The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-29
LIFE SAVERS FIND
MUCH SUFFERING
UH1IUV
FIRST EXPEDITION TO PENE.
TRATE HEART OF CITY CON-
FIRMS FIRST REPORTS.

IL -
West Dayton, Ohio, March IS
Members of the United States life
saving crew of Louisville who have
navigated sections of flooded Dayton
heretofore UNEMPLOYED, returned toda,
at noon, reporting conditions in NORTH
Dayton and Riverdale quite as de.
plorable as the first estimates indi-
Gated, so far as the suffering of the
people was concerned. The tour
however, failed to verify fears thai
there has been a tremendous death roll
In that section.
In North Dayton privation amone
the marooned has been severe, but
actual suffering, except among chill
dren, was negligible.
Cruising the southern end of River
dale, where it was feared there would
be found a big death list, Captain
Gillooly, in charge of the crew, re-
ported conditions paralleling those in
other sections of the stricken city, but
only w dead bodies were reported to
him, as having been recovered from
that district. The flood territory in
Riverdale, which is a section of SUBJ
oNSlASA - 10 -
blocks long and seven blocks wide.
The crew launched their big boat in
the Miami canal, up which they
cruised to Mad river, thence to the
Miami and south to the Stewart street
bridge which is but a short distance
from the National Cash Register
receiving care.
Water Recedes.
At many different points along the
route stops were made and the crew
detoured away from the rivers. 1t
was found many Of these detours coul l
be made foot, the water having fallen
rapidly since last night. At no place
was the water behind the levees deeper
than four feet. Preparations were be-
ing made at several points to cut the
levees in order more rapidly to drain
the submerged districts.
Worse in North Dayton.
While the Louisville ~1ife-savers were
making the cruise, a crew of 1ife-sav-
ers from the Cleveland station were
operating a number of boats in the
heart of North Dayton, where a con-
dition of veritable chaos exists. In
that section live many of the poorer
class. Few of the buildings were
substantial and they lay within the
fury of the Miami and Mad river
floods which combined in a seething
maelstorm and dozens Of residences
succumhed. Two representatives Of
the Associated Press made a trip into
North Dayton this forenoon and saw
more than a score of frame houses up-
turned and shattered, long distances
from where they had originally stood.
Not Many Dead.
After having descended the Miami
river, Captain Gillooly reported that in
the south central section of Dayton,
where the flood flowed widest on
Tuesday night and Wednesday, thou
sands Of persons We're still impris-
oned in upper rooms of their homes,
He stated that from numerous in
quiries among the people whose resi-
dences had been inundated, it APP
peared the. loss of life was not nearly
SO large as stated in the first reports.
This section was still flooded although
the water was receding rapidly, and
while a few corpses eddied out from
the floods edge, yet in the center of
the area 1t was stated that only two
bodies had been seen.
Food Distributed.
Assisted by a representative of the
Associated Press, Captain Gillooly and
his men distributed food and quantities
of drinking water to a large number
of flood prisoners. ARRANGEMENTS
also were made to provide the needy
ones with necessary supplies from time
to time until the flood water have
gone.
Draining tho City.
1T WAS expected that the two life
saving crews would continue their eff
forts tomorrow, although the opinion
was generally entertained that by that
time the water would have subsidized
sufficiently to permit the exit of all
persons now marooned.
In Rfverdale, lear the Main street
bridge, the levee was cut in three
places today in an effort to drain that
section of the city. When it is pos
sible to clear away the debris there
n make thorough search of the !
houses, many of which were over
turned and wrecked by the flood, ad-
dltlonal dead may be taken out, but
according to the most reliable infor-
nation obtainahle from dozens of men
actively engaged in rescue work and |
from the headquarters from the sec
ton now established at Van Cleave
school, there are only about 20 persons
still missing and 1t is believed many
OF these escaped to homes in North
DaytonvieW which was o affected by
the flood.
Many Will Not Leave.
In that section on the east side of
the Miami river and north of the Mad
river, rescue work went forward to-
day with two United States l%ifesaving
in charge. Hundreds of per-