Evening Star Newspaper, January 26, 1937, Page 4

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 1937. PITTSBURGH FLOOD BUS PROBE STARTS HALTED BY GOLD WITH TOLL-AT 17 Mercury Drop Curbs Rivers Expert Mechanics Inspect After Second Invasion Mud-Caked Vehicle That of “Golden Triangle.” Plunged Into Canal. BY the Associatec Press. BY the Associated Press, A—4 ¥x COAST GUARDSMEN RUSH T WHEELING Crew of 21 Hurries to Evac- uate Citizens as Ohio River Climbs Higher. ————— disaster galvanizes him into action. After one of his countless telephone calls today—this from Puducah, Ky.— he adjusted his rimless spectacles, lit & fresh cigaret from the stump of another and observed: “From our point of view, there is nothing to be worried abeut there. That is, nobody is go®iz to be drowned or starved. Outside of that they'll | probably catch all kinds of hell.” Food Is Shipped. A few minutes later, he sent 20 | trucks of food up the river from | Memphis, a special train to Louis~ | ville, $10,000 worth of food along the the flood areas donated material, such | as food, clothing and medical sup- plies when shipped by and consigned to the American Red Cross. This free movement of relief supplies will be continued for 18 days. Commissioners Yssue Appeal. ‘The Commissioners appealed to the public for prompt donations of funds and clothing for the relief of the flood sufferers and established machinery for handling contributions, Money contributions should be sent to the office of the District auditor in the District Building or to the District Chapter of the Red Cross, 1730 E O. E. S. Chapter Celebrates Birthday By the Associated Press. WHEELING, W. Va., January 26— A Coast Guard crew of 21 men sped to Wheeling today to hurry evacua- tion of thousands of persons still re- maining in flood-threatened homes while the Ohio River climbed higher. The stage was 46.6 feet early today— 10 feet above flood stage—and still rising. They brought with them from Wil- mington, Del.,, three power launches PITTSBURGH, January 26—A sudden drop in temperatures halted steady rise-in Pittsburgh’s rivers today, just as they swept over the ed| ne: L ge of the “golden triangle” busi- ss district for the second time in week, With the temperature fall the city’s three rivers began receding from a st flood height. age of 34.5 feet—9!; feet beyond Upstream, the Monon- * MIAMI, Fla., January 26.—A three- way investigation was pushed today into the disaster that brought death by drowning to 17 passengers of a bus crossing the Everglades. Expert mechanics, sent independ- ently by civil authorities, State Rail- road Commission and the bus oper- | ator, Tamiami Trail Tours, Inc., ex- amined the big, mud-caked vehicle that rolled into a roadside canal 35 miles west of Miami. street, and all police and fire station houses and the District Building were ordered kept open continuously for the receipt of gifts of clothing. ‘The Commissioners said in a proc- lamation: “The President of the United Statcs having publicly called the attention of the people of the United States to the apalling disaster which has ove:- | taken the inhabitants of the Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys as a result | tributaries of the Ohio. “Orders are for us to get the food loaded and see about paying for it later,” he said. Herile, a native of the District, | has been with the Red Cross 27 years | and now is assistant director of dis- aster relief. He had his first flood relief expe- rience in 1914 on a Red Cross mission in China. Five women have been working more and nine life boats to ply over the gahela, Allegheny and Ohio Rivers of the floods, and as the president of than 15 hours at a stretch to handle swirling muddy tide carrying supplies or transferring men, women and children to refuge on higher ground. Other relief workers rowed through the water-filled streets transporting baskets of food to 600 families on the *“Island” and in South Wheeling. Hundreds of other persons stood in line outside a relief center, moved slowly through a kitchen and received bowls of steaming food—then trudged to the streets again. Throughout the might crowds tramped through Wheeling's streets, gathered at the edge of the encroach- ing tide, aided in attempts to save stock of big stores. One group—clerks in a big depart- ment