Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1913-04-17
STORY OF
THEFLO|OD
A Dayton Catholic Nun Writes Of
Her Experiences in the Recent
Terrible Flood.
WAS DEATH AND DESTRUCTION
The Sister Writes the Details Of
the Terrible Disaster to Her
Parents in Philadelphia.

Sister Presentation, of the Domini-
can House of Retreats and Loretto
Guild in Dayton, Ohio, has written to
her parents the following description
of the recent food. The letter tells
how the Dominican Sisters and their
charges passed the terrible days and
nights that preceded their liberation
on Friday, March 2S. The commune
cation is in the form Of diary, and
is published in the Catholic Standard
and Times of Philadelphia:
Good Friday, terrible wind storm,
followed by darkness and rain and
lightning that ran through the house
like mad Saturday, terrible dark
ness. Easter Sunday rain, lightning
and thunder. Monday, very dark,
with terrible rain all day. Tuesday,
the food.
Was awakened by what ! termed
the bursting of dam. At i o'clock
water was rising two feet five inches
per hour: by o'clock p. m. all tele-
phone connection was cut off, also
electric light and gas. Two bridges
We're swept away by this time. While
the Sisters were saying morning pray
ers they heard terrible gushing Of
water and man calling to the people
to climb to the highest point, telling
us that the militia had been called out
and that they did not have enough
rowboats; therefore we would have to
do the best we could to preserve our
lives, regardless of furniture or cloth
ing
Our baker did not come Monday,
therefore we had very little bread
truthfully speaking, not loaf--in the
house Tuesday, and, as you may sup
pose, he did not come in the flood.
Sister Gabriel lit all the burners on
the gas stove also two ovens, and,
knowing the gas would soon be shut
off, started to provide for the wants
of all. She baked biscuit upon bis
cult, boiled six dozen eggs, boiled a
peck Of potatoes with their skins on,
fried a whole ham which had been
previously sliced, cooked about four
quarts of rice made tea ond coffee.
She had young girl acting as helper:
Sister Aimee carried some of her
things to the Guild House. / carried
the rest of what / thought we might
need, not thinking of our trunks,
which We're in the back attic. Sister
Reginald had a few of the girls to
help her clear the chapel and carry
the yestments, altar linens and can
Idlesticks to Guild House.
When the water started to Fill the
cellar Sister Aimee carried the Bless
led Sacrament over to the. attic of the
House, Sister Gabriel and myself car
rying the candles and ringing little
bell. Ny God. shall never forget
lthis sight-ip water above our shoe
tops. Sister Reginald and, the girls
Icleared the convent. Sister Aimee
was almost overcome before the
/ Blessed Sacrament, where she had to
iarrange an altar or stand. Sister
Gabriel and myself were busy clear
ling out closets of eatables, such as
Icanned salmon, corn, tomatoes, soup,
prunes, raisins, coffee tea, sugar salt,
butter stale crusts of bread and even
+ 1 ndy, and fearing the water would
19sana give out, tbs girls were request
ed to fill pitchers and other vessels
land carry them to the attic, where
Everything and everybody would soon
lbe stored. 1t SO happened that we
had a two hundred pound piece Of ice
! in the refrigerator, which Sister and
In carried to TIE second floor, giving
lus a good supply of fresh water for q
flew days. I took down pietures and
! window shades from first floor; had
these and all the furniture taken from
first floor to second floor, The girls
carried the table linen. silver, cook
| ing utensils and anything that We
might need to cook with. we had to
cook BY candle light, and We're very
sglad 70 have II, since the electric light
Land gas we're cut away Just think
lcf being perched III the attic and hear