New Ulm review., 1913-04-09
Survivor Tells
OF Awful Flo Cd
Salesman For Eaqle Mill
Writes Of Terrible Ex-
perience at Dayton.
Saw 500 Houses Swept to
Destruction. No Food Or
Sleep For Days. !.

..@ ~ *
The following letter was written to
the Eagle Roller Min Company by
! one of.their statesmen Who was in Day
ton, Ohio at the time of the big food
and it describes so, yividly the APP
proach OF the waters and the flames
and the terror that possessed the
people marooned In the hotel where
he was staying that the Mill people
believed that great many OF our
resders would be Interested. in read
ing it. Moreover, it may be the.
means OF awaking soma TO the need of
helping along the vsriOua m0vements I
to help the food sufferers that are
going forward in our city at the
present time. We reprint the letter in |
full.
Indianapolis. Ind. toll;
Eagle Roller Mill Co.,
New Ulm, MisD.
Gentlemen, -ff3.f
Il began atthat early
morning hour when the eager throb-
bing business life of tie Gem City was
rushing to it, days work. ! arose at
and hearing fire trucks rushing thru
the streets, opened my window q the
Phillips Hotel and heard q boycry
out "Baumsn's Bakery is on fire. 7
Dressing hurriedly rushed down
stairs, checked my grip and coat and
ran toward the fire only TO bs stopped
BY water within 3 block Of the hotei-
| I thot IL Was only 'back-water from the
ritter and. returned to the shotel for
breakfast. AZ s:45 l1 ~ nialt g
! started down ssairs at The hotel but
was stopped on the stairway by ia
inches of water in the hotel lobby. |
thought this would soon pass but it.
continued to rise and We we're soon,
aware that something serious had
happened. By noon ten feet Of water,
was rushing thru the business district,
! OF Dayton. From the roof of the
hotel we could see water for ; miles in
every direction. Three hundred
startled minds we're now keenly alive
to the danger of the situation. The
building was likely to collapse, gas
was escaping, water supply was cut
OFT and the food supply of the hotel
was in the basement. Crash! went q
five story building near by, then
another and another next to our hotel
Word was passed that We would go
next The current was now q raging
torrent and split at the corner OF our
building, leaving US the center Of the
river with the levee gone. Night came
on and We saw fire across the river
but those familiar with the town said
it could not reach across the river.
We stayed up all night without
supper. s III
Wednesday morning the water had
reached the IA foot stage and remained
there until p. m. We wore ready to
take to the water if the worst should.
come as We lived in constant fear OF
the building going down. Some one
yelled There is fire block east ana
eating toward usn' 1t took oil hope
from US :or Q while. Il burned thruout
the day and night was again upon us
At midnight whole block was a.
raging furnace. Then an explosion
startled US. Fire had entered . whole
sale whiskey house and sheets Of flame
shot into the sky and looked like the
doom of Dayton. Next the FIRE
reached a bank building but wse
stopped there by q IRE wall. 1t
crossed The street and our danger was
worse than ever az it was on our side
of the street. But by Thursday morn
ing the wind shifted and carried the
fire In another direction. EARLY in
the morning the water also began to- I
recede in spite of the fact that rain
had poured in torrents thru it all.
Fear of explosion and fire filed our,
hearts. ''Out in the. water goes the
man who strikes a match or lights a.
cigar" was the cry OF at least fifty
strong men and no one disobeyed.
AT dark Thursday the water was
down to the four foot stage and all
went to bed for their first sleep since
Monday night. Awaking at o'clock
l wrapped a blanket around my
shoulders and walked four miles TO
the city limits, only to learn that We
could not get out. Relief was coming
Continued on back paget