store—completed their job of moving stock from the first floor. Then they played—donned roller skates and turned the sales room into 8 skating rink. R. E. Spears, director of Red Cross relief, estimated 8,000 of the 10,000 population of the “island” midstream- residential district have fled to safety. Others, he said, are trying to “ride out the flood” despite pleas and warn- Ings of relief agencies. The relief director also placed the figure of 20,000 on the number of homes touched by flood waters in South Wheeling, low-lying residential district on the mainland. In the business section three main streets were under water for blocks; one hotel was surrounded by the flood; theaters were closed; pumps chugged | all over town, pumping waters from the basements of stores and buildings still above the flood lines. Refugees crowded all available shel- ters in churches, schools and public buildings. Hotel rooms all were taken. Similar conditions existed in Wells- burg, New Martinsville, lowland sec- tions of Moundsville, all towns along the opposite bank of the river in| Ohio. At Powhatan, Ohio, heat and | gas were shut off; many families were | evacuated forcibly after they declined | to flee from the flood. Rescues were frequent—one man, Abe Wilson, was pulled from the tor- rent after a wild ride 7 miles down- stream from Follansbee. FACES WATER FAMINE. | | | | Huntington Is Threatened With Com- plete Isolation. HUNTINGTON, W. Va., January | 26 (#)—This flood-bound eity of 75,000 inhabitants faced a possible water famine today and rising waters of the Ohio River threatened it with almost complete isolation. Special trains carried more than 2.000 destitute refugees to Charleston, | 50 miles away, but observers said they | probably were the last who may leave | because the mounting waters slowly | submerged lanes of travel. Most of the city was without water when the Ohio got into the water | plant. Mayor George R. Seamoncs | said there was no reserve supply in | the reservoir, There still was light and gas mn some places, but only a fraction of | the city remained out of water. The water level hit 68 feet at 10 a.m., equaling the high mark of 1913, and rose higher an inch an hour. Flood stage is 518, Death Toll Reaches Five, The death toll here reached five | when W. O. Greenwell, 50, & druggist, died of a heart attack after he was | rescued from his home. The fire threat still hung over the State’s biggest city, along with disease and hunger. There were almost 100 persons ill, although none seriously. Two 30,000-gallon tanks of gaso- line, wrenched from their bases, were towed far out in the river and emptied. | ‘Warnings were issued against throw- ing matches and cigarettes on the | water. Seamond threatened to seek Fed- | eral action in extreme cases of food profiteering, saying: “I am requesting there be no profit- i eering on foodstuffs, and in extreme cases offenders will be prosecuted.” Food was becoming scarce and prices were going up. Arrangements were being made to bring food boats in. In Police Station. The yellow tide crept into the Hunt- ington police station; surrounded the Huntington water plant, Police moved their equipment to higher floors—they previously had re- leased all prisoners serving short sen- tences for misdemeanors, At the water plant, serving a popu- lation of 75000, the flood seeped through sandbag barricades, Huntington'’s principal business streets were under water. Theaters, department stores, groceries all were closed in the flooded areas. ‘The waters even climbed steep grades from the river bank to par- tially surround the county jail, four blocks from the water front. Town Unheard From. Point Pleasant, at the confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, had not been heard from for many hours. The last word—a call for help from the Red Cross—came just before the single remaining telephone line snapped yesterday. There the busi- ness section and most of the residen- tial district was under water. Many residents took refuge at Camp Con- ley, & National Guard training camp on a bluff back of the town. Eight Coast Guard cutters came into Parkersburg City today while the Ohio River climbed to the 55.3-foot stage. Houses were toppled from their bases and floated off down the wide stream. i Police said their telephone exchange ‘was