The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-29

DAYTON. OHIO, March 2s-Be
tween sobs and in a semi historical
condition, George w Zimmerman. Of
224 East Clifton street. Springfield,
related the terrible experience he
underwent in making his escape from
the grasp of the food and flames
which enpelDped the city Of Dayton
Tuesday and Wednesday, He Is en-
pioyed in Dayton.
II did not go to work Tuesday
morning, as the water was running
past the house where / was boarding
at Ais Wayne avenue he said. 1T
was possibly ankle-deep all over the
street, and the people of that vlCtn-
lily said that 1t was nothing urfusuai,
as it had happened after unusual
rains.
Along about o'clock the great
wall of water bore down upon us
without the least warning. and we
had all we could do to climb To the
second floor of the dwelling before
being submerged. We were quickly
forced 10 the attic, and were safe
here for several hours. Finally. af-
ter repeated calls for help, a boat
came to our assistance. and managed
after serious difficulty To get myself
a woman and three children into the
boat Nc were the only ones I'M the
house at that time.
Boat Tnmanagea bic.
THE boat became unmanageahle
and after drifting into the current
and whirling around and around with
the bodies of horses. buEgies. wagons.
human forms. drift, etc. We managed
to grasp the top of a porch on one
Of the houses after repeated efforts To-
anchor.
we climbed onto the top Of the
porch, and into the attic of the house,
where we luckily found something To
eat We stayed here for possibly two
or three hours, when we heard ter
riffs explosion directly across the
street We looked out and saw The
walls of a grocery store collapse. Fire
started ara spread to a stable nearby.
al5a set fire 20 u NOW fun of hay We
teali2sd tn danger we were in, and
traLfically called Tor help. The call
was in vain, as tire bFAvest dared not
buffet the torrent that poured down
the STREETS. AS the last resort We
attempted 10 escape by the roofs al the
adjoining houses. ! assisted the wo-
man and children. who were crying
and suffering, over the roofs Of pos
Sibly a dozen houses, spurrcd on by
the awful tho5sht of being cremated
IN the flames that approached MS IA he
rear
Seel.s Way ter Escape.
AZ last We came To the end of This
string of dwellings. aud we were
forced 70 seek some other way of es-
cape
THE only thing in reach was drift
wood possibly the body OF horse
or COW. or human being and the tcie-
phone wires I suggested the pos
sbility OF walking these wires to
safety, bat, OF course. Ii was imp0s-
sible for the women and children to do
this. / finally decided to try il my
self and bring aid 10 the quartelte
in distress There was possibly six
squares TO cover in this manner, over
the raging torrent and long before ]
came TO dry land my friends had
sighted mo and were shouting words Of
encouragement Timo after time
thought would have 20 give zap.
Thought Time Had Come.
"Once l dropped my cap and the
spectators gasped as they thought nay
time I'D come. After repeatedly rest
Ing, as best J could ON the swayng
wires, finally came 10 the pole that
grounded on dry land J was carried
into the plant Of the National Cash
Register company until partially re
viSed, after which ! was taken 10 the
home Of relatives i'm the more fortu-
nate parts ~ tho c!ty.
One ~ tho FIRST people 7 saw after
getting 10 dry land was Luck Decker
and her sister. my cousins. II was to
their house that I was finally taken"