Evening star., 1924-09-29
BY r. A. MACKENZIE.

BE taDle 10 Inc Star and thicago DAILY News
LENlNGRAD. September 2S--The
authorities and population of Lenin-
grad deserve the highest praise for
the way they have met and fought
the great food calamity that has
overtaken them. The officials acted
with the greatest energy, systemati-
cally and rapidly taking measures to
meet the situation. The people of
every class rose to the occasion. all
working with the utmost of good
Will There WAS no violence, no
rioting and no robbery
In saying this. the correspondent
states not only his own views. but
those of every foreign diplomatic of
fetal here.
outside the Winter Palace there
stands historic plaque marking
the height reached by the great mum
dation Of November :. 1924. which
ranks among the greatest of its kind
in history on that occasion several
thousand persons were drowned and
whole districts swept away. Tues
days lnundations reached within a
very short space of the high water
mark on the same plaque, but the
number of drowned is trivial com
pared with 1924. The present stone
houses stood much better than the
houses of 1924. but for material loss
1924 makes 1924 sink into insignifi-
cance.
Started With storm.
Since first stories of the disaster
were partly Inaccurate the CORE
spondent repeats the story as il was
given him by many friends here. A
heavy storm. blowing inland. swept
over Leningrad Tuesday. Between
3 and in the afternoon the waters
in the Neva Canal began to overflow
and pour into the easements Soon
the easements We're filled and the
water began to cover the ground
floors, finally. on the north side of
the city, reaching the first floor above
the street level. Electric lights and
power were soon cut off. Telephones
went dead. The flood mounted sc
quickly that people who crossed the
Nevsky to make inquiries found
themselves a few minutes later un-
able 10 return. Street cars and auto
mobiles caught in the street in many
cases had to be abandoned Small
ships and boats on the river and
harges i'll the canal came drifting
landward and crashed.
The whole surfaces of streets rose
with the tide, floating about and
cavorting in the seething waters like
rudderless RATS until they were
streets were paved. like RATS. upon
their marshy foundations. first with
great cross beams. then planks laid
across and hexagonal blocks fitted on
them.
Wind CapriciouS.
The wind grew stronger. Many trees
were torn up by the roots. Others
were twisted and broken off. The ac-
tion of the wind was strangely capri
cious. One sees on one side of a street
every tree torn or asant, while on the
other side other trees stand unharm-
ed.
The people on the lower floors OF
houses, tried to save their property
but very little salvage was possible
AS the flood rose. men, women and
children gathered on upper floors OF
houses, wondering, praying, fearing
Some declared it was judgment Of
God on their city. Some flung them
selves before ikons
The darkness by this time had be-
come complete. Howling winds. crash
ing timbers, breaking glass and swirl.
ing waters gave the final touches OF
horror. Every one feared the build
ings must collapse under the weight
of the water. Mothers dressed their
children. Some made little wooder
floats to hold them up should the
collapse come. Hour after hour OF
black anxiety followed
By o'clock the water was los feet
above the canal level. Many men hesi
tated before plunging out in the
water, knowing that with few
inches more Of rise, the houses might
give way.
Break Finally Comes.
Then the break came. The wine
began to die down and the waters
to abate-not slowly. but almost a.
suddenly as they had risen Lenin.
grad was saved.
By 3 in the morning the storm
| had sunk to light breeze. BY 10 tn,
waters were only a little above the
canal level. The clouds had vanished
Brilliant sunshine was overhead
Looking up at the blue sky. it seemed
| impossible to believe what the city
had passed through. But looking
| earthward. the destruction in the
streets told their own tale
With daylight and the abatement
| of the flood it is possible to form
some idea of the extent of the dis
aster which has overtaken Lenin
grad. The whole city, with the ex'
ception Of the district around Nicola
station, has been covered with water
many feet deep, the Industrial distric
of Visilevski, Ostrov Island, whert
| factories are situated, suffering most
The ethnographic section of tn,
| Russian museum was entirely flooded
| Many animals in the zoo wer,
| drowned. Bridges have been swep
| away and all the main streets ar.
| impossible owing to the quantities o
| wreckage.
Triumvirate In Power.
Martial law was declared Wednes.
| day morning and the city was placed
| under a triumvirate consisting of M
| Sedorov, town commissar; NJ. Lem
| onov, vice chief of the Gaypayoo. anC
| NJ Ilyn, vice chief of the advisory
| board. The triumvirate has ISSUED
! several decrees.
E1aFse'r'ea A'A ~ a1aazsa \