The True Story of Our National Calamity of Flood, Fire and Tornado Part 21

In the eastern part of the state there were two great floods, the flood of the Muskingum River and the flood of the Ohio River. Besides these there were many local floods of grave importance.

Mount Vernon, in Knox County, was hard hit by the flood. Many lives were lost, communication was entirely cut off, and thousands of dollars worth of damage was done. Miles of track on the Pennsylvania, Baltimore and Ohio Railroads were washed away.

MILLERSBURG COMPLETELY CUT OFF

For two days Millersburg was completely cut off. The river rose four feet higher than ever before. It swept through the Cleveland, Akron and Columbus Railroad depot two feet deep, driving everybody out. Water, gas and electric light were shut off with the exception of one gas line.

Telephone service was limited, hence nothing could be sent or received for two days--until intermittent communication was re-established.

THE TUSCARAWAS RIVER

The flood in the Tuscarawas River was the worst in its history. All the lowlands were under water, and a highway bridge west of Dennison was carried out by the tide. Two bridges on the Baltimore and Ohio, near Uhrichsville, were washed away, and the village of Lockport was cut off from all communication. Supplies in Lockport were exhausted and two men were reported drowned.

Eighteen families were marooned in the school house at Port Was.h.i.+ngton, ten miles west of Dennison, on the Tuscarawas River. Operator A. W.

Davis, of the Pan Handle Railroad, was isolated in a signal tower for several days without food or fire.

Newcomerstown was isolated for four days. All houses in the village, with the exception of those on Rodney Hill, were flooded by the Tuscarawas River. There was no death, but great damage.

Conditions throughout the Tuscarawas Valley were very bad. From a point near Uhrichsville, about one hundred miles west of Pittsburgh, to Coshocton, a distance of thirty miles, the valley was one great lake.

Thousands of acres of the richest farm lands in Ohio were under water and the loss of live stock was heavy.

COSHOCTON IN DISTRESS

The Tuscarawas and Walhonding Rivers unite at Coshocton to form the Muskingum River, and it is the water from these swollen streams that poured down to Zanesville, thirty-two miles below, and thence to Marietta.

Reports from points along the Muskingum River, all told the same story of destruction, flooded towns and great property damage. Many days were required to restore railway communication.

Above Coshocton on the Walhonding River many villages were flooded and the loss to farmers was great.

Coshocton itself naturally suffered. A railroad bridge on the Columbus division of the Pan Handle Railroad went out, and scores of highway bridges throughout the section were washed away. All the streams were torrents.

ENTIRE CITY OF ZANESVILLE UNDER WATER

"Entire city under water. It is coming into our office. Have placed the records as high as I possibly can and have done everything possible. The building next door has just collapsed and I am compelled to leave now for safety----"

This message flashed across the wire as the operator at Zanesville fled for life. With fifteen reported dead, and the Muskingum River at a stage of forty feet and still rising, the city faced the worst flood in its history. The big Sixth Street bridge had already been swept away by the flood, and much of the business section was inundated.

At least two thousand had been driven from their homes by the high water. Food was growing scarce and the water was threatening the light and water plants.

The suffering during the night was intense. The temperature took a sudden drop and the thousands who were forced to spend the night marooned in buildings or on the hills without heat and proper clothing presented a spectacle to excite pity.

With the break of day on March 27th, disorder and terror prevailed throughout the whole city. The Muskingum, in its rampage, was sixteen feet higher than the previous record mark set in 1898. The city was one vast lake and the waters covered the valley from hill to hill. Only the buildings high on the sides of the slopes escaped the ravages of the deluge. The water varied in depth from one to fifteen feet. Many lives were sacrificed.

Six hundred buildings were torn from their foundations and swept away by the mill race currents, while many others collapsed and were hurled against those still holding.

The water reached a depth of eight inches in the Clarendon and Rogge hotels at noon on Thursday. The court house was surrounded.

In sections which were bearing the brunt of the deluge little could be done to relieve the people who were marooned in their houses and in the large buildings. Every effort was being directed by the city officials and volunteer relief parties to lend aid to the sufferers, but the swift, onward rush of the waters made the undertaking extra hazardous.

The authorities turned their efforts toward relieving the suffering of women and children driven from their homes by the high water, and some progress had been made. Putnam lay in ruins. Muskingum and Linden Avenues had been washed out, and where three days before stood many residences, watchers from the highest buildings saw nothing but a waste of swirling waters.

MARIETTA FLOODED

The valley between Zanesville and Marietta became a surging lake, which picked up buildings and everything movable and carried them along with incredible speed. The loss of property was tremendous.

Marietta suffered from the swollen waters of both the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers. The situation was serious on Wednesday; by Sunday it was alarming. At eight o'clock Sat.u.r.day morning the river had reached the stage of 60.6 and was still rising. All the business section of the town was flooded and many residences were under water. There were no public utilities in operation and food and medical supplies were sorely needed.

There were many rumors concerning loss of life, but the swift current prevented communication to those parts of the city where persons were reported drowned.

Immediately upon reciept of the message from Whipple, a station on the Marietta Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad, that Marietta was under water, preparations were made by the railroad company to send out a relief train from Cambridge. It reached Whipple Sat.u.r.day night and from there help was brought to the distressed city.

SCIOTO RIVER AT CIRCLEVILLE

The flooded Scioto River, which surged through the streets of Columbus, carried destruction down through farm lands and towns to the Ohio River.

Circleville, Chillicothe and Portsmouth, being the princ.i.p.al towns on the river course, suffered most.

At Circleville on March 26th all the bridges had been washed away, and the Scioto River stood three feet higher than ever before. Another rise was promised. The city was cut off from railroad communication, and all trains on roads entering Circleville were annulled.

STRUGGLES OF CHILLICOTHE

Many dead, one hundred houses washed away, and property loss of $1,000,000--such was the tale of destruction in Chillicothe. On Friday, March 28th, the waters had begun to recede, leaving seven bodies hanging on the Kilgore bridge, three miles south of the city, but it was impossible to recover them immediately.

Conditions were much improved, the light plant having been able to resume service, and the water supply also was now adequate. The water had receded from the streets, and all public utilities resumed operations.

The homeless refugees were being cared for in the homes which withstood the flood and in school houses. Provisions were plentiful and there was no disorder. Many citizens were sworn in as deputy marshals.

The looting problem was one difficulty for the authorities.

Notwithstanding their efforts much looting took place.

Near Omega, to the south, Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield and their family of seven children were drowned when their home, barn and all their other buildings were swept down the river.

FLOOD AND FIRE IN PORTSMOUTH

Portsmouth presented a picture of distress as the flood from the swollen Scioto and Ohio Rivers advanced. On the night of March 27th the Scioto bridge was swept away by the flood. By morning hundreds of persons had been driven from their homes, school houses had been thrown open to the homeless, the streets were filled with household goods and merchants in the heart of the city were moving their wares to places of safety in antic.i.p.ation of flood conditions more serious than ever before.

On March 29th the Ohio River stood at sixty-eight feet, the highest ever known, and was rising.

Fire broke out in several places and was difficult to control because the flood had interfered with the water facilities.

Efficient management, however, soon brought the situation under control.