Evening star., 1937-01-24
10000 KENTUCKY
FLOOD REFUGEES
Ohio Rise Continues as Bit
ter Cold Increases
Suffering.

By the Associated Press.
LOUISVILLE, KY, January 23.-
Kentucky, gripped by the most de-
vastating food in the history of the
Blue Grass State, sought relief to-
night for more than $4,000 homeless
persons.
With the waters Of the Ohio Valley
continuing their rise, bitter cold
weather added to the suffering of
thousands of persons forced from
inundated homes.
This city had lights tonight only
after half a dozen men. rs feet below
the water level, struggled to keep this
how from falling in a generating
plant.
A woman and her son were
esphyxiated here and Sergt. Tommy
Brown. member Of the National
Guard, drowned when he fell from
/ rescue boat near Slaughters, KY.
The deaths today brought the total
In Kentucky for the food to five.
National Guardsmen patrolled the
food districts of Louisville and half
0 dozen other communities.
Water supplies we're endangered in
many towns, while at FRANKFORT and
Maysville pumping plants had stopped
louisville called on its huge reserve
water supply after its pumping sta
ton was submerged.
Prison to Be Evacuated.
At FRANKFORT 1900 State Reforma-
tory convicts we're ordered evacuated
from their water-logged prison. Re-
noval of the convictS probably Mon
day was ordered after "a tried to
swim to freedom through the icy
waters of the Kentucky River. The
prisoners huddled last night in the
cold and darkness when the prisons
heating and lighting plant was
drowned out.
All relief agencies in the State
hurled their full resources into the
Breach as a bitter cold wind added to
the suffering of the food refugees.
However, J. L. Kendall United States
weather forecaster, said the cold had
checked the rise of the rivers.
: Tonight the Ohio River at Louis
Tille was about sos with a crest Of
6l6 or 50 feet Sunday night.
Gov. A. B. Chandler. who had been
Vacationing in Virginia, returned to
the Capitol at Frankfort this after
noon and took charge Of relief work.
/. Paducah late this afternoon report
ed over half of the town under water.
National Guardsmen were being sent
there from Hopkinsville and an imme-
diate appeal was made for doctors.
The State Health Department dis
PATCHED a relief boat with nurses and
eerum.
8 The l3sth Field Artillery was mob
fixed here for patrol duty.
5000 Routed in Louisville.
Approximately 5000 Louisville FAM
flies were forced from their homes
seeking refuge at relief stations, homes
of friends and hotels. Vacant stores
and buildings were opened to care for
the homeless.
The wholesale district here was al
most completely under water and mer-
chants in the shopping district moved
goods from Easements and ground
floors.
The sale of gasoline was banned ex-
eept for relief work. Street cars op-
Grated in scattered areas and then only
for a distance of several blocks.
Patients we're removed from the
Jewish Hospital when flood water
drowned the institutions heating sys-
tenn. No food shortage was antici-
pated here but all prices jumped as
housewives laid in large stocks of
groceries.
; Drinking water was being rushed to
Frankfort from nearby cities when
the Kentucky River poured yellow
water over the reservoir.
: Maysville, KY, was isolated, as was
Carrollton. A second State Health
Department boat started up the debris
scattered Ohio in an effort to reach
these points.
I Paducah said unconfirmed reports
indicated a baby had been drowned in
the food waters. A man identified as
Fred Duncan, Paris, KY, was badly
shocked In helping to remove power
line.