Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, March 26, 1913, Page 1

VOLUME 10. NUMBER 280. MANY DROWN AFTER EAPING FROM FIRE LATEST REPORTS FROM STRICKEN CITY SAY FLAMES ARE ADDING TO HORROR Rear End of High School Caved in With Fearful Loss of Life—Most Conser- vative Estimates Placed Property Damage at $500,000,000—Riverside, North Dayton and Springfield Also Swept By Raging Torrents. DAM ON GRAND RESERVOIR OF WABASH RIVER WASHED OUT By Unitea Press. Columbus, March 26.—Specjal at 2 p. m.—Governor Cox at 2 p. m. received the following message from John A. Bell, manager of the Bell tele- phone plant in Dayton: “The Russell apartments, corner of West Third and Boulee streets, is on fire and people are jumping into the water. As fast as they are jump- ing, they are being swept away and most of them are drowned. The rear end of the Steel High school, loadeéd with refugees, caved in at noon and all were thrown into the water. ' ; “Baumann’s bakery burned this morning. Two hundred are dead in Riverside and North Dayton. The main street bridge has been swept away. The loss of life is now growing and I believe it cannot be less than 2,000 in Dayton alome. “Fire is now sweeping the city and 250,000 people are homeless. They are perched on buildings, hill tops and trees without food or protection from the cold and rain which is sweeping through the valley of the Big Miami. The situation cannot be exaggerated but the death list may fall to 2,000. The number will depend largely on the number cremated or drowned.” Columbus, Ohio. March 26—Special at 10 a. m.—Governor Cox this morning estimated that the number of dead in Dayton, his home city, will reach 5000. The city has a population of 116,000. He estimates the homeless in Dayton as 70,000 and in the entire state as 250,000, The Big Miami, Little Miami and Scioto rivers show no signs of lowering. Delaware and Columbus are on the Scioto and Dayton is on the Big Miami. L LAST WORD FROM THE STRICKEN CITY. Columbus, March 26.—Governor Cox last evening told the story of the heroism of the telephone girl who was connection between After connection with the Dayton exchan ge, weak feminine voice. the only Dayfon and the outside world. vainly trying to get a telephonic the governor was able to hear a “1 was about to give up in despair”, said the governor, “when a slight feminine voice replied faintly ‘Hello! 1am the only one in the building,’ she said, ‘what can I do for you governor?” *‘Tell me about my paper, the Dayton News, and the building,’ 1 asked anxiously.” “‘Your basement is flooded and the presses are covered with water. Oh! flood. There goes a big business block across the street crumbling into the This one is going soon. All the girls have deserted me.’ “‘You had better leave before it is too late,’ 1 interrupted to advise her and the connection was gone.’ That was the last word out of Dayton and the city last night was isolated in darkness under seven feet of water and at the mercy of the flood demon. Its buildings crumbled into the swirling waters and there was no way of learning as to the safety of its inhabitants. Scores of per- sons were working in the offices of the Leonard buildiffg, a four story brick block on Ludlow street, when it collapsed and it is believed that all were killed outright or drowned in the flood. The huge main street bridge, used by the Big Four, Pennsylvania, und Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton railways was washed away. Farm- ers and villagers in the rich Miami valleys stretching for fifty miles south of Dayton have fled to the hills. Straggling reports last night increased the number of dead in Dayton and vicinity to sixty but the number may go far beyond that. Catastrophies are pending in several of the stricken cities. AUGUSTUS T}.IDMAS. American Playwright Who May Get - Diplomatic Post. | | i | | | HAS FATHER IN OMAHA P. W. Rathbun, of Bemidji, Worried Lest Family Was Killed or Injured in Cyclone Sunday. WIRED THROUGH UNITED PRESS St. Paul, March 26.—Special by United Press at 2 p. m.