Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-03-28
Death In fire and FLOOD.
Horrible Calamity Falls on Middle
West.
THOUSANDS OF LIVES sNUFFED OUT.

Wind and Rain Swell Rivers of Ohio,
Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. Over
whslm many Prosperous Cities, and
Destroy Property to the Value Of
Uneounted Millions. ~. -,
The cities along the banks of the
Miami, Scioto, and Wabash rivers In
Ohio and Indiana have just suffered
the most terrible inland flood In the
history Of the country, and a large
scope Of territory throughout four of
the most thickly settled states Of the
Union is now in the throes of the
most appalling devastation and ruin.
The disaster is the result of the ter
rife wind and rain storms that COM
menced last Saturday and Sunday.
The downpour was in the nature of
cloudbursts. The rivers rose 80 rapid
ly that numerous reservoirs were
broken, and the onrushing floods swept
over towns and cities which had never
experienced distress from high water
before. .tr
Dispatches sent out Wednesday
night from Chicago, from which point
the Associated Press assembled such
news as was obtainable at that time,
gave figures showing more than 5000
loss at more than one hundred million
dollars; but these dispatches went on
to explain that while fuller reports
would probably add very considerably
to these figures, there was no proba-
bility that the appalling estimates
would be in any wise decreased.
An Associated Press dispatch Of
Wednesday night from Dayton, Ohio,
described the situation there at that
time as follows:
Flames that destroyed eight build
ings in Dayton's submerged business
section, cast a red, weird glow over
the d-stricken city that added to
the fears Of thousands Of refugees and
marooned persons and led to appre-
hension that there may have been
many Of the waters prisoners in the
burned buildings Soon afterward no.
tice was posted In headquarters Of the
emergency committee announcing that
the city was under martial law" and
several companies of soldiers arrived
from neighboring Ohio cities. The SOL
diers were employed to patrol edges Of
the submerged district and prevent
further looting of homes freed from
the foods grasp. UP to late hour
tonight there had been no material
disorder. "@1r
Rescue squads worked frantically
today to throw back the veil that
hides the true story Of the Dayton dis
aster-the number of dead. Late to-
night the arrival Of motorboats gave
hope that by tomorrow the northern
section Of the city, now cut off by the
big Miami's impossible barrier, may
be penetrated and then may be learn
ed the fate Of hundreds Of imprisoned
by the torrent that poured down from
the broken reservoir.
The list Of six dead was added to
this afternoon by the death of ref
ugee. It was reported late tonight that
q number Of dead had been found in
houses at Fifth and Eagle streets, but
when rescuers worked their way into
the partially submerged dwellings
they found a number Of the foods
prisoners who were weak from fright
and hunger.
Already overburdened victims Of
the waters wrath were compelled to
suffer again today In q cold smarting
rain.
Fire that appeared to threaten the
business section tonight was confined
to the block bounded by Second and
Third streets and Jefferson and St.
Clair streets. In the block are the
Fourth National Bank, Lattiman Drug
company, Evans Wholesale Drug COM
pany and several commission houses
1t was impossible to get within two
miles Of the fire and from that dis
tance 1t appeared that explosions,
probably Of drugs, made the fire seem
Of larger proportions than 1t was. 1t
appeared to have about burned itself
out and 1t was not believed IL would
spread to other blocks.
1t was impossible to ascertain even
approximately the number Of persons
who might have been marooned in
this section and who died after being
trapped by food and fire. Neverthe-
less rescue work went steadily on and
about 5000 persons were housed In
places Of refuge tonight, the majority
of them in buildings Of the National
Cash Register company. At least 65,-
900 persons are imprisoned in homes
and in business buildings. 1t is feared
their two days Imprisonment with ac-
companying hunger and fright have
caused tremendous suffering.
Dayton was practically cut of from
wire communication until late this
afternoon.
Two oarsmen who braved the cur
rent that swirled through the business
the water at the Algonquin hotel at
the southwest corner Of Third and
Ludlow streets was fifteen feet deep.
From windows In the hotels and bus-
mess buildings hundreds Of the ma
rooned begged piteously for rescue
and food. The oarsmen said they saw
no bodies floating on the flood but de-
clared that many persons must have
perished in the waters sudden rush
through the streets.
Oarsmen who worked into the out
skirts of the business section tonight
reported that $50 persons marooned In
the Arcade building and 200 impris-
oned in the Y. M. c. A building were
begging for water.
A shortage Of provisions was threat
ened this afternoon when 1t was re-
ported that many relief trains bound
to Dayton from neighboring cities had
been stopped by high water. Every
noon. It was believed that the relief
trains might creep in during the night.
Encouragement was received in q
message from the mayor Of Springfield
tonight, who said he was sending six
big trucks loaded with provisions that
should reach Dayton early tomorrow. .
Messages from the foods prisoners
In the business section said children
were crying for milk, while their elders
suffered from thirst that grew hourly.
A report that the dam above Dayton
to break added to the city's
terror tonight. II the dam breaks 1t
will pour in a flood that will hold up
rescue work for days.
Conditions Yesterday.
West Dayton, O., March 27.-After a
day Of gruelling work, volunteer work
ers have recovered more than half a
hundred bodies from the Big Miami
river and Wolf creek and saved up
ward Of 500 who for two days have
been clinging to roofs or living In up
per stories. With the coming OF night
fall the efforts to rescue more persons
were slackened and all Of Dayton, not
in the central flood district, waited In
dread for the nightly fires which have
added horrors to the already terrible
situation. No fires have been in the
central district since noon but the
that thousands Of persons
,ra FRA anned on INNER floors of the