The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1901-09-05

vast amount OF damage falls upon the
householders within the flooded dis
trict.
Residences Flooded.
The great sea of water reached a
depth of one foot on the first floors
of scores of the East end homes,
boiling up from the sewers and pour
ing in off from the streets, carrying
everything that came in it's path
along with it, In many cases the
fear-stricken residents battered down
cellar walls in order to give the tor
rent an outlet and prevent the
swapping of their entire homes. A
remarkable feature of the storm
which caused such terrific destruc-
tion is that up until six o'clock this
morning hardly drop of rain fell
west of Wilson avenue, while during
the morning hours the East end was
being fairly swamped in perfect
deluge of rain. Another remarkable
thing is that no thunder and light
ming accompanied the record-hreak-
ing downfall. While thousands of
citizens in the most aristocratic sec
ton of the city were aroused, see
ing thousands upon thousands of
ollars' worth of their property be-
ing crushed and destroyed, another
and greater portion of the city was
wrapped in slumber, totally obliv-
ious to the danger surrounding their
fellow-citizens. A remarkable thing
is that comparatively little damage
was done along the banks of the
river outside of the washing away of
loose piles of lumber. The damage
to houses and their effects cannot be
estimated accurately, perhaps for
days, but 1t will reach close to the
half million mark.
Residents along East Prospect
colin avenue and Glen Park place,
we're aroused between four and six
o'clock in the morning by the sound
! of the booming waters. The water
continued to steadily rise until it was
eight feet deep. By six o'clock the
residents along Lincoln avenue COM
| menced to move furniture and val
uables to the second story as the
rushing torrent reached the level OF
| front porches and in a number of
houses swept into the first floors.
| The water rushed back from Lincoln
avenue until the big space just east
| of the avenue and between East
| Prospect street and Euclid avenue
was one great mass of angry water
from four to ten feet in depth. Barns
and huge pieces of lumber were
swirled about like light corks and
banged into many Lincoln avenue
| homes, threatening their destruction
The residents along the north side
of East Prospect street from Lincoln
avenue to within a few feet OF
Billings avenue were penned in their
homes like stranded islanders. The
water came up to the porch steps
and within a few feet of the porches
it was from four to five feet in depth
One FamiIy's Experience.
The family of Mrs. V. E. Newton
| on Willamette court had a terrible
! experience with the flood. Mrs. New,
|
aged Sc years, is in a serious coHdi
ton as result of the fright and eX
| posture. For three hours the woman
signaled for help from their house
which sits down IN a little valley
which placed it at the absolute mer
cy of the rushing waters. The barr
and shed were swept from their foun
dations, and this added to the terror
of the two women, who were alone il
the house. AS the water reached {
depth of six feet and commenced tt
pour into the first floor the womer
became almost frantic. No boat!
were at hand, and as wading was on
of the question, neighbors called t.
the frightened women to remain
where they were until other mean!
of rescuing them could be secured
A rude raft was hastily put togeth
er and the families rescued.