The Morning Herald from Hagerstown, Maryland • Page 1

Good Morning Have you contributed to the Olrl Scout Campaign? Tills Is Girl Scout week. Your help li needed. MORNING HERALD In mornlni; Ulr rlilni temperaturf. VOL. XL, NO.

67. HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND, THURSDAY, MARCH 19,1936. SINGLE COPY, 2 MANY HOMELESS IN POTOMAC VALLEY AS FLOODS HIT PEAK Floods Cause Heavy Damage In Pennsylvania FLOODS IN EAST HIT BIG AREA Incalculable Damage to Property Caused by Waters DEATH LIST GROWS IN STRICKEN AREA Thousands of Persons Are Left Homeless and Suffering I I Tlie A sudden spring thaw accompanied by rains and a destructive flood waters over vast areas of the East Wednesday. With at least fifty-one known dead, incalculable properly damage and many thousands of persons homeless, the flood waters swept sections from western Pennsylvania to Vermont. The steel capital--Pittsburgh- was in a state of almost complete puralysis as water stood ten feel.

drop in some stores; a i and i a was cut off, and power a i left tho city in dark- 1 Johnstown Is Hit The famous flood city of Johnst was largely deserted as citizens fled in panic a reports circulated a the Quemahoning dam had broken or was weakening. Indications were, however, the dam would hold. Fifteen States and Canada were affected. Fifty-one were known dead and dozens of a i i a casualties were reported hut unconfirmed. Damage a to tens of i i of dollars; no definite i a was possible.

The i of part of a $1,000,000 power dam at Vernon, i i a a grave situation in Xew a where melting mountains of snow had engulfed communities with heavy damage and loss of life. Authorities ordered all residents of the upper Connecticut River valley to move forth- i The rampaging Ohio river, fed by the floods from Pennsylvania, swept through Wellsville, Ohio, entering of homes and marooning the residents. West Virginia cities were sorely stricken, with Wheeling under water. Nineteen persons were known to have perished and nine others were feared lost in a i a alone as floods ravaged that state for the (ContlnuMj On Page 111 BOILING OF WATER URGED BY OFFICIAL Dr. W.

ROM Cameron, city county health officer, last night warned all residents of Washington county within the flood area to boil all water before drinking and who already have taken unboiled water are urged to take typhoid vaccine. Hancock was the hardest hit town in the county and Dr. Cameron said he would be in that town during the next two days to administer the vaccine. Dr. Cameron said there is always danger of surface flood waters contaminating the drinking water.

He further urged residents of any other county town within the flood area to get the vaccine injection. Since Hagerstown is now using water from the mountain reservoir, there is little need for alarm in this city. LARGE SUM ASKED TO HANDLE RELIEF President Sends Special Message to Congress Washington. March IS Roosevelt today appealed directly to business to increase employment, declaring a upon it rested the responsibility as to whether the new $1,500,000,000 relief fund he asked of Congress would be adequate. In a special message asking that a lump sum deposit of a billion and a half he placed to the credit of WPA for tho 1937 fiscal year--a request that stirred protest and brought promise of a major battle in Congress--the chief executive placed special emphasis upon a call to industry to "organize a common effort" to provide more jobs.

"Only if industry fails to reduce a i a the number of those now out of work will a appropriation and further plans and policies be. necessary," he said. Even as his message was read In the Senate and House, however signals were hoisted a a fight would be made to earmark the new for specific purposes. Speaker Byrns was one who fore saw a battle over earmarking. Senator Clark Mo.) asserted he was "tired of signing blank checks." Senator McNary (R.

i i leader, said no ap propriation should be made "with oSit a bill of particulars." Representative Snell, of New York, the Republican leader termed the request "a last grab at the treasury before the 'and asserted "the demoralization of the Federal relief spoils politics, Incompetence, waste and (Continued on Page 14) WILLIAMSPORT JAMMED WITH THOUSANDS TO VIEW POTOMAC Traffic Conditions So Heavy That Autoists Detoured through Town--Local Officers Assist in Traffic With Williamsport crowded with automobiles congesting available parking space, large forces of policemen last night prohibited any additional traffic the town. From early morning to late at i the Williamsport pike was a with traffic bearing sons anxious to witness the flood At the request of Mayor Richard 0. Hawken, the regular force of town officers was augmented by four State policemen and four officers of the Hagerstown department. The officers directed traffic andi patrolled the town to prevent loot- Ing. H.

