The Pittsburg Enterprise (Pittsburg, Okla.), Vol. 8, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 3, 1913 Page: 1 of 8
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THE PITTSBURG ENTERPRISE
VOL. VIII.
■vj
sra suits
IN FLOOD ZONE
OEATH LIST OUTSIDE OF DAYTON
HAS BEEN GROWING
RAPIDI •>
DEAD MAY REACH TWO THOUSAND
Appalling Scenes May Be Witneesed
When the Waters Recede—Fire
Adds to the Horror of
the Waters. •
WORST HORROR AT DAYTON
Chicago.—Revised estimates of the
loss of life in Dayton. Ohio, give
ground for Jtope that the dead in all
sections affected by the flood will not
exceed 2,000 and may go below that
figure. Daring investigators who pen-
etrated the flooded section revealed
hundreds safe whom it was feared
were lost.
Unless swelled by a death list in
the foreign settlement on the north
aide, as yet unreached, there might
not be more than 200 dead in the
whole city.
There was far heavier loss of life
In the west side of Columbus, Ohio,
that was thought. One estimate placed
the number dead at more than 600.
Apparently authentic reports from
piqua indicated that 20 were dead.
At Hamilton, Ohio, 50 persons wt'e
reported drowned in a collapse of a
hotel, where they had sought refuge.
Twenty-five deaths were reported
from Troy, Ohio; 30 in Middleton and
five at Massillon.
Deaths from the flood in Chlllicothe
will not exceed 25 according to latest
advices. Early reports were that from
200 to 600 lives had been lost.
A report front Linton. Indiana, gave
16 persons drowned at Howesville, 25
mlleB south of Terre Haute.
There were ten deAtha in Sharon,
Pennsylvania.
Property Loss $25,000,000.
Fi*;rr n.-c that V-r * r
were marooned in Dayton s flooded
district, where 15,000 homes have been
submerged. Rescue stations are pro-
viding for §,000 homeless. The prop-
erty damage in the city Is figured at
$25,000,000.
Latest reports from Zanesville are
that 150 lives are believed to have
been lost there. About 1.500 are home-
less. A Bcore of buildings collapsed.
Flood conditions along the Ohio
are growing worse- Lowlands are in-
undated. Still higher stages and fur-
ther damage is predicted.
Flood conditions in West 1 irginia
have become serious. Eastern Penn-
sylvania is suffering severely.
Vandals in West Indianapolis caused
a threat of martial law. Several deaths
from drowning have occurred.
Northern and Western New York
are flood stricken. Heavy property
damage has followed in the Hudson
and Mohawk valleys and in the west-
ern part of the southern tier.
President Wilson has announced his
readiness to go to the scene of the
Ohio floods if his presence will aid.
Under his direction, Secretary of War
(iarrison left at once for central Ohio.
General Deonard Wood, Quartermas-
ter General Aleshire and a party of
officers, physicians and surgeons ac-
companied him. Snrgeon General Blue
of the public health service has gone
to the scene to take personal charge.
A big signal corps detachment will
help open communication. The navy
department ordered marines, physi-
cians and others at its recruiting sta-
tions in the central west to co-operate
with the army medical staff.
Trains are moving with food, med-
ical help, supplies and other neces-
saries into the flood region.
The railroads are working hard to
make repairs.
Millions of Dollars Loss and Unknown
Number of Psople Killed.
Dayton, Ohio.—All but a few of
those hundreds of persons who have
been marooned In the downtown sec-
tion of flooded Dayton are safe fhls
was the news brought out late by an
Associated Press staff man. the first
to succeed in the perilous task of pen
etrating as far north as the Big Miami
river.
Chief of Police J. N. AUaback, him-
self marooned, who has been directing
the rescue work, gave the first infor-
mation as to the situation In what
has heretofore been the waterbouud
district.
Except for possible loss of life on
the north side of the river there will
not be more than 200 dead in Dayton,
according to Allaback’s estimate after
he had been given information as to
the situation on the south side.