besieged with calls for aid. They estimated more than 4,000 people have been forced from their homes. ‘The water crept up around the City Hall, forcing those in first-floor offices to move. All water service was curtailed to Huge birthday cake enjoyed by members of East Gate Chapt, Star, and their guests at a birthday party of the chapter last night at the temple. The cake was baked by Mrs. Vivian Tucker, Rhine, grand matron, and Dr. Victor Rench, grand patron of the Grand Chapter. Prominent among the guests at th. b B . er, No. 21, Order of the Eastern were stationary or dropping slowly. Rocks, Etna, ‘The industrial suburbs—McKees Sharpsburg, Verona— were flooded during the night. Water Invades Homes. ‘The water climbed into homes and neighborhood stores as it did last week. Hundreds of families fled. Relief sta- tions were set up; school houses be- cal me barracks. One man died. river patrolman, Charles M. Snyder, who rescued hundreds from drowning during years e party were Mrs. Elizabeth W. Louisville drifted to the water's edge and lay uncared for under a sun that was growing stronger today—a reminder that effective action against pestilence was needed. Dogs Roam Streets. In the unflooded residential areas, chiefly the highlands, Crescent Hill, Beechmont and scattered islands or higher land residents reported aban- doned dogs roaming the streets, scavengering what they might. Damage to the varnish plant was estimated later at the City Hall at several hundred thousand dollars. Pat H. Callahan, one of Louisville's wealthy citizens and a member of President Roosevelt's Good Neighbor League, is president of the firm owning it. Military rule was expected to be clamped on Louisville tonight with the arrival of United States Army troops. Gov. Chandler declared mar- tial law for Louisville after Mayor Neville Miller's Emergency Relief Committee informed him local au- thorities could not cope with the crisis here. Must Build Bridges. ‘The first task confrenting Regular Army engineers upon their arrival this afternoon from Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind., was construction of pontoon bridges on fiooded thorough- fares to complete the evacuation of | more than two-thirds of this eity's | 330,000 citizens. Nearly 20,000 refugees from the low- lylng western and central residential districts remained to be moved to the highlands and suburbs to the east, where citizens threw open their homes and established relief centers in pub- | lic buildings. A battalion of 850 men was ordered here from Fort Benjamin Harrison | and 250 men from Fort Thomas, Ky., | after Gov. Chandler informed the | Federal Government State and local | authorities could not combat pesti- lence, panic and hunger in the wake | of Louisville’s most disastrous flood. | Governor Takes Action. Pointing out that the Kentucky con- stitution did not authorize martial law, | Chandler explained he was declaring | it anyway because of the flood crisis. | Martial law applied only to Louisville. | Two thousand Kentucky National | Guardsmen, however, were on nood duty in the State. Until Federal troops can set up pon- toon bridges over Beargrass Creek, a little stream which Ohio River back- waters expanded over the transporta- | tion lanes leading to the highlands, rescue workers continued to move | refugees by canoes, rowboats and pow- er boats. Louisville managed somehow again today to do without electricity. Hos- pitals and relief centers, as well as private homes, burned candles or oil lamps last night. Mayor Miller ordered all food re- moved from stores and warehouses in flooded areas and in threatened zones and concentrated at a car barn in | the highlands. The Mayor said there Wwas no present danger of a food short- age if stocks were kept accessible. It required nearly an hour to obta enough men to check in the food. Water service was still limited. Ut- most caution was urged in the face of increased fire hazards. Even flooded zones in some sections were not safe from fire because of an oil scum. The gas supply was termed adequate at present. Louisville’s huge distilling and to- bacco processing plants and other fac- tories were idle. Only workers for es- sential relief work were permitted downtown through Guard lines. 