M. Mills, watchman at the Pennsylvania Railroad crossing on Virginia avenue, counted 1,020 motor cars trXm 1:05 to 1:50 yesterday afternoon. He mild the traffic flow was the greatest In eight A member of the family of Job-. N. Bower, Halfway, reported 576 cars passing the home from 1:30 to 2 o'clock.

Many of the persons paid five cents to get on the Williamspo bridge 1 to watch the waters from vantage point, and then paid fn more cents to get off. Later in tl afternoon, however, bridge ordered closed to motor vehicles and pedestrians as a section ucai the West Virginia side became Inundated. The town of Williamsport resein bled a small community on fair day. The community was literally packed and jammed with visitors. More than 4,000 people paid ten cents to view the surging waters from the big They saw a wide, muddy stream rolling headlong carrying with It debris of all kinds; tliey saw submerged houses, trees and boxcars.

It was truly an awe-inspiring spectacle. Flood Scenes Are Described By Flier Staff Photographer Tells of Trip from Washington to Johnstown--Houses Seen Floating in River near Harper's Ferry By TIMOTHY H. ELKINS Associated Press Staff Photofl- rapher Washington, March 18 along the Potomac valley, then north across Pennsylvania to Johnstown I saw the roaring flood waters sweeping east and west today from the Appalachian Divide. Pilot Bill Payne and I for four hours aim-eyed the forbidding I scene. Sometimes from a height of a hundred feet we zoomed above the rough i Potomac.

Outbound, we saw five houses floating in the river above Harpers Ferry. A bridge at that point wns partly gone. Railroad tracks and highways along the shore were submerged In a dozen or more low places. It was a lifeless scene, i highways and rails empty. Scarcely anyone was in sight except at Harpers ferry and Cuinherlnad.

People lined the higher points there, watching the waters helplessly. Some small villages were well water. One we Identified from our maps as Hancock, where half of a bridge hart been RUINS IN WAKE OF FLOODS swept away. At Johnstown, we circled the airport but a a waved us away. Landing was out of the question.

Dropping low, we saw signs that I he flood had receded considerably, leaving only a few streets along the waterfront still covered. On the highlands a few people were standing around. We backtracked to Cumberland. Flying guides that had been barely visible on the outward trip could now be seen easily. The floating houses we had seen ere no longer visible.

We could not tell whether they had grounded in the receding waters or had smashed' up. The river was full of floating trees, sticks, tin cans and of her debris. AVe did not see any indications of loss of life. As we neared Washington, we saw the reverse of conditions upstream, with the waters steadily rising. The volume and speed of the overflowing river increased as the miles passed.

The crest should hit Washington with plenty of force i i the next 24 hours. DATA ON EMPLOYES SOUGHT BY SENATE Resolution Is Adopted at Session by Vote of 27 to 1 Annapolis, March 18 (JP)-The Senate today adopted by a 27 to l.vote a resolution calling on the State Roads Commission to i certain information regarding its employes. The resolution, introduced by Senators Olin R. Digging Dorchester) and A Brice Kent), requests the commission to furnish Information regarding teh classification and pay of employes, the list of merit system employes, their classifications, the date of their employment, their station and salaries. Senator J.

David Baile Carroll), was the only member to vote against the resolution. Other Republicans voted with the Democrats. Yesterday the Senate adopted a resolution calling on the Roads Commission to furnish detailed information on its road i i program. Senator J. Allan Coad St.

