Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-10

hundred.
The police said forty-two bodies have
been recovered. They are receiving re-
ports of more casualties every few min
utes, many unveTifable because Of the
demoralized telephone communication and
| inability to get about the city because
OF wreckage and closely drawn lines by
regular soldiers and police. The soldiers
were called in when looting began and
remained for rescue and guard duty.
FEDERAL TROOPS
HANDLE RELIEF.
Police Commissioner Wright has asked
i that strict military control be granted
from the commander of the Sth Army
Corps area.
Every building IN the business district
stood in water ten feet deep during
the high water mark of the raging waters
while vast section Of the residential
section was submerged
Five bridges spanning the San Antonio
River in the center of the city were de-
stroyed- Telephone and telegraph com
munication. trolley service and electric
lights and power were out of commits
sion.
| The three newspapers were flooded
and unable TO publish, aud with no
news facilities wild rumors filled the
city and relief work was badly handi-
capped
Red Cross workers were ordered to
the city to assist in the relief work.
Property damage will run into the
millions, 1t was estimated by city Off
cials. one estimate placing the losses
/ or the city and residents at S1OO00000
/ Other sources of information. however.
declared this estimate excessive.
The exact number of deaths and
Z a n nf hn
not be definitely known for days. First
efforts of the military was directed at
rescue work and an effort TO check the
+ thousand and one rumors of casualties
I when the wall Of water swept through
the streets during the night with Iittha.
advance warning
! The rise Of the river began at 10
/ o'clock last night. Before citizens
/ realized the danger "a wall If water
rushed through the streets and the in
habitants were held powerIess in their
homes.
At O'Clock this morning the raging
waters had reached their height and
began to slowly recede.
As the raging torrent swept through
the streets, entire families could be seen
floating on the roofs of houses in the
midst of the rushing waters.
The great loss of life. is due to the
fact that the river rose so suddenly
Sleeping inhabitants were aroused by
the roar of angry waters to find them
selves surrounded by the flood Guests in
the three big downtown hotels vera
marooned on upper floors as the water
rose and put elevators and stairs out
of commission.
The flood came from an unprecodent-
ed rainfall, which caused a quick rise
in the San Antonio River and AIazan
Creek
The scene as the waters lowered thfa
! morning beggared description The
I business section stood a mass of water
and mud soaked wreckage. Merchants had
! but little time to remove stocks aud
most stores were filed with water which
reached the upper shelves. Streets were
Uttered with debris. On one street cor
ner three automobiles were stacked on
top Of each other, partly jammed into
a plateglass window
On one street the force of the water
completely tore up one entire block Of
pavement. All manner of merchandise
was strewn in the streets, partly covered
with mud and water.
Baylor Hospital, situated one block
from the river. survived the food, al
though many houses around it were swept
away. No lives were lost in the hospital,
1t was reported.
Fathetc scenes marked the terror of
the night. One mother rushed into the
Elks' Club for shelter and sobbed in an
guish that her little child had been left
behind. Her home was entirely de-
stroyed
Relief work for survivors is under
way. Citizens, soldiers and police have
started work caring for men. women and
children who barely had time to escape
in their night clothes when the water
came Plans for feeding. clothing and
housing the victims were being drawn
rapidly.
RELATIVES SEARCH
FOR MISSING ONES.
With relatives searching for loved
ones from whom they were separated dur
ing the storm, soldiers heid crowds Of
curious tack from many ruined dis
tricts. The military was almost in SUI
preme control.
With organization of relief under way,
efforts were turned toward getting word
from other sections of south central
Texas hit by the storm Communication
was cut off with Austin from near where
a clOudburst, n-inch rain and small
| tornado was reported Casualties were
reported from the vicinity of South Aus
tin and Hutto. Both towns were almost
completely wrecked Hutto is twenty
miles from the State capital
From over south Texas, reports
came of great property damage-to rail-
roads, highways, residences and build
ings that were hit by the deluge of wa
Ter. The cotton crop suffered heavily.