in headquarters Of the emergency
committee announcing that the city
was under martial Law Several COM
panies Of soldiers arrived from neigh
boring Ohio cities. The soldiers We're
employed 10 patrol edges of the burn
ed district and prevent further loot
ing Of homes freed from the foods
grasp.
RESCUERS WORK FRANTICAILI.
Rescue squads worked frantically
yesterday to throw back the veil that
hides the true story Of the Dayton
disaster-the number of dead. Late
last night the arrival of motorboats
gave hope that by today the north
ern section Of the city, now cut of
by the Big Miami's impossible bar
rier, may be penetrated. and then
may be learned the fate of hundreds
imprisoned by the torrent that poured
down from the broken reservoir.
/ The list OF six known dead was
added 70 by the death Of refugee Ii
was reported that a number Of dead
had been found in houses at Fifth and
Eagle streets but when rescuers work
| ed their way into the partially sub
merged dwellings they found a num-
bersipf the flood prisoners weak from
= frig snld hunger.
BUSINESS HOUSES BURNED.
Fire that appeared to threaten the
business section was confined to the
block bounded by Second and Third
streets and jefferson and s. Clair
streets In the block are the Fourth
National bank. Lattiman Drug com
pany Evans Wholesale Drug company
and several commission houses. Il
was impossible 20 get within two miles
Of the fire and from that distance ex-
plosions, probably Of drugs. made the
fire seem Of larger proportions than
IL was
It appeared to have about burned
itself out and It was not believed it
would spread 10 other blocks Il was
impossible to ascertain even approx
mately the number Of persons who
might have been marooned in this sec
tion and who died after being trapped
by flood and fire.
Nevertheless, rescue work went
steadily on and aboNt 5000 persons
were housed in places of refuge to-
day - the majority OF them in build
ings Of the National Cash Register
company.
At least $500 persons are impris-
oned in homes and in business build
ings II is feared their two days
Imprisonment with accompanying hun
ger and fright have caused tremend-
GUS suffering. The flood came with
such suddeuuess that food supplies
in homes were whisked away by the
torrent that reached TO second floors
in almost the fash of an eye. Skifs
skirted the edge of the flooded dis
; trict attempting 70 take food 10 those
. whom IL was impossible TO carry OF
but the fierce current discOuraging,y y
retarded this week.
, TWO WIRES OBTAINED
= Dayton was practically cut OF from
wire communication until late yester.
day afternoon. Then two wires into
, Cincinnati were obtained and opera.
tors plunged into great piles OF tele-
grams from Dayton citizens, almost
t frantic in their desire to assure friends
OF their safety
Operators Al opposite ends OF the
wires reported that thousands Of tele-
grams were piled up at relay ofices
These were from persons anxious over
] the fate Of Dayton kinsmeu.
Two oarsmen who braved the cur
rent that swirled through the busi
] ness section Of the CITY yaSrarf a y