The worst condition found near the
center of the flood was in the work
house, where sixty prisoners had not
had a drop of water nor a bite of food.
The mt*n revolted and demanded their
liberty and a chance to fight for their
lives. Since then the workhouse has
been a madhouse, according to Super-
intendent Johnson. The prisoners re-
peatedly fought with Johnson and
threatened to kill him and his family^
Johnson asked that n detachment
of the national guard be assigned to
help him handle the men He declared
that the men would have to be shot
if they escaped from their cells.
John H. Patterson, p esident of the
National Cash Register company, who
headed the relief work in the south
end of the city, sent out an appea
for food supplies and for doctors and
medicine. Ten thousand homeless
were housed In his company’s offices.
In the wood working department of
the company, boats were being turned
out at the rate of ten an hour and
these were rushed to where the wa-
ters had crossed Main street in a sort
of gully- ^ . .
But the waters crept up •n the
strength of the cum ....
strong for the crude punts, though they
were the best that could be made in a
hnrrv Trip after trip was mad. and
hundreds of the refugees were Ukea
from this stretch of houses and the
houses on the other side. Then came
the path of the flames starting at Vine
and Main streets, it jumped Main
street and the houses on the other side
soon were aflame.
In the middle of the street were a
few frame houses that had been
washed from their foundations. These
were swirled about for,a time and, as
though to aid in the passing of the
section by lire, they were cast into
the path of the flames.
Persons hurried from the$r roof
tops, where they had been driven by
the flood to the roof tops of adjoining
houses. . .
One man carried his baby to safety
in a pillow slip and the youngster
celebrated his arrival to safe ground
by a lusty yell. , . ,, . . .
The worst of the flooded district
includes all of North and West Day-
ton, all of the downtown section the
south side as far as Oakwood and all
of the residence suburb of Glendale.
The district has a normal population
of more than 50,000.
Floating * Houses Disintegrate.
Those in the residences are in
constant danger both by flood and
fire. First, the frailer buildings swept
into the stream, many showing faces
of women and children peering from
the windows. These were followed
by more substantial brick buildings
until it became evident that no house
in the flood zone was safe. The
houses as a rule lasted but a few
blocks before disintegrating.
The number of drowned cannot be
estimated until the flood subsides.
The flooded district comprises a
circle with a radius of a mile and a
half and in no place is the water less
than six feet deep.
PITTSBURG, OK LA.. THURSDAY. A PHIL 3, 1913.
TNI MflTIl
BILLS FRDPDSED
TOTAL DEATHS IN THE TORNADO
LAST WEEK WILL REACH
NEARLY 250.
RELIEF FUND OF MILLION RAISED 10 MAKE AN APPROPRIATION
Large Sum* of Money Pour Into City;
Twenty-Four Dead at Terre
Haute—Real Strain Yet
To Come.
Another Message from Governmeitt,
The passage of a law which would
[ require candidates for public office,
I and particularly candidates for gover-
I nor and legislative positions, to make
I public any pledges giveu by them tu
advance of eleetiou to support any
particular class of legislation, is
recommended by Governor t’ruce in a
supplementary message sent to the
legislature. On lhat subject he says
■ No man believes more firmly than
I in the doctrine that men running
for office should state their positions
on public questions. Each voter hat
a right to know what a candidate for
office will do when confronted with
- * a public question after his election.
Amount Left Blank; Sentiment Grow. | but there has grown up tin^ this state
1 and in many other stales of the union
ONE WOULD RECREATE STATE
COMMISSION, WHILE OTHER
ORDERS SALE OF TRACT.
Omaha, Neb.—For the first tims
since the disastrous toruado of Eastei
Sunday, a resume was made and il
was apparently more appalling than
those who nad studied the result wers
willing to admit.
Not less than 200 lives were snuffed
out within the vicinity of the city
proper and not less than 50 persons
in surrounding towns lost their lives
Nearly 500 were injured and eight ol
these died in local hospitals.
