The True Story of Our National Calamity of Flood, Fire and Tornado Part 22

The arrival of the steamers, "Klondike" and "J. I. Ware," on March 31st, brought sufficient provisions to supply those in need for a week.

HOMELESS IN EAST LIVERPOOL AND WELLSVILLE

We have already seen the swollen waters of the Ohio at Cincinnati, Portsmouth and Marietta. It remains to treat of the devastation wrought in other Ohio River towns in the eastern and southern parts.

At East Liverpool on March 27th, more than a thousand families were driven from their homes, five thousand potters were deprived of employment temporarily and the city water works were out of commission as the result of the flood. The electric light plant was seriously threatened and trolley lines were tied up.

The following day the river had eclipsed the 48.8 foot stage of 1884. A stage of at least fifty-one feet was expected.

Conditions remained the same, but the situation at Wellsville, a city of ten thousand, three miles south, was perilous. Over three thousand were homeless. The city is located on a flat promontory, with the eastern portion a slight apex against the fast rising stream.

Back water had already made an island of the city, precluding any possibility of escape to the high hills.

Both East Liverpool and Wellsville were in darkness because of the shutting down of the power plants. All the river front potteries and mills were idle. Street railway and railroad traffic was at a standstill.

Police and fire departments of Wellsville and East Liverpool made many thrilling rescues during the day. Seven Italians, dumped from a skiff, were taken from the water half drowned.

Food supplies were diminis.h.i.+ng at Wellsville, there was no electricity or gas, the supply of coal was constantly lessening and the river still rising.

FLOOD WASHES STEUBENVILLE

At Steubenville the Ohio River at 9 o'clock on March 26th was at the 34.4-foot stage and rising at the rate of seven tenths of an inch an hour. The west part of the town was under water and twenty-five houses flooded. Many families were rescued by wagons. Five large manufacturing plants were forced to close down, throwing 1,300 men out of work.

HIGHEST FLOOD IN HISTORY OF GALLIPOLIS

The river at Gallipolis reached the sixty-seven-foot stage, six feet higher than ever before, but was gradually falling. The State Hospital remained unharmed, and was for a time taking care of two hundred people, while the town was taking care of three hundred. There was no loss of life. Traffic was at a standstill, and train service into Gallipolis suspended.

IRONTON REQUESTS AID

Ironton suffered by both flood and fire. A block and a half in the business center of the city were consumed by fire and several buildings were dynamited to check the flames. No loss of life occurred.

A citizen of Ironton wired to a friend in Philadelphia:

"Floods here awful. Any charity funds that can be directed here through clubs or otherwise would be appreciated."

A CRITICAL SITUATION

Even taking into account the tremendous seriousness of the flood in Dayton and Columbus, the situation all along the Ohio River was one that called for sympathy and sustained relief. Governor c.o.x, of Ohio, in one of his early proclamations covering relief work said:

"There is every indication that the Ohio River will reach the highest stage in its history. Calls for food and clothing are coming from unexpected parts of the State. A critical situation has developed in all Ohio River towns. We are still greatly in need of help."

CHAPTER XIII

THE FLOOD IN EASTERN INDIANA

HORROR OF THE RISING WATER--THE FOUR FLOODS--DISASTER IN BROOKVILLE--PEOPLE GATHERED IN CHURCHES--NEWS FROM LAUREL--SURGING FLOOD AT FORT WAYNE.

"Every stream we crossed seemed to be a raging torrent, its waters racing at top speed," said one traveler who arrived in Chicago on March 26th. "We could hear the swish of the waters and hear the cries of people in distress," reported another.

Yet these eye-witnesses could not see the worst of the four vast floods that swept over the state of Indiana, tying up the railroads, rendering thousands of persons homeless, killing scores of others, wiping out whole towns. Just how many persons lost their lives in the great floods will probably never be known.

THE FOUR FLOODS

Indiana had known many devastating floods, but none like to this in either destructive force or extent. On March 26th three distinct flood districts prevailed--the eastern part of the state including the valley of the White Water River and the Fort Wayne territory, the valley of the White River and its tributaries, and the valley of the Wabash. Later the flooding of the Ohio River and its tributaries added to the awful tale of disaster. The entire state was practically one huge sea, and every brook, creek and river exacted its toll of damage.

The overflow, coming with astonis.h.i.+ng suddenness, caught farmers throughout the state unprepared and the breaking of levees in many places forced persons living along the rivers to desert their homes. In the crowded cities it added woe upon woe.

The appalling swiftness with which the waters rose found city as well as state unprepared. Streams that were brooks Easter morning had become raging torrents on Tuesday. Persons who retired in apparently safe homes Monday were rescued the following day from second-story windows with boats. Lowlands became vast lakes.

The dawn of Wednesday, March 26th, found anxiety in Indiana centered in Brookville and Connersville, on the White Water River, from which frantic appeals for aid were received by Governor Ralston.

Other despatches from the same region declared that the smaller towns of Metamora, Cedar Grove and Prenton were swept away completely.

DISASTER IN BROOKVILLE

Sixteen persons were drowned at Brookville, when they were caught by the east and west forks of White Water River which meet in that town.

Survivors told of attempts of men, women and children to escape by the light of lanterns. Cross currents rus.h.i.+ng along streets and alleys carried them down to a united stream a mile wide just south of the town.

Five children, all of one family, were seen clinging to posts of an old-fas.h.i.+oned wooden bed when they were swept into the main stream and lost.

The person from Connersville who first talked with the Governor said that a break in the White Water River levee had flooded the valley, sweeping many persons before it. After that it was impossible to re-establish communication even for a few minutes. Militia were ready all during the night to hurry to the town, but no train was operated in that direction.

PEOPLE GATHERED IN CHURCHES

Five wagon bridges, the Big Four Railroad bridge, the depot and a paper mill were utterly destroyed. Fifty summer houses on White Water River south of Brookville were washed away, foundations and all. People, bowed down by the calamity, gathered in churches, where religious services were held. None of the bodies were recovered for several days.

Hall Schuster was drowned Thursday night in an attempt to cross the West Fork of the White River at Brookville to rescue Harlan Kennedy, a hermit, formerly a Methodist minister.

Two hundred and fifty children rescued from the flood had only night clothes. Wagon trains carried food and clothing from Connersville to the stricken people.

On Friday, March 28th, the list of known dead in Brookville was sixteen. Heavy loss of property and a food and fuel famine imminent were the precise situation.

There were six persons missing, and it was feared that they had been drowned and their bodies washed away or buried in debris that had not yet been searched.

Brookville was practically under martial law, and twenty men were driven out of the city after they were discovered looting damaged homes and buildings.

NEWS FROM LAUREL