Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1913-04-19
PEN PICTURES OF
FLOOD DISTRICT
Interesting Extracts Of Letters Re-
Ceved From Friends and Rel
atives In Ohio

atives In Ohio
The following extracts are taken
from letters received by Mrs. M. e.
Longfellow from her niece in Kenton,
Ohio and her nephew in Dayton.
Both were eyewitnesses OF the terri
BILE flood and their accounts speak
for themselves:
This has been a week that peo-
pie will surely never forget, 1t seems
to me. We could hardly eat or sleep
The reports of the disaster as told
by the newspapers were, however
greatly exaggerated.
F., "The people of Dayton were warned
on Monday morning that trouble-ser
ious trouble-was to be expected
from the River Miami but you know
people never pay attention to such
things. A girl from Dayton said that
one Tuesday morning at six o'clock
the water was so high over the Main
St. Bridge that her brothers could
not get across to their work in the
city.
How they were saved, and how
she got back home to Kenton she
oh hN1 hn NJ
ever know, but that 1t was horrible,
that tongue nor pen can ever de-
scribe 1t.
"Slimy, mudcoated streets,-filled
with the dead bodies of animals (dogs,
cats, horses, etc.)-you may know,
no lights, no fuel, clothing or food at
first-city in total darkness at night,
save where the glare OF the burning
buildings penetrated the gloom, no
water, buildings crumbled and burn
ed. My Imagination fails me when
l try to picture 1t. The half will
never be known.
The condition in Ohio tonight is the
worst in the history of the country.
1t is simply grand the way the other
states are sending in supplies and
money. There is scarcely city in
Ohio that has been untouched. In
diana is also in a bad condition"
A later letter said: "a letter came
in from Dayton to the Post Office
last night from sister Bessie. They
have heard nothing from her father.
If he is alive he is Starving in the
midst of plenty" She said they had
an awful time getting something
to eat. Brother c. worked for two
days in a boat rescuing people from
off their roofs. There was one baby
born in his boat. His hands we're
horribly sore from rowing but he
would not care.
They were burning their fence for
fuel and she also said that it was
next to impossible for them to get
any milk for their baby-poor little
fellow"
The following are extracts from a
letter of Mrs. Longfellows nephew in
Dayton:
"You would never recognize Dayton
IL you were here now. The flooded
portion of the city measures at
least four or five miles. You could
walk all day over the damaged part
Of the town and not follow the same
route and it would all look like the
same ruin.
"The Steel High School Building
that stood on Main Street, near the
river was partially torn away.
Then too, 90 many buildings were
ruined by the fire, which spread ter.
TOR among those who had sought
safety in hotels and elsewhere. But
what the wind tried to do toward
spreading the fire, the rain undid and
soon gained the victory. It had
started the havoc and seemed jeal
GUS of all rivals. Tuesday night
the first night of the flood, was in
deed a night of terror and darkness
to those hemmed in by the waters
which in many places drove them to
their attics, then to the roofs, only
to be drenched by the rain and
numbed by the cold night wind. The
only lights were the awful glare oi
burning buildings. The city Is now
under martial law and an army ol
1orkers are cleaning up the city
1T will be indeed long time be
fore Dayton will be Dayton again"
Among other citizens OF Mountain
Home who have relatives in the
stricken districts are: Mrs. Howie
whose sister, Mrs. c. A. DAILY lives
within mile Of track OF tornado al
Omaha but was visiting friends with
in blocks of where windows were
blown out. Mrs. Howie also has q
cousin, wife Of DR.. Lane Of Dayton
from whom she has not heard.