South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-10-31
A REAL HEROINE

Tomorrow there viii be given 10 Mrs Mildred
Lothrop check OF $1,000 and medal which the
greatest heroes If history might we'll envy.
She has been chosen from among the many heroic
employees of the telephone companies OF the
try as the most deserving-and the bravery
which she performed places her among the very
immortals for courage and sacrifice.
Mrs Lothrop is a telephone operator in the small
town Of Homer Ncb.-a small job but arduous
one. Hers IS little switchboard and her work
chains her that little desk for long hours plug
gng in the connections for farmers along the line
and the little storekeepers, who are the chief
toners
She took the Job back in 1914. when the two
oldest boys were called to war, and she was faced
with the problem supporting three other children
and saw the necessity of adding something to the
small allowance which Uncle sam gave to mothers
who held back their tears they their sons
march away.
At . o'clock the morning OF May 81, 1920 there
came a call The lines from farmer far up
creek. which most days runs lazily through the
village The switchboard was IN her own home
n part or her work listen, when
asleep for the warning bell
That message told her that there had been
cIoudburst far up the creek and that torrent.
sweeping all before it, rampaging down the
creek high above banks and carrying death upon
is whirling waters.
She did not stop to dress She began 10 plug in
calls for farmers. begging them TO hurry safety.
They responded sleepiy at first refusing to be
Heve until the terror and earnestness in her voice
convinced them.
Let the story of Mrs. Lothrop, whose name should
be placed beside that Of Paul Revere be told in
the words OF those making the award That state
ment says:
To give this warning. Mrs. LothrOr who had
been wakened at O'Clock in the morning by call
from a farm several miles up the creek. sat lightly
clad at her switchboard until the rushing waters
covered the floor Of the little office sud mounting
slowly. washed the shelf OF the switchboard.
waist high. putting the wires out Of service. Beg
ging and pleading with the telephone subscribers.
many OF whom would not at first believe her warn
ing 10 flee FOR their lives she refused leave her
post although her son. with tears in his eyes i'm
plored her think Of her safety. and turned
a deaf ear upon others who urged her to get out
before the building was carried away.
When after % minutes the flood put the tele
phone wires OF service. she forced 10 wade
through water up 10 her breast in order 10 reach
place OF safety in a building across the street.
As she pulled hereelf up the steps OF the build
ms a small frame house next the telephone
office. and its counterpart IN construction,
washed from foundation and carried dis
lance away by the water
"The basin OF the Omaha spreads out into broad
valleys above and below the town OF Homer, which
lies between two ranges OF hills, the distance be-
tween them being only about quarter OF mile at
this Point. Normally Omaha Creek Is a shallow.
sluggish stream. Engineers declare that during the
flood the water reached a maximum depth OF eight
feet the OF the village and must have at
tanned a velocity of between seven and 10 miles
hour as II raced through the narrow gateway be-
tween the two valleys
About IS houses were swept from their founda-
tons several being carried three blocks
down stream. AS many more were damaged by