The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-03-27

I practically was severed today when
many railroads annulled schedules as
trains hours late tried in vain to force
their way through the food zone in
dition caused by the high water
means, it is said, that rail traffic will
be crippled for weeks.
| The Big -Four, Monon, the Erie and
the Chesapeake & Ohio annulled their
schedules early in the day.
| The Pennsylvania and Baltimore &
Ohio roads will endeavor to run two
trains daily between Chicago and New
York, using the Lake Shore and Mich
igan Southern tracks in Ohio, which
thus far have not been damaged.
Other roads in Indiana and Ohio
made no effort to run trains.
Scores of trains were stalled in diff
ferent parts of Ohio and reports indi-
Gated that many miles of roadbed and
| scores of railroad bridges have been
washed away. Conditions were worse
than yesterday, despite the fact that
| in several sections the crest Of the
| flood appeared to have been reached.
Power Plants Out.
Interurban trolley lines as we'll as
lighting and power plants were put
the food reached serious proportions.
1
| factory nor farmhouse was spared by
the deluge. Stores, churches, school
houses were crushed.
James Searfoss, electrician of Wa
bash, Ind, arrived in Chicago from
the flood zone, bringing confirmation
of the report of loss of life at Roches-
ter. Peru, Marion and Wabash, Ind.
"At least fifty persons were killed
| in each Of those towns" said Scar
/ foss. 81 left my home in Wabash yes
terday and arrived in La Porte last
night. Rumors from the flood trouble
down around my part of the country
caused me to call up my father, who
lives in Rochester,
"He told me the Wabash river had
surged over its banks and was rapid
| ly eating it's way to the Pennsylvania
tracks. He said the water sWirled
through the streets of Rochester and
poured into houses. .
Folks were fleeing by every possible
means, boats and RATS, doors and fur
niture. Rochester is a town of 10000
population and hundreds fed to the
railroad station, as the water was
about to cut off their escape.
Human Bodies Floating.
"All of the towns were under water
Human bodies were seen floating
down streets with those of horses, cat
| tie and the like"
| Experiences of and sights observed
| by passengers On Pennsylvania rail-
road trains were told when they ar
rived on a combination train made up
of three of the fastest on that system.
The train, which was composed Of
parts of the twenty-hour New York
| Chicago special, the eastern flyer and
the fast mail trains, came into the
union station at 1O:45 a. m, hours
and hours behind schedule.
Perry Hollister and Roy Taylor of
| Ravenna. o., saw more of the food
ed conditions than the majority of the
others upon the train.
when we boarded the train at Ra-
VIENNA, o., the rain was coming down
in torrents" said Hollister. 1T had
been raining that way for hours, but
that town had not suffered to any
great extent. We proceeded to Toledo
without encountering any difficulty.
However, all along the line to Toledo
we saw great expanses of water.
when We neared Toledo, though,
we began to see what was the extent
of the flood. On the outskirts of that
city there was nothing but water.
Barns had been swept from their or
/ iginal sites and were being washed
about aimlessly. 1t was hard to tell
| the depth because everything was
water"
Many OF the men had built crude
traits and they were polling these
about through what / supposed were
once streets. Some of them appealed
to the engineer of our train as 1t was
passing to stop and take them aboard
and he complied. These people were
brought to Toledo. All they did was
moan and weep about their losses. The
wind was raw, too, and some of them
were nearly frozen when we took
them aboard.
Toledo was struck badly. The low
er part of the city was under water
Mrs. Mary Martin of Atlantic City,
N. j., bewailed her misfortune in not
reaching Chicago yesterday.
1 my husband, AdoIph Martin, was
coming through Omaha when the cy-
clone hit that place." she explained.
He was fortunate enough to be
among those who were not injured
/ He telegraphed me to come on and
meet him here. / started of course,
and / struck a food I should have
lbeen here yesterday morning