The destruction was augmented
when nearly three inches of snow fell,
making uninhabitable the houses ol
many who had prepared to retain tem-
porary homes in partly destroyed
structures. So far as money might
relieve, conditions were perfect.
Tenders of sums aggregating $1,000,-
000 are in the hands of the city com
missioners. The offers came from
nearly every section of the country.
The greatest work started was that
of organizing a systematic relief bu
reau with seven branch stations in
the territory covered by the tornado.
These stretched over a strip seven
miles long and those in charge hand-
ed out material assistance to all com.
era who showed they were in need ol
aid.
Plans for the rebuilding of the city
are already under way, a movement
to form a corporation for the purpose
of aiding those who need help having
already been broached by several ol
t’,a uiv.t who are iu position to a., ed
such assistance.
Commissioner Ryder, in charge of
the temporary relief work, reai.zea
that the greatest distress will be felt
within the period when reaction from
the immediate shock is noted.
Many of the best parks of the city
are within the district covered. Han-
som park, near where the storm orig-
inated, was greatly damaged and De-
mis park, one of the show residence
sections of the city, was struck with
sufficient force to practically wreck
most of Its homes.
Twenty-Four Killed at Terre Haute.
Terre Haute, Ini.—With a death list
of twenty-four, reports brought by mes-
sengers on horseback from the south-
ern part of Vigo county Indicated that
the toll of the tornado which struck
here the same one that demolished
Omaha, would be increased to fifty. It
may be several days before the exact
number of dead will be known, as
many are believed to be burled in the
ruins of their homes The property
loss probably will exceed $500,000.
In addition to destroying about 300
homes in the southern portion of Terre
Haute, Prairleton, a small town six
miles south of here, was destroyed
and the intervening territory devasted.
The injured will number at least 300,
many of whom are in a serious condi-
tion. The hospitals are filled.
The Root glass factory was demol-
ished and the Gartlaud foundry was
severely damaged. The glass plant
employed 300 men and the loss is es-
timated at $57,000. The storm was
accompanied by a severe electrical
display and rain that almost equalled
a cloudburet. Cross wires and light-
ning started fires throughout the deb-
ris, but they were quenched by the
heavy rain.
bv the widening flood area. They
are Ohio. Indiana, West Virginia.
Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky
and Illinois In all of these railroad
traffic is paralyzed or greatly ham-
pered. Damage to railroad propert>
alone may reach $250,000,000.
Telegraph and telephone wires are
down on all sides. Large forces are
making repairs, but progress is slow.
A prolonged period of high water in
the Mississippi below Cairo la now
predicted.
Pennsylvania Distress.
Pittsburgh. Pa.--With a continued
rain falling over a wide territory of
northern and western Pennsylvania,
the flood situation at many poiuts is
growing serious. No fatalities have
been reported, but a number of per-
sons have been injured and property
damage has already resulted. Oil
City,
Bedford. Warren, Titiusville,
Relief’funds are swelling throughout The main levee of the big Mtamf
the nation. Hundreds of thousands of! Lroke at Webster street at about 8
dollars are already available. {o’clock. An hour later the water was
Seven states are seriously affected thrugh in a dozen places and a wall
"" 0[ water ten feet deep swept through
the main street just above the junc-
ture of the big Miami and made a
river where the Stillwater river poured
into the Miami. The water reached
and flowed into the business section,
a wall twenty feet high. The.Dayton
News wbb soon under twenty feet of
water, the water rose to the second
floor of the Algonquin hotel apd all
along Main street occupants were
driven to third floors.
Food Supply Exhusted.
The electric light plants were put
out of commission early In the day
and total darkness, coupled with a
torrential downpour, added to the hor-
rors of the night. Famine also be-
came an immediate possibility.
The breaking of the Tarleton reser-
voir, which supplies the drinking wa-
ter, left the City without water and
Eastern Oklahoma Hit By Hail Storm.