Mary's) introduced a bill which would tighten up on the present State Inheritance taxes hut which would not change the present rates. The measure was drafted by the Attorney General's office at the request of Comptroller William S. Gordy, Jr. It is intended to close "loop holes" in present law by which it is possible to escape payment of the inheritance tax. TWENTY INDICTED Baltimore, March 18 persons, Including Lieut.

Edward L. Hitzelberger and four other policemen, were indicted by the grand jury today on a charge of conspiracy to violate the state lottery laws. The indictment consolidated three previous presentment Police' officers named with Hitzelberger are Scj-gt. Edward Holthaus, Patrolmen Harry Hlnkel and I.ouis O. Rehak.

The 20 defendants were accused In ten counts alleging conspiracies. A I BROADCAST Boston, March 18 setts State Police broadcast a warning tonight for all residents along the banks of Shetucket River In Connecticut, to (lee. They said tlio Wllllmaiftlo (Conn.) police department reported the North Wind- hunt the Wllllmantlc pumping station dam had broken. STATE IS GRIPPED BY RAGING FLOODS Twelve Feet of Water Reported in the Town of Harper's Ferry Cnpyrlirhf, At least eight persons died and five were injured today as the worst Ohio river flood ill history swept down on scores of West Virginia and Ohio cities. Roaring down from Pennsylvania where it i a Pittsburgh's "Golden Triangle" business district, the flood took two lives in Wellsburg, W.

and six in the industrial center of Wheeling, 20 miles below. In Wellsburg, long known as the Gretna Green of the tri-State area of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, 200 to 300 families leaned from second story windows or stood on roofs screaming hysterically for help. Elmer Leonard, a glassworker, tried to rescue a man identified only as "DeNeen" from his blazing and partly submerged home and both drowned. A gas explosion a leveled a a i residence iu Wheeling accounted for the of two unidentified persons and injuries to five. Harper's Ferry Flooded Cumberland under What Amounts to Martial Law MUD AND SLIME IN STREETS OF CITY Company Stopped When Concrete Bridge Is Ripped out Cumberland, March 18 What amounted to martial lav was declared in this flood-torn city tonight as a cordon State Guardsmen was thrown around dozens of busines houses through which racin waters from Wills creek swep in 12-foot depth until earl; today.

and desolation were on ery hand throughout the centra portion of the city, with husines men i i losses in th i i of dollars and an est mated 1200 families homeles Scarcely a score of stores in th shopping district were left unscar red by savage rip ped up huge sections of pavemen literally gutted buildings, an wrecked hundreds of homes. Mud and slime left by the reced ing currents of the Potomac river and Wills creek, both swollen to the greatest in history by cloudbursts on their upper levels yesterday, lay in foot-deep waters along principal avenues. Not a plate glass window was intact for blocks. Gold rings--men's suits-spring finery for women--furniture --groceries--every and necessity of life--had met a like a in the pounding flood which almost demolished the main section of Maryland's second largest city. Tonight merchandise of every description was buried beneath Flood Situation (ll.r The Prunt Pennsylvania Twenty-eight re- orted dead; Pittsburgh, Johns- own and scores of other cities coded; and explosions and eneral power failure add to terror Pittsburgh.

Massachusetts Man and two children swept to death when ridge collapses; North Adams engulfed; highways washed out at Warwick. Vermont--Four dead. Maine--One life lost; damage estimated by Governor Brann at 510,000,000. Connecticut Dozen buildings swept away at New Hartford as dam crumples. New Hampshire--Highway flooded at Hinsdale.

New York--One thousand homeless as Susquehanna rises; communications disrupted at Ithaca; hundreds evacuate homes at Binghamton; National Guard mobilized. Virginia--Two drowned; Shenandoah Valley damaged by wind. West Virginia--Thousands along Ohio River leave homes; inunda tion of Wheeling Island expected. Ohio--Thousands homeless In upper Ohio River valley, thrown out of work; many trapped in Wellsville. Kentucky--Record snowfall iso a i four towns brings flood threat.

