The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-11-05
Trail of Devastation Carved
Across New England by
Raging Torrents.
THOUSANDS IN FLIGHT
List of Dead at q, Growing
Hourly; Vermont Entire
Iy Cut Off.
BY HENRY MINoTT

United Press stan Correspondent
BOSTON, Nov. 5.-Leaving
an awesome trail Of death and
destruction in Vermont, flood
waters today spread with dew
astating force into Massachu-
sets and New Hampshire.
More thousands of homes
were imperiled, industrial es-
adjustments were threatened,
and the already tremendous
burden of telephone and tele-
graph companies and railroads
was increased.
The list Of known dead stood
at %.
Rumors, entirely uilverifed, placed
the total dead at more than 200,
with most of the casualties in Mont
pelier, capital Of Vermont, which
had been cut off from the outside
world for nearly forty-eight hours.
Countless thousands were home
less.
Property Toll Millions
Property damage in the six States
affected will run into many millions.
Thousands Of flood victims were
being cared for by the Red Cross,
national guardsmen, police, 7remen
and municipal employees.
Over the tragic scene there arose
today the danger of disease and
famine.
Health authorities took steps TO
combat possible spread OF typhoid.
feared because of the condition of
water supplies, and railroad officials
laid plans for moving emergency
food supplies into the stricken areas.
Major General Preston Brown,
commander of the First corps area,
today received word from Washing
ton that Attorney General John @.
Sargent understood that Ludlow,
VT, his home town, had been aban-
doned.
Asked to Send Plane
Brown was asked to send an air.
plane to Ludlow to obtain accurate
information regarding the situation
there and to determine the fate of
Sargent's home, where the attorney
generals wife and granddaughter
had been periled by the flood.
With telephone and telegraph
service disrupted, the Army base to-
day succeeded in establishing radio
communication with FIT. Ethan AL
len at Burlington, VT, near the flood
center.
The fort reported that its power
plant had been thrown out of COM
mission, but that 1t now was in
working order.
Because of the difficulty attend
ing radio communication with the
fort, General Brown dispatched a
light truck, carrying several men
and portable radio apparatus to
Vermont.
1t was said the truck would go
as far as possible toward Mont
pelier and that the portable radio
apparatus then would be set up
and communication carried on with
FIT. Ethan Allen.
Snow Is Feared
Adverse weather forecasts made
the situation even more desperate.
Somewhat colder tonight and
Sunday, with probable local rains or
snow, was predicted for northern
New England, where flood condi-
tons were most serious.
Lower temperatures and rain also
were forecast for southern New
England.
An unconfirmed report reaching
Burlington, VT, today estimated
that 100 persons had persisted when
the big reservoir at Montpelier burst
No authentic word had been OBJ
tanned from the stricken city.
Word from Plymouth, VT, birth
place of President Coolidge, indi-
Gated that that little village, high in
the hills, had escaped.
An amateur operator in Hudson,
Mass, today picked up a radio mes
sage from Barre, VT, stating that
two persons had been drowned at
Newport, VT. The message also re-
ferred to a heavy loss of life at
Montpelier, but stated there was no
confirmation Of the report.
Thousands of Farms Flooded
Thousands of farms had been
flooded. Household furniture, hen
coops, fences and parts Of wrecked
homes were carried away.
Inundated highways were dotted
with abandoned automobiles. Thou
sands of heads Of cattle persisted
Whole families at many points were
marooned on roof tops.
Everywhere there we're little
groups of the homeless, many of
whom had seen all their worldly
affaotS cma1t IN daStrifcti0n