Fort Smith, Ark.—The heaviest and
most severe hail storm in the history
of Cameron, Okla., struck that town
and caused much damage. Crops were
completely destroyed and many win-
dows were broken. The peach crop
which promised to be unusually large
thin year is a total loss. Many east-
ern Oklahoma towns report a heavy
hall. The storm passed through Fort
\Smlth and although immense hail
stoues fell, there was no damage.
for Better Building—Other
News of the State Leg-
legislature.
The question of building the state
capitol is now squarely before the
House of Representatives. Two bills,
one No. 72 to recreate the state capi-
tol commission und to make an ap-
propriation for beginning work on thp
capitol at once; the second. No. lo, au-
thorizing the state land office to plat
and sell the 640 acres of land donated
by Oklahoma City, were Introduced in
the house.
The authors are Hill of Pittsburg.
Curtis, Lemon, Woodard.. McCrory,
Vos burgh and King, the former the Re-
publican leader in the house, and the
latter an important member, are back
itiK the bill, makes it practically cer
tain that the Republicans will Join *nc
Democrats in making an appropriation
to build the state capitol at once.
The amount of the appropriation is
not set out in Tull. The bill provides
that $476,117.84 remaining on hand
and unappropriated of the public build-
ing fund shall become available as a
part of the capitol building approp.'a-
tlon as soon as the contract to build
is let.
The remainder of the amount neces-
sary is to be appropriated out of the
general revenue funds, and as the leg-
islators have not yet decided just how
much of a capitol Oklahoma should
have, this sum was left blank It was
the original intention lo appropriate
$1 000,000, but the sentiment is fast
, owing that the legislature should
build a decent capitol now and be
done with it. and that $2,000,000 is the
smallest sum that should be appro-
Pr,BMdNo. 72, In addition to carrying
the appropriation, provides for a state
capitol commission of three persons,
• each of whom shall be over 30 years
of age and a man of business experi-
ence and ability," to work under bonds
of $25,000 each, with full P°W*T
contract for and manage the building
of the capitol.
Bill No. 75, by the same authors,
provides that the school land depart-
ment shall plat, appraise and sell the
lands and lots donated by Oklahoma
City
The bill provides that none of the
capitol lands shall be sold until the
actual construction -vork on the capi-
tol is well under wuy; that all sales
shall be by public auction at the capi-
tol site; upon terms of 20 per cent,
cash down and 20 per cent, per annum
for four years, the deferred payments
to bear 6 per cent, interest. A pur-
chaser may pay out in full at an>
time, at or after purchase.
New Bills In the House.
A multitude of new bills, many of
them of unusual importance, the pass-
age of a bill to appropriate $10,000 for
the purpose of clearing title
penitentiary site, and the death of the
Lenox-Origgs "highway code made
up the features of the Wednesday ses-
sion of the house.
Representative Curry and others
appear as the authors of the bills to
abolish the highway department, state
fire marshal and state enforcement of-
ficers. At the regular session the
house passed a bill to abolish the
highway department, but the senate
killed It Both houses passed the l 111
to abolish State Enforcement Officer
W. J. Caudill, but it died under the
governor's veto.
FLOOD'S PITH
APPALLING SWIFTNESS OF THE
FLOOD CATCHES STATE
UNPREPARED.
200.000 PEOPLE LEFT HOMELESS
Frisco Is Grateful.
San Francisco—Offers of assistance
went to stricken Omaha from virtually
every city on the Pacific coast. Cali-
fornia municipalities, especially re-
membering the prompt response to the j ^OO each,
needs of the state after the earthquake I
of 1906. asked only to be informed as
District Attorney Bill.
Represntative Riddle’s d>rlct at-
torney bill which died in the senate
arter passing the house at the regular
session reappears with a number of
other representatives acting as spon-
sors: H. H. Smith, E. P- Hi". Dr
Riddle, Cook, Emanuel, Teeltee and
Senator Blassingame.
The bill provides for district attor-
neys coextensive in territory with
the district judges, at » salary of
a condition that is Indefensible and
HUbterslve of the best purposes of
government. Candidates for office are
frequently singled out by individuals
or organizations and are secretly
pledged to support certain policies and
measures in the event of election.
