File No. 23286/1.
Ambassador Bacon to the Secretary of State.
Paris , January 30, 1910 .
Mr. Bacon reports that it is believed that the crisis has been reached in the rising of the Seine. He says the river has fallen a little since Friday, but not before bursting dikes and flooding large and thickly settled islands in the suburbs, and while it is impossible to estimate the consequences of the disaster, it is believed that damage to crops, communities and factories will amount to hundreds of millions of American dollars in addition to conditions in Paris. He states that [Page 510] lie visited several of the Red Cross stations which are engaged in relieving individual suffering, and that food and clothing were being supplied to all holders of identification tickets from officials of the district, and that he was much impressed with the admirable organization which made it possible to begin such effective work at once. Mr. Bacon says the Red Cross seems to have the confidence of the Government, and that the prefect of the Department of the Seine and the minister of trade and commerce have both spoken to him of the effective organization. The stations, he says, are in charge of ladies who have taken examinations and who have been in charge of such work for years, and that distribution is being also effectively made by the prefect of the Department of the Seine through local officials with whom he is constantly in personal touch.
Mr. Bacon asks that the Red Cross be informed that the French Government would be pleased to make distribution of funds through any agency suggested by the donors, and that Louis Kloptsch be informed that his telegram was gratefully received. He adds that he can learn of no Americans in want or trouble except some inconvenience, and says he expects to be able to transmit in a day or two from 500,000 to 1,000,000 francs.