The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-05-02


1t seems to me that the main current
of the Miami must have been diverted
through the principal streets of Day
ton. The store rooms opposite us filled
to the ceilings. Down both streets
poured a mass Of drift now lot Of
chairs and tables from some home,
now counters, shelving, barrels, boxes,
crates of fruit from some grocery,
several pianos, piles Of lumber, and
worst of all, every few minutes some
struggling, drowning horse. Some OF
the wreckage drifted clear, some
struck poles of street lights and broke
into fragments, some was hurled
against and shattered the plate glass
windows of stores. 1t was sicken-
ing sight of ruin and destruction.
In the rear of the hotel was a small
court where a score Or more Of horses,
released from a neighboring stable
were struggling frantically and from
time to time succumbing and dying.
The rooms on the second floor dir
ectly under the one I had occupied, had
fallen clear through to the basement
leaving a horrible gap. A jewelry
salesman said his trunks with $780,
900 worth of goods in them, went down
with the lower room. 1t is not certain
yet whether this accident was due to
the water undermining the walls or
to the explosion of a small boiler in
the basement
All day long we sat on the second
floor and watched the horrible muddy
food, and the dreadful drift. The first
rush of the waters came halfway up
the store fronts before any one could
realize it, then came the slower but
steady mounting, and there was a
dreadful fascination in watching the
creeping upward inch by inch, select
ing some mark and watching it until
submerged.
There was fortunately considerable
food On the second floor, though but
little drinking water. The managers
of the Beckel thought there would be
provision enough with economy to
carry us through, and humanely they
shared this with all in the house with
out distinction between guests and re-
fugees.
We made and enforced a peremptory
order that not single match should
be struck in the house. From the very
first the dread of fire was on the heart
of every one. One fellow tried how
ever to light pc, but was properly
taken care of. We had, as far as
know, no other such creatures among
u.s.
As night drew on, and the water
still slowly rose, the horror of dark
ness was. upon us-ominous cracking
sounded from the broken east wall,
any many clambered while there was
light to the buildings on the west for
greater security, I secured chair in
an insurance Office There were six
people there who had been caught
while at work. They were very kind
to me, as I shall never forget.
The night was an absolutely sleep
less one, and in one or two directions
fires could be seen at distance. We
had hoped that by Wednesday the
flood would be subsiding as rapidly as
it came, but with the seemingly inter
misable night was ended, We were
strickenly disappointed to find that
though there was a decline, it was
small indeed, it is said the waters rose
till 3 a. m
We all filed into the dining room in
the morning, and thankfully received
a portion of cold meat and fried po-
tatoes, and what was most grateful, a
glass of water and a cup Of coffee.
There was doleful view of such
stores as Kirby's, Hunter & Hardie the
Surprise, in fact everything on Third
street with the black water washing
to the ceilings. At almost every win
dow in the buildings in view we could
see anxious, drawn faces of people
marooned like ourselves. There were
no shouts or calls for help for every
one knew that no help could come. In
the Beckel, people talked but little,
and in low voices. Some one went
around and secured list of all our
names There were about 100 guests.
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