These pledges are frequently made
without giving due consideration, al
though their judgment may be again*'
the proposition after deliberation, they
are confronted with this ante-election
pledge, which men usually feel tm
polled to respect and observe.
Policy Is Indefensible.
"This policy is indefensible from
any standpoint. If men are to pledge
themselves to support any measure
in advuttce of election, they ought to
be compelled to make public time
pledge, so that all of the voters Inter-
ested may be advised of the position
taken and vote accordingly "
The governor asks that more power
be given to him in connection with
the investigation of appointees against
whom charges of official misconduct
are made. In view of the fact that It
has been found impossible to compel
the attendance of witnesses at aa In-
vestigation of that sort.
He urges much more stringent laws
on the subject of gambling. More
stringent laws In regard to concealed
weapons and Sunday observance are
also recommended.
In connection with the matter of
abolishing and consolidating offices,
the governor states that its doea not
desire t0 restrict the legislators to the
j dices specifically mentioned In his
first message. The way is opened for
any constitutional amendments that
may be considered desirable.
A favorable recommendation Is
made lit regard to the marriage license
bill backed by the club women of the
state, which was passed by the house
at the regular session.
On the subject of the taxation of
mortgages, Governor Truce recom-
mends that they be exempted entirely
from taxation, stating that even the
proposition of a filing tax would be
unsatisfactory, as the borrower would
have to pay it in the end. Other
recommendations are for the adoption
of an adequate highway code and fur-
ther legislation for the protection of
Indian estates.
Hearings Granted On Pending Bills.
A hearing was granted by Governor
Truce on the congressional redlstrtct-
ing bill passed recently by the legis-
lature, but to data no Intimation has
been given as to what hlB action will
be on the measure. A number of leg-
islator urged Its approval. Some anx-
iety lias been expressed by advo-
cates of the measure and the rumor
was circulated that as the bill was
passed pursuant to the directions of
congress, the governor has no juris-
diction over the proposition. Gover-
nor Cruce, however, believes that his
constitutional power to approve or
veto holds good over this bill just as
much as over the other measures
which have been sent to him by the
legislature during its session.
The other more Important measures
still awaiting action include the hill
to abolish the fish and game depart-
ment and amending the enforcement
laws the "Gore’’ state election board
bill which makes the secretary of
the state senate the third member of
the board, the Muskogee fair bill, and
the pipe line common carrier
Governor Truce has only a few.- days
to sign the remainder of the bills
passed by the regular session. Those
not signed by that time die automat
ically.
Drop in Temperature Will Bring
Added Suffering; More Rain la
Expected; 200 Drowned at
Peru.
$3,000. and for elective assistants a.
follows- In counties less than 40,000.
one in counties between 40.000 and
60,000, two. at *1.200 each m coun-
ties over 60,000. three at not to ex-
The Ballard Case.
The demurrer of the house msn
agers to the immunity plea of State
Insurance Commissioner Perry A. Bal-
lard was sustained by the senate, sit
ting as a court of impeachment, and
the case will go to trial on April 2.
Of the thirty-eight senators voting on
the uestlon only two. Senator Guy P.
Horton and Senator J. J. Jones, voted
to overrule the demurrer.
The trial was to have been started
last week, but on account of the ill-
ness of Mrs. Ballard, who it was stated
Indianapolis. Ind.—A statewide flood,
so appalling In Its immensity and ter-
rific swiftness with which it came,
claimed 200 lives, according to re-
ports. made nearly 200,000 homeless
and has done property damage ol
more than $20,000,000 in Indiana
The White river levee here went
out, submerging hundreds of home*
and adding 2,000 to the 7.000 who are
homeless. Thousands of spectators
were watching the rtver when the
levee crumbled Men. women and
children [ought through the water to-
ward a nearby bridge which seemed
to offer tbe only safety.
The appalling awiftness with which
the waters have arisen caught the
entire state unprepared.
Streams that were brooks Easier
morning soon became f&ging torrents.