—"Al- bert Rathbun is all right. Was not in the storm.” P. W. Rathbun, a traveling man who has headquarters in Bemidji, said last night that his father’s residence was in the path of the cyclone which struck Omaha Sunday night. Al- though he has telegraphed his friends and the chief of police, he has been unable to get word as to the safety of his father, Albert H. Rathbun, 3007 Fowler avenue, his mother and sister. Their names do not appear in the lists of dead and injured as reported in the twin city papers. H. E. Babcock, manager of the United Press in St. Paul, was called on the long distance phone last night to see if his wire could be used for the message. Mr. Babcock stated that the United Press wire is the only one working into Omaha. and that the message went down this morning. The men on the Omaha paper who will get |the United Press message are friends |of Mr. Rathbun and an answer is ex- | pected this afternoon. | Mrs: J. A. Younggren is also wait- jing word from Omaha to hear if -her iported as dead. KRXKK KKK KKK KKK KKK ¥ LAKE PLANTAGENET % KKK KKK K KKK KK KK igeneral good time was had by all. Cake and coffee were served at mid- night. Fred Buchsen spent Easter Sunday with Miss Juanita Gray. friend Mrs. Fitzgerald is the one re-| About thirty-five ' friends and jneighbors surprised Mr. and Mrs.| Davie Sheets Saturday night.« The {evening was spent in dancing and a} XHEXEEHARHHIE KK KKK Sterling, 11l . | Traverse City, Mlch Perth, Ind ........ %%, 1 Totals . ALLIES CAPTURED ADRIANOPLE TODAY By United Press., Sofia, March 26—Special at 10 a. m.—Adrianople has fallen. The Bulgarian war office this morn- Balkan war. The third Bulgarian division enter- ed the city and took: possession. -Be- fore they surrendered, the Turks blew up several powder magazines and fired houses but the conquerors saved the town from destruction. BAND CONCERT THURSDAY The Bemidji band will give a free concert in the city hall tomorrow evening. Following the concert, the band will give a dance .to which the admission fee is fifty cents. Vera Backus and C. J. Woodmansee have consented to assist'the band for this program. The entire program is as follows: {1. March, “The Trader”, Remfrey. 2. Overture, “The Silver Wedding,” Schlepegrell. 3. Waltz, “Philharmonic”, Beebe Jones, C. J. Woodmansee. 5. Characteristic, “Offff! the Trlal 7’ Carlton. Grand Fantasie, “Bohemian Girl”, Balfe. Recitation, “A Railway Station in the North of England”, Miss Vera Backus. 8. Badinette, “The Peacock,” Laur- endeau. 9.. ‘March, “The Jungle ng" Rem- frey. —A. Remfrey, Director. ADDITIONAL LOCALS. _F. A. Wilson, editor of the Bemidji Sentinel, is iu Bemidji today. Mrs. John Wallin and daughters | Stella and Helen of Great Falls, Mon< tana, are visiting friends here. a | The Young Peoples’ society of the Swedish Lutheran church will post- ipone their meéting until next week. Judge and Mrs. M. A: Spooner have returned to Bemidji 'sevetal weeks. in Florida and other, ‘southern states. | * DEAD'AND IN. LISTIN ¥ * GREAT STORMS THIS WEEK * IR LSS SRR SRR SRS S Dead ~ “Injured Dayto ... .. ..... . 5;000 . Unknown | Riverside......... 200" Unknown Delaware ........ ‘60 ‘Unknown St. Louis ......... 1 - Unknown {Omaha and suburbs. 232 -~ 330 {Terre Haute ...... 120 250 Chicago .. .. - 40 Yutan, Neb. ....:.. 18 20 | De Soto, Neb. ..v.. |2 :Unknown | |BerlingNeb ....... i 4 12 | Council Bluffs, Towa = 12 13 Bartlett, lowa . .... 3 10 Weston, Iowa ..... 2 32 |Neola,Towa ....... .2 2 Glenwood, Iowa ... 5 2 Beebe, Iowa ....... 25y 2 bMalvem, Towa ..... & 2 Walton, 111 ....... 3 3 1 H ? i 1. Unknown 1 ing announced the fall of the Turkish | holy city that will probably end the’; Miss | 5 !Amom, 4. Baritone Solo, “The Pirate Chlef", after spending, FREDERIC C. PENFIELD. Rich New Yorker ‘Who May Be Ambassador to Austria. Held First Regular Meeting Last | Night and Appointed Necessary Prelimary- Committees. | WHITE AND RHODA OFFICERS | At the first regular meeting of the. new charter commission, which was appointed by Judge Stanton last week -{to draft and submit a eommission form of government charter to the voters of Bemidji, A. P. White, presi- dent of the Northern National Bank, president and Fred Rhoda, clerk of court, as secretary. T..J. Burke attended the meeting but stated that he could not qualify was elected | as he has not lived in Bemidji the re- F. 8. Lycan was ill R. H. Schu- quired five years. and unable to attend. {were the other absent members. A steering Acommitt’ee of Messrs. Malzahn, McDonald, !Shannen, Opsahl and Bowser was ap- Roe, rand to report at the meeting next Tuesday evening. F.S.Arnold, K. K. Roe and G. E. Carson were appdinted a comittee to investigate and tabu- |late the especial advantages of the i commission form. to work at.once and will probably meet every Wegnesday. Some of the members believe a charter will . be made ready within sixty days. H ELKS GO TO CROOKSTON Headed by, John Morfison, Jr., and Omar. Gravelle, of Red Lake, a large number of Bemidji Elks went to Crookston this afternoon to attend the meeting of the Crookston lodge tonight. Grand Forks also sent a large | delegation. ' Tamarac steer with wild rice has {been advertised as the dish of the evening. Al Jester is on the program for a