2,000 on Second Floors. After a boat inspection tour in the | west end, CIiff Sipes, game warden, and Lieut. A. Burton of the United States Alr Corps reported 2,000 per- sons were marooned on second floors. ‘They said some refused to move. With 25 known deaths in Kentucky attributed to the flood, officials feared receding waters would disclose more fatalities. Mayor Miller said it was impossible to estimate property dam- age and the loss to industry shutdown by the flood. Former Adjt. Gen. Percy Haly remarked, “We are too busy sav- ing human lives to give thought to the amount of property loss.” Although the Kentucky River, which overflowed its deep ravine to an un- precedented stage, begah receding at Frankfort, the situation remained Coughs Relieved Right Away You want prompt relief. Hall's Expectorant quiets coughs due to colds amazingly quick. Soothes and helps Nature heal irritated mem- branes of the throat. Special in- gredients warm throat and chest and three hours daily. The plant was|'make you feel many times better. under water and the supply was com- ing from the reservoir. Even the cur- tailed supply may be exhausted within three days, officials warned. ‘The Little Kanawha, which enters the Ohio River at Purkersburg, again was rising. Relief officials said the supply of food in the city i cient for at least three days. Take no needless chances by letting that cold cough go unchecked. Get a bottle of soothing Hall’s Expec- torant today. Three sizes: 35c—60c ~—¥$1, at all drug stores, Tlatty | critical at the capital city. Flood waters forced abandonment of the century-old State reformatory after a | riot by inmates. The prisoners were | moved to jails in Central Kentucky cities and a concentration camp near Louisville. Reports conflicted as to the number of prisoners who might have lost their lives behind the gray stone walls of the flooded prison, where surly prison- ers rioted and some were shot after flood waters edged into tkeir cells, 40 to 45 Prisoners Missing. One high State official who declined to be quoted by name said a check-up last night showed that from 40 to 45 | prisoners were missing. Some National Guardsmen said that probably 12 bodies would be found when the flood receded from the institution. ! County Judge Boone Hamilton esti- mated the property loss in Frankfort | and Frankhin County would approxi- | mate $4,000,000. The State capital, on | a hill overlooking the water-covered ' Kentucky River Palisades, sheltered | 2,000 refugees in its marble-walled corridors. Water surrounded the old | State Capitol, now a museum xor; valuable historical relics, in downtown | Frankfort. Equally serious was the situation at Henderson, Ky., across the flooded | ©Ohio from Evansville, Ind. Two thou- | sand refugees were reported to have | left Henderson, Points along Ohio River tributaries in Western Kentucky were hard beset by flood waters. President James H. Richmond ordered Murray College classes suspended so that the building | | could be thrown open to Western Ken- | level established in 1913. tucky flood refugees, Busses Are Seized. City officials adopted drastic meas- | ures last night in an effort to rescue 20.000 persons still marooned in flood- ed houses and to preserve the health and the morale of 200,000 others al- ready evacuated. Alderman Board President Morace A. Taylor, outlining to Mayor Mil- ler's Emergency Council the urgent | tion of refugees, described the meas- ures taken to obtain them, A bus company left 20 vehicles on a hill. The keys were in the igni- tion switches. Officers searching for vehicles to move refugees huddled in evacuation bases spotted the buses. | They loaded 20 drivers in a truck, | seized the buses and moved thou- | sands of refugees in them. A private supply house tryinz to move some of its equipment left a truck ‘in front of a business place a short time. When the driver re- turned he recognized his truck re- turning from an evacuation base with 50 refugees in it. Orders Are Posted. Safety Director Wakefleld directed the following order be posted on ST A i {l (i A 3 = In Our Sem F , we advise quick action. These prices are actually s e nder ::mo conditions. Our complete stocks - of Fashion Park ond R season’s lowest offered ot the utility poles the spot whom they find looting. must have some officer or employe re- main on the premises at night. men may arm themselves and they will not be prosecuted by police if, being any one found attempting to force an throughout the city of service on the river, was swept down the swollen Allegheny as he prepared his launch for a tour of flooded areas. Gas and electric lights were shut Off in some of the harder hit districts. Upriver in Sharpsburg, always hard hit by flood waters of the Allegheny, | Burgess Dennis Casper gave orders to | when police could get to them: | “shoot to kill” any looters. 