The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-04-02
Commission Acts Quickly to
). Aid Homeless - Legion
Members Called Out.
10 OPEN SOUP KITCHENS
Committee Plans to House and
Feed Homeless in Schools
and Tabernacle.


flood took definite form this after.
noon at a meeting of the city com.
mission held at the city hall, and at.
tended by more than hundred rep.
resentative citizens. Committee,
were appointed, and a general cal
issued to the public to assist II
Whatever way possible the work o
getting people to higher ground.
Charlie Wilingham, who in other
years served as head of similar COM
mittees was chosen general chair
man OF an executive committee o1
over fifty. Commissioner Ed Bass
was selected as head of a transpor-
tation committee and Commissioners
Wassman will look after the housing
of refugees.
Carl II. Hood, commandant of the
American legion post here, issued q
call to all ex-service men to come tc
the city hall Friday night to assist
in relief work.
John Stagmaier has charge of the
committee looking to supplies whose
function it will be to feed refugees
Entire cost of the work is to be borne
by the Associated Charities. who, il
they run short of funds, will be re-
- lnbursed by the city and county.
The flood situation was not re-
garded as serious as was at first
thought, but those present deemed il
wise, nevertheless. to take precau-
tionary steps looking to the relief OF
those affected by the forty one foot
~9stage.
1t was decided to have brought in
from Fort Oglethorpe three army
field kitchens on which meals will be
prepared for refugees. One of these
itah h. H.
Armory, where colored refugees are
being placed; the other at the city
auditorium and the last one to be
placed at one of the city schools,
given over to the care of the home
less.
Commissioner Bass states that
with the trucks available from the
county and city, making the total 25,
he can well care for the moving of
those who cannot afford to get trans
portation otherwise. Orange Grove
school this afternoon contained a
number of refugees, and by night
several will be moved into the city
= auditorium.
!. 4 was estimated that fully 5000
! ssRe0nle AVA. atfeetca by tlsea rood axd
also asts seted that, Il apnfoximlNely
1,0uH hor4ea Will be afndef water,
committee were the following: z.
M Willfn&ham, chairman; DR.. T. S.
McCallie, John Stagmaier, Carl Hood,
4 T. Fl. Bickers, N. Thayer Montague,
Fred Bryan, George +. Milton, Lewis
Burke, o. X. LeBron, Clarence Jones,
Dave Thomas, Capt. A. j. Gahagan.
Hal Wiltse, Clarence Steward, Ed
Stewart, Mercer Reynolds, Nate Sill
herman. j. II. Gillespie, Will Shep-
herd. r. b. Cooke. Milton Ochs. Fred
Lupton, Judge Sam A. Conner, w.
.B. Schwartz and u. C. Patten, Jr.
Flood relief headquarters have
been opened in the mayors Office in
the city hall, telephone M. 1921.
Mayor Chambliss requests that all
persons having vacant buildings or
Stores inform his Office SO that they
can be used to house the homeless
and destitute made so by the flood.
MI persons having teams at their
disposal are also requested to COM
municate the fact to the headquar-
ters.
Flood headquarters at noon issued
call for additional trucks to assist
in the moving of refugees. Any one
having trucks to spare is requested
to send them to the city hall as soon
as possible.
SCHOOLS TOR Refugees.
Five of the city schools were forced
10 close this morning, and two will
he used as refugee stations. Those
closing on order of Commissioner
Fred b. Frazier were Third District,
Main Street. jefferson Street Oak
Grove and Chattanooga Avenue
Third District and Main Street
schools will be used as temporary
homes for refugees.
The police department called in all
motorcycle men off duty this morn
ing and they were dispatched TO all
parts OF the city, notifying residents
of the coming tide and warning them
TO move out Immediately. Trucks of
the department, as well as scavenger
wagons of the streets and sewers de-
partment, will assist refugees in
moving. Commissioner Bass states
that only bedding and other articles
absolutely necessary will be moved
by the city scavenger department.
The city officials are making plans
as If the tide would reach a 46-foot
stage. They state that in 1917, when
the river reached a stage of 47.6 feet,
the prediction of the weather bureau
was that the tide would reach 3S
feet or a little over. Old rivermen
predict a. tide now of over As feet.
The city health department, under
direction of DR.. Stanton H. Barrett
began its task early this morning on
the first note of warning from the
weather bureau. Workers, including
sanitary men and other department
attaches, were in all parts of the
city assisting refugees in every way
possible.
County TO Give Aid.
Tndre som Conner of TIa,v,i1fr,,
county, was very much : surprised
Friday when he was told that the
river would rise to forty-one feet or
perhaps more by Sunday. The judge
said he didn't have any idea that il
would be so high.
In view OF the seriousness of the
situation. however, Judge Conner
said that he would begin to organize
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