Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-04-05

STRUCK them IL crasneu through tns
windows and before they comic
& sther their senses the water was
up their waists.
IL was Ia feet deep on Main street
and much higher in other sections
But oh the terrible sights now that
the waters have gone down! Piles
of human bodies. dead horses. and
all kinds Of wreckage 20 feet high
is common sight. There is no
water, as the city pumping station
was wrecked. The gas is turned
off outside the city; of course there
is no electricity. The gas caused
the big fires it was turned on and
burning nearly everywhere.
The fires ragged for two days and
nights. We haven't heard definite
ly how much was burned, but four
ar five blocks in the central part. in
Guiding IA big hotel where 500 peo-
pie had gone for safety.
The city is under martial law the
whole state militia are here and a
great many soldiers IN the regular
army. l went down yesterday to
yet some clothes; had to go to the
police station to get a permit before
/ could get in.
Conover street is probably in the
best condition of any street that was
flooded. Our front steps are twisted
away from the piazza, the side steps
are entirely gone. washed out Of
sight. the fence gone too, all down
Il big hole in the foundation where
the sewer pipe goes into the cellar
Phe water was only about u foot on
our first Aoor. Everything is COW
cred with fine slippery mud about
half an inch deep
/ feel anxious to get back and get
to work, but as long as there is no
gas and the cellar is still three
fourths- full Of water 30 we can't use
the furnace, il doesn't seem prudent
to go as long as we are welcome here
/ think il it wasn't for looking after
the property l should start for YER
mont ss soon as / could get out of
town, but as it is don't see how l
can, We concluded it wasn't best
for True to come back, l telegraphed
Mrs. Hartrum's brother, who lives at
Eaton, took it to send from there.
Carloads of provisions are being
brought in aud the road through
here is black all the time with teams
and autos taking things in. All the
churches and schools outside the
water line are filed with people.
Three babies were born in the
,hurch across the street from Mr.
Iiess' the night we were there.
know of one woman who was in con-
inement when the waters struck and
Lhe baby was born in boat. Fam
lies are separated and the anxiety
IL terrible. So many of our friends
been heard from, we don't
know whether they are dead or not.
aud many more have lost every
hing they had. Whole streets were
inder water clear to to the roofs. |
Houses are moved off the foundations;
he FIFTH street bridge is gone, the
Pennsylvania railroad bridge. The
Steele High School has u hole in the
ront 20 foot square; those beautiful
great department stores on Main
street are all broken i'll Two fannie
les know went to the attic and cut
. hole through the roof witt. pen
snife to let the rescuers knfw they
we're there II TOOK them two days
Yesterday when l was over they
we're loading dead bodies into wag-
,ns just like wood. There are 500
,odies in the Cash Register Office
building: they didn't suffer much
rom water.
One Of our neighbors went down
'outh of Dayton yesterday they said
t was one patch of destruction.
country homes entirely
yone. not board left, dead animals
III over everywhere. They found
lead horses in the Arcade Market.
Scores of people have lost their
ninds women were taken from
turning buildings into boats and
nmped right into the water. saw
. baby fl,,ating down the street a
.qnare from where we live We
iear that all the towns between here