story. Twelve candidates are to be initiated, THE CUB REPORTER SCOOP B0sS, WRAT DOES THIS Dafficive Page THATS THE 1DEE Now Scoop Understands, “Ley de fuego” OW so THATS THE. FUGITY LAW= 1S (T 2 COMNISSIONERS ARE BLSY maker, David Gill and Fred Rhoda] pointed to prepare a list of committees] The commission plans to get down |- WATER SEVEN FEET DEEP DOWN TOWN POR;TIONS OF RESII)ENCE' DISTRICTS SWEPT AWAY WHEN LEVEES BURST Rain and Snow in Central West Swell Streams Causing Dams and Earth- ways to Break—Many Cities Dark Last Night When Light Plants Were Forced to Shut Down—Property Damage Cannot Be Estimated | THOUSANDS ARE HOMELESS AND THE MILITIAS ARE ORDERED 0UT By United Press. : Columbus, March 26.—2 p. m.—Rain is still falling and adding to the waters of already swollen streams. In addition the weather has turned cold and many are homeless with insufficient clothing for protection. Train loads of food are being rushed into the stricken district. Beportl from Delaware say that from 75 to 100 are dead. A rumor from Manou, Ind., says that the reservoir of the Wabash has gone out and the waters are rising mpldly. A telephone message from a suburb of Day- ton says that the jmmense plant of the National Cash Register company is on fire. A message from Phoneton says that the reservoir above Hamilton has broken and that 1,000 are dead. - An apparently authentic report from Peru, Ind., says that between 200 and 500 are dead there. Coffins for 400 have been ordered. Springfield says that 500 lives were lost in Piqua. A report from Phoneton, a suburb of Dayton, says that the water in the business district is twenty feet deep. The section stricken is one and one-half miles in diameter. St. Elizabeth’s hospital in Dayton is reported to have burned together with 600 patients. . Columbus, Ohio, March 26—At 8 a. m.—Parts of Indiana and Ohio were inundated yestérday afternoon as results of one of the worst rain storms which ever visited this country. Dams were broken out and cities In Dayton the flood did most damage and last night the city was under seven feet or water. Three rivers, the Big Miami, the Stillwater and the Mad conjoin in flooded to the depth of several feet. the heart of Dayton, each is overflowing its banks and the buildings are tumbling into the flood as the banks are washed away by the swift currents. the streams but these have broken and the waters are pouring into the business and residence districts, The city has been protected by twenty-five foot levees which guide TWENTY ARE DROWNED AT DELEWARE. Delaware, Ohio, March 26—The Scioto river has overfiowed its banks here and twenty: peopleare known .to have been drowned. The property loss is*beyond estimate at this time. PART OF INDIANAPOLIS UNDER WATER ALSO. ludianapolis, March 26—Two thousand families here were forced to leave their homes here yesterday-afternoon and last night by the waters of the White river, Pleasant Run river and Eagle creek. The streams rose at ‘the rate of six inches per hour. Interurban traffic is at a stand- still and thirteen lines are idle. 3 “The city was in darkness last nl;é'ht as the gas plant was floeded and the water supply was shut off. Miles of railroad tracks have been washed . -out and only the roofs of houses are visible.' ) DAMS BREAK AND HORSEMEN CARRY WARNING. Akron; Ohio, March 26—When the dam north of the city broke yes- terday afternoon, horsemen rode through the valley warning the farmers, who, with their families, fled by the hundreds. Marion, Ind., March 26--The levee here w/as broken last night and between 500 and 1,000 persons were forced to flee for their lives..- At Elwood, 300 are homeless. The Wabash river at La Fayette is twenty-five feet high a;d rising. ‘The detention hospital was flooded but the inmates escaped; Loms, March 26—One pemn was;drowned and many forced to flee when the River des Peres, in the western - part of this city, rose and overflowed its banks. The rise was due to the heavy rains of the past forty- eight hours. B N “of the flood. The governor has authorized the use of thé militia. Lima, Ohio, March 2'6—A string of passenger trains ten miles long i _was held up here yesterday by wnahoum between here and La Fayette, < *Indiana.. The Ottowa river is on'a rampage. b e #-* Columbus, Ohio, March 26-—Bridges connecting the western tnd east- ern parts, of the ‘¢ity were swept away yesterday afternoon. The' Scioto here is on a tear and is overflowing the banks.. Hundreds of men were marooned in factories on the west.side and the police and militia exper- - lenced great dlflcnlty a octln‘ their rw e, Kokomo, Ind., March 26—This eity was in darkness last night becauge ]