SPANS SWEPT AWAY BY SURGING WATER; SECTIONS HARD HIT (Continued on Page 6) BANK HOLIDAY IS DECLARED Annapolis, March IS W)-Governor Harry W. Nice and the presiding officers of the General Assembly today signed an emergency measure a i i the Governor to declare a as a legal holiday in Allcgany to meet conditions brought about by flood waters. The bi.ll a a law loss a a an hour after It was introduced in the Assembly and Gov- Harper'a Ferry, at the junction i ernor Nice immediately signed a of the Potomac and Sheuandoah, reported all citizens safe on high (Continued On Page 14) PROPOSED GASOLINE TAX IS PROTESTED A largely attended meeting was held at the Alexander Hotel last night under the auspices of the Washington County Petroleum Committee. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the proposed legislation which would raise tiie Maryland State gasoline tax two cents more per gallon. Much nlarm was expressed by gasoline dealers and citizens as to the seriousness of such a tax increase if enacted into law.

The general opinion of those attending the meeting wns that gasoline Is already overtaxed and any further burden would cause motorists to buy gasoline outside of the State of Maryland, whenever possible In order to escape the extra tax. It Is felt this would result In a lessening of funds collected as gasoline taxes and work a serious hardship on gasoline dealers and automobile owners as well. proclamation declaring today a legal holiday throughout Allegany county. Governor Nice said he would continue to issue proclamations daily for as long as it Is necessary for the banks to be closed due to the flood conditions. The Governor also ordered a company of the Maryland a i a a at Hagerstown to proceed to a to render any assistance necessary to the city and flood-stricken people.

I A KoGiilgshcrg, March IS -Adolf Hitler, carrying bis campaign for a united Germany In the Reichstag elections March to a mass meeting here tonight, declared he recognized only one court' In the world--that of the German people. Speaking with his accustomed fire, der Fuehrer seemed more sure of himself than In his previous addresses at Munich and Frankfort-On-Main now that a German delegation la In London to take part In the League of Nations Council's discussions resulting from the reoccupatlon of (he Rhlneland by troops. RELIEF RUSHED IN STRICKEN REGIONS Red Cross Chapter Takes Hand in Serious Flood Situation As the flood conditions became serious at Williamsport and In ill her parts of, the county, the local chapter of the American Red Cross swung i immediate action in an effort, to relieve the suffering and distress. -Irs. Margaret Lewis, of Wash- Jon, field representative, arrived here early yesterday and after con- i with local officials regarding plans for Red Cross activities here for Cumberland.

Mark Mellor, who is in charge of relief in the Williamsport-Kemps area, reported last night that 32 families had either abandoned their homes or moved to the sec ond story as Ihe flood waters rose Mr. Mellor said a the Red Cross was ready to supply food, medicines a to care for al! victims of the Hood. He conferred i Mayor a in laying out the relief program. Welfare headquarters were estab lished in Council chamber at Williamsport. Harold in charge WPA work here, also was on the job at Williamsport i WPA workers ready to assist in the di: aster relief.

Dr. W. Ross Cameron, health officer, accompanied by Red Cross representative made survey of the Hancock section. The trip to Hancock was made by way of Chambersburg. Dr.

Cameron found serious condi lions in the town as the result high waters. He plans to adminis ter vcacine i the next tw days. -loncock and Shepherdstown Bridges Are Wrecked-Williamsport Section Suffers Heavy Damage in Record Flood Scenes of the disastrous Potomac Valley flood, taken from an airplane, will be found on Page Six. WILLIAMSPORT-- The Potomac river was believed to have reached its peak at midnight after rising to a new high of 49.6 feet above normal or four feet above the Johnstown flood stage in 1889. Town in darkness.

Scores of families were homeless and the Red Cross and Salvation Army set up iemporary rehabilitation headquarters. Hagerstown pumping station above Williamsport believed flooded. HANCOCK-- The middle span of the bridge across the Potomac river was washed out yesterday afternoon and the remainder was expected to collapse momentarily. Scores of homes and establishments were inundated by water as high as 15 feet in Main street. SHEPHERDSTOWN-- Three spans of vehicular bridge across the Potomac were washed out.