1. Police will shoot any person on 2. Business and industrial concerns g; These si within their property lines, they shoot entrance stolen property. 3. It will be necessary to confiscate food, clothing, gasoline and many other articles. But no confiscation will take place unless conducted by policemen in uriform and authorized by the director of safety. 4. All cases of profiteering in food will be investigated by members of the Detective Bureau who may, upon finding guilt, close the concern and if | the director of safety is satisfied of the guilt of the concern he will order | the confiscation of the goods of the concern. 5. All saloons must remain closed. 6. Food stores with beer license may remain open for the sale of food only. | 7. Visitors and sightseers keep away from flooded districts, do everything you can to make conditions in this disaster better, do nothing to make it worse, or carrying away ny | ti Flee Maysville. Two-thirds of Maysville’s homes had | en evacuated as the river continued | of 748 feet, 6 feet above the flood A train load of rellef supplies s reached Maysville from Lexington and | Paris. Dover, Mason County village of 300 population, was unreported again to- day. No word has been received from Dover for the past 48 hours. Only one telephone line leads into the town and it has been out of commis- | sion for the past two days. Ashland was under about 3!’ feet of el la e | need for motor vehicles for avacua- | flood water today from the Ohio River | front up to Winchester avenue, three blocks away, but James T. Norris, as- sociate publisher of the Ashland Inde- pendent, reported food, medicine and water supplies plentiful. The flood reached a stage of 72.7 today, with the water rising 0.05 of a foot an hour. Norris said city water, electric and gas services were still functioning ex- cept in flooded areas. Between 600 and 700 refugees from Greenup, Russel and surrounding lo- calities were being cared for at Ash- land today. Food is being dropped to others by planes, with Government boats ferrying supplies where possible. Norris said Catlettsburg was vir- tually under water, with roads open, however, to Grayson, Olive Hill and[ Louisa. R | militant, Freeport Marshals Aid. At Freeport, another Allegheny iver town, Burgess C. A. Rogers said: “We have made all possible prepara- tions to care for our own homeless. Supplies, blankets and other nece: ties so far are adequate.” In the “bottoms” of McKees Rocks, death trap in the floods a year ago, calm prevailed. The flood was an old story to them. At the giant Gulf Building, on one of the highest spots downtown, the subterranean water was 4 feet be- eath the floor of its 40-foot-deep subbasement, Maj. Lynn G. Adams, superintendent of the State police, ordered 40 addi- tional troopers into the city. 'HOUSE REPUBLICANS DECIDE ON PROGRAM y (he Associated Press. The 89 House Republicans embarked today on a “militant” campaign of opposition to any Democratic pro- posals they deem inimical to the Na- on’s interests. They instructed their leader, Repre- sentative Snell of New York, at a con- - ference last night to name a nine-man on its upward march. At 10 o'clock | Policy Commitee to work out a party | i ver reached a stage Program. | L A L s 2 | “We are attempting to organize a | cohesive minority,” said nell. Several made it clear they consid- red this course the best basis for a rive to regain lost party power. ‘They said their best orators would | bombard administration action or leg- islation they consider unsound or un- onstitution: Quick on the GETAWAY when you switch to richer RICHFIELD HI-OCTANE GASOLINE PLEASE SEE PAGE A-5 i il I at the “Modern” Mede New Low Prices annual Clearance Richard Prince Suits and‘ Overcdfits " Were $35 85 2 Were $40 9.85 Fashion Park Suits and Overcoats Were $45 and $50 s34 e Monthly Settlements— or 12-Pay Plan = g it N ik | il i i 85 $4 g5 at Eleventh Were $55 to $75 4.85 v Courtesy Park- ing at N.W. Cor. E and 12th Sts. and NE. Cor. 11th and N. Y. Ave. The bus carried 30 passengers, its driver and a Negro porter, bound for Florida’s West Coast. The driver, W. W. Hammond of Tampa, who escaped with minor lacer- ations, said he thought “either the steering wheel broke or the right front wheel collapsed. I was driving at a moderate rate of speed.” Early today two bodies, both women, remained unidentified, ‘The identified dead: Mrs. Elizabeth M. Rodgers, 54, 333 East Birch street, Walla Walla, Wash. C. D. Towled, 60, St. Louis, Mo. Louis Frank Sergent, 41, Miami. Edgar H. Whitney, 78, Winthrop, Mass. Robert M. Halpenny, 38, Everglades, Fla. Thomas J. Watters, Rochelle, N. Y. Mrs. Helen B. Watters, 29, his | mother, of New Rochelle, N. Y. Mrs. Sarah House, 53, Detroit. Mrs. J. F. Heidt, 67, High Springs, 3%, New a. Mrs, Clara Young, 58, New Castle, Mrs. Sarah L. Liks, 42, Matawan, N.J. Mrs. Emily Best, 42, Wyncoate, Pa. | Mrs. W. P. Heinrichs, 50, 3930 North Paulina avenue, Chicago. W. P. Heinrichs, 65, Chicago. Mrs. B. 8. Wood, 42, of Bingham- | ton, N. Y. —_— Fund ‘095[],',‘“’,&, PFrom First Page.) Whiteford lives at 101 Leland street, Chevy Chase. Over $300 already has been donated, she said, and the Chevy | | Chase Fire Department is collecting | | clothing and other usable articles. | The Pennsylvania Railroad announc- ed it will transport free of charge to | checks COLDS FEVER first day rid’s Best Liniment | IN TWO $35 GROSNER DRESS COATS $35 HAIR FLEECE $35 GROSNER KERSEY COATS $40 GROSNER KERSEY COATS $40 WHITNEY FLEECE COATS $45 KUPPENHEIL KERSEYS | the telephone calls at the Red Cross Building. About half of these calls are inquiries from friends or relatives of persons in the stricken area and the rest offers of aid from all parts of the country. In the annex there are about 100 girls doing clerical work, of which about 23 are emergency workers called in to tabulate contributions. the American Red Cross having urged the American people to contribute promptly and generously funds to | alleviate the suffering incident to this disaster, the Commissioners of the | District of Columbia sppeal to the | people of the District contribute as far as is within their power to pro- vide money and clothing for the need- ful assistance of the inhabitants of the stricken localities. Our people have never failed to respond to such a call and our record of liberality in this respect should be maintained.” The Commissioners named the fol- lowing as a committee in charge of | contributions made through the Dis- | trict government: Police Supt. E. W. Brown, C. E. Schrom. E. P. Brock, | superintendent of the District Build- | ing; A. R. Pilkerton, and G. M. | Thornett, secretary to the Commis- sioners, i Relief headquarters here presented & scene of amazing activity last night. | One of the busiest was Colin Herile, who has slept only 10 hours during the last week while directing relief | for the 500,000 flood victims. Between disasters, Herile leads a | quiet life, amusing himself with ama- teur carpentry and efforts to make SPECIAL COAL PRICES Pocahontas Egg - *]0* Pocahontas Stove *]1(Q"° A Smokeless, Fine-Burning, Screened Bituminous Coal The Usual Charge for Carrying to Bin R. S. MILLER 805 THIRD ST. N.W. NAT. 5178 NAVY INCREASED TOKIO, January 20 (#)—Japan to- day launched the second torpedo boat to be added to her post-treaty navy within a week. ‘The warship, named the Hato, is a 595-ton vessel. It is 250 feet long Ten thousand persons witnessed the launching. BROILED STEAK needs LEA & PERRINS SAUCE THE ORIGINAL WORCESTERSHIRE Take your pick g any OVERCOAT 4 the house REDUCED GROUPS: $45 KUPPENHEIMER DRESS COATS $50 KUPPENHEIMER HEAVY WEIGHT VALGORAS $50 WORUMBO COATS $55 KUPPENHEIMER TWEEDS $65 KUPPENHEIMER McGREGORS $65 KUPPENHEIMER WORSTED CHEVIOTS COATS MER 217 134 Prices mounting on all fronts! However, it's clearance time at Grosner's, this fact plus an ex- tremely backward season, makes this sale and the savings all the more important to you!...and here’s OUR Sale! Overcoats savings you can't overlook, not 125—$29.75 of the town-famous Grosner fashion, quality fabric and tailoring, at if you need an Overcoat . . . Come Early! & $35 SUITS .....*19.75 § GROSNER of 1325 ¥ Street