The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1913-03-27
MIDDLE WEST IN
GRASP Of FLOODS
Entire Country From Nebraska
to Vermont Swept.
OHIO A VAST INLAND LAKE
Levee Breaks az Dayton and Nearly
Whole City Observation-Disclosures
Sixty People Drowned
Wires Are Down.

west is In the grasp OF the worst floods
ever experienced, following in the wake
| OF the terrific war of the elements
which in the past two days has sweep
practically the entire country from
| Nebraska to Vermont
! The state of Ohio, from the Maumee
( to the Ohio. is practically a vast in
land lake. and the mildest rumors con
corning the fate of the city OF Dayton
one of the show places of the state
are afioat.
Dayton 10 Inundated.
A levee restraining the river at this
| point broke and soon the city was
flooded to a depth of from seven te
twelve feet, Many buildings had col
lapsed when the. final link of com
munication with the outside world
one telephone wire--was lost. Reliable
reports placed the humber OF drowned
at 50.
A reservoir near Lewiston was re
ported to have broken and sent fur
Their flood upon the stricken city. An
other report was to the effect that
more than a thousand persons had lost
their lives and that the city had been
engulfed by water to an enormous
depth
Another rumor, equally lacking con
firmation. was that the bodies of peo'
pie could be seen being washed about
in the streets and on, the outskirts OF
| Dayton. Every effort is being made
to confirm these rumors and they are
given under reservation.
Nineteen Drowned at Delaware.
From every city and town in Ohio
with which communication is still pos
sible tale of death and disaster is
reported. s..
Among the towns which suffered the
heaviest are Delaware. where 10 per-
sons were drowned when the Glen.
tangy river hooded the town. Among
the dead there are the widow and
daughter of Sam Jones, the Georgia
evangelist The residential portion OF
the town is in ruins. Residents are
marooned on housetops and in trees,
and because of the small number OF
boats at hand rescue work is slow. 1t
is estimated that 1000 persons are
homeless and many are in a critical
condition from lack Of food and ex.
posture. -r 30"
The town of Findlay Is hoodswept
land much rain has resulted in the
business and residential sections. All
schools and manufacturing plants
have been forced to close.
.. Million Loss at Akron.
Akron reported a million dollar loss
of property and several drowned and
killed.
At Troy. O., the Erie canal and the
Miami river have broken their banks
and flooded the city Several persons
were drowned and the inhabitants
were forced to fee from their homes.
A girl telephone operator. the last to
leave the exchange building in Day
ton, was in communication with Gov
ernor Cox at Columbus for a moment
and reported that the Leonard build
Ing, one OF the city's skyscrapers. had
just collapsed. carrying many persons
10 death. Just as the girl told the
governor that the exchange had been
deserted and was In Imminent danger
OF collapse the connection was bro
ken. From seven to fourteen feet of
water covers the streets as the result
OF the overflow OF the Miami, Still
water and Mad rivers and Wolf creek.
The last report from Dayton said that
the levees restraining these rivers
were in imminent danger OF giving
way and adding tremendously TO the
loss of life and damage, II is feared
that they have gone and encompassed
the destruction OF the city.
Troops Are Called Out.
Several companies of the state
militia have been called out and
trains are attempting to land them
somewhere near Dayton, but the task
seems impossible.
The Dayton bridge over the Great
Miami river has been dynamited as
the vast amount OF debris rushing
down the river clogged there and
formed a dam increasing the over
flow.
Thousands OF refugees fed the de-
luged city, while thousands more were
lowering on the outskirts OF the city.
Hundreds OF persons were marooned
in trees and on housetops Boats
are being used in the work OF rescue.
but this is attended with great dan.
ger.
Governor Cox has appealed to the
National Red Cross association for
aid in caring for the thousands OF
sufferers In Ohio, who have been rend-
cred homeless by the food and wind
Other States Suffer.
Sweeping up the Ohio River valley
was another storm, almost as severe
as the one raging over Ohio. Great
damage was done in Kentucky, III.
nois and Indiana.
North OF the great lakes In Upper
Michigan blizzard is raging. while
western and northern New York is in
the throes OF the worst food In it's his
tory, with cold wave threatened.
Buffalo reported that the Buffalo
river was rising rapidly and two Of
the big railroad bridges were Ia dan
ger o. being carried AWAY.