The pumping station was inundated and the power plant at Dam No. 4 had five feet of water over the first floor. CONTRACT AWARDED FOR BUILDING ROAD The State Roads Commission yes a awarded the contract for three and three-quarter miles of grading and drainage along the new Hagerstown-Frederick highway, 1.8 miles south of Funkstown, to the Roberts Paving Company of Salisbury. The bid was $129,415.30. A total of six contracts were let yesterday, the other projects being In other sections of the State.

The contracts totaled 1406,228.81, bringing to $1,405,273.18 the total of con- trading agreements the commission had entered into for road building and reconstruction tlnce January 1. CUMBERLAND--Hundreds homeless as waters recede after reaching a height of 14 feet in city streets. Approximately 40 homes swept away; traffic completely paralyzed. Streets patrolled by National Guardsmen to prevent looting. HARPER'S FERRY--Highway bridge across the Potomac between here and Weverton washed out.

Railroad bridge still standing. Lower part of town covered with 12 feet of water and many forced to flee to higher ground. BRUNSWICK--Baltimore and Ohio passenger station flooded and railroad yards covered with water. After soaring to its highest peak in modern history, the Potomac river began receding at Hancock early last night and was believed to have reached is peak at Williamsport at midnight after having soared approximately 50 feet above normal, or four feet above the Johnstown flood stage of 1889. Leaving in its wake desolation and destruction, the angry waters swept away the middle span of the vehicular bridge at Hancock, three spans of the bridge at Shepherdstown, inundated countless homes in the valley and carried away buildings, poles, trees and livestock.

The western section of the bridge at Williamsport was inundated early last night and it was closed to pedestrians and vehicles. The Western Maryland railroad bridge across the Poto- mac river at Nessle, W. was reported washed out night. While telephonic communications to the Hagerstown pumping sta- lion above Williamsport were broken, it was believed the waters had flowed in over the 47-foot wall and covered the floor of the IB that event the pumps may he disabled for weeks. The pumps were put out of commission because of crippled power facilities early yesterday and Hagerstown was getting its water supply from the mountain reservoir.

The reservoir has a capacity of 100,000,000 gallons, which would be sufficient to meet local needs for at least a month. The Potomac Edison power plant at Williamsport suspended shortly before noon yesterday. Members of Company B. cnroute to Cumberland to aid National a in patrolling the city against looting and to help In the administration of relief, were stranded in McConnellsburg yesterday and camped there for the night. Hornet Are Flooded Countless homes and other build? Ings in the Williamsport lowland! were either washed away or Inundated.

The house of Richard ObltU was washed away. Those homeless by inundation Included Russell Mauck, Harvey Brant, Hill Ardinger, George Zimmerly, Webef Malott and Joseph Forsylhe. The G. A. Miller lumber yard, lower section of the Byron tannery and the polo field were flooded.

Several smaller buildings In the Cushwa coal yard were carried away and the yards were ly inundated. During the day and night, sands of persons visited port and hundreds watched the wft tors from high hills or the brldftk Complete houses, (reel, poles, i oil drums and even livestock carried downstream by stream. The creek Kemp's Mill on rampage and manjr i the highway were cowed wtth feet of water. Only the roof el I SPAN CARRIED OUT BY RAGING WATERS Harper's Ferry, W. March 18 M')--Four old spans of the vehicular bridge between here and We- verton, were carried out tonight by the rampaging Potomac river.

The spans, about 350 feet long, were the part of the bridge which withstood the flood of 1924. About 200 feet, rebuilt after the previous flood, was still standing. The Potomac was 35 feet above normal tonight. HOPEFUL Berlin, March 18 (ff)--The German Government viewed the international situation with the great est optimism tonight after the departure of Its delegation for the League of Nations Locarno talks In London. The Government-controlled press reflected spirit ol hopefulness such as tins not existed In Germany the remilitari- sation of the Rhlneland.

(ContUoet.