Persons who retired In apparently sato
homes Monday night. Tuesday morn-
ing were rescued from second stories
by boats; and lowlands, free from
flood waters Monday Tuesday night
are vast lakes. Conservative estimates
place the number driven from their
homes at near 100.000 and the property
loss will reach the twenty mlllloa
mark. These figures are made up trom
reports received from towns and vil-
lages and do not Include the great
loss to farmers of the state.
Indianapolis is in the grip of Ub
worst flood. Street cars stopped run-
ning when the water and gas plants
were forced to suspend.
Seven thousand persons wete driven
from their homes her* by the over-
flow from White River. F,agle creek
and Pleasant Run. They are being
cared for by charitable institutions,
the city and In private homes The
state militia Is patrolling the flooded
districts, aiding the police.
Mayor Shank asked the board of
public safety to appropriate $7,OOP for
the relief of flood sufferers.
Parts of Fort Wayne. Lafayette,
Richmond, Marlon, Terre Haute, Mus-
cle, Rustavllle, Kokomo, Peru. Conners-
vllle Petersburg, New CaBtle, Frank-
fort. Anderson. Tipton. Noblesvtlle.
Hartford City, Elwood. Bloomlugtoiv
Shelbvvllle, Logansport, Portland anti
Innumerable smaller towns are ttndee
water, with many of the residents
driven from their homes and others
living on upper floors, dreading the
prospects brought by each succeed-
ing hour. From many of these places
frantic appeals for aid have been re-
ceived bv the state officials.
Indianapolis. Ind.—Two hiindred or
more are drowned at Peru. Ind.. ac-
cording to a message received by Gov-
ernor Ralston from that place.
The governor's informant asked
that 200 coffins and food and clothing
be sent to Peru at once.
Vivid details of the flood at this
point were obtained when rescuer*
succeeded In propelling boats through
the Inundated streets. The facts es-
tablished were:
Number of persons drowned, esti-
mated from 50 up to as high as 150,
It being impossible to learn exactly,
because many bodies are hidden In
houses still wholly submerged.
Two hundred and twenty-five in-
jured or sick survivors rescued and
removed to a temporary hospital at
Plymouth. Ind.
Property loss. $2,500,000.
Number of persona homeless, 7,500.
Winter quarters of the Wallace cir
cus destroyed, about 500 valuable
animals drowned Including lions,
bears, camels, elephants, ponies, mon-
keys and a rare collection of birds.
Citizens, finding lawlessness in ev-
ery block of the city above water,
organized a vigilance committee, with
orders tc shoot looters.
',l” vine* New castle, Sharon and ; Physicians declared there was great
Slower land, of this city and vicin- danger of typhoid in the us. of the
UV are battling with flood water. j flood water.
forthcoming.
Milwaukee Hit.
Milwaukee.—Wind and rain did
damage to the extent of $200,000 here.
Seven big coal conveyors were blown
down and the steel frames broken into
bits.
They particularly object *°
golf' basketball and Indian ball, and
would fine a man from $60 to 1100 and
send him to jail from 30 to 90 days
for playing such unseemly games on
on the Sabbath.
Mrs. Ballard is now in a hospital,
where she underwent an operation and
he,- physicians say she will be suffi-
ciently improved at the end of an-
other week to appear at the trial.
Militia Called Out.
Indianapolis, Ind.—Governor Ralston
at tht request of Mayor Shank, called
out one ol the local militia companies
to assist the police in patroling the
districts about the bridges to prevent
people from getting on the bridges.
Wind and Hail at McAlester.
McA tester. Okla.-A heavy rain and
hail storm, driven by a gale, passed
over this city. -Many globes on the
White Way were broken. At Alder-
son, twenty-one windows were broken
in the schoolhouse. and at Bache. 90
glasses were broken in the school-
house, besides hundreds of windows
In other buildings The peach crop
was badly damaged by the hail.
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Williams, B. W. The Pittsburg Enterprise (Pittsburg, Okla.), Vol. 8, No. 7, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 3, 1913, newspaper, April 3, 1913; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1043057/m1/1/: accessed April 23, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.