, 1935-08-04
Brownsville Girl Caught
= = +
In New York State Flood
Tells of Her Experience

against q tree. Soon 1t was washed
free and was pushed by the swirl
ing waters into the next house. A
large moving van was tipped over
when 1t was caught broadside in
two cross currents at q street Dr.
ner. The iron picket fence between
our house and the next door neigh
bors was entirely covered. at last.
by the enraged flood waters.
Even after the water started to
recede, 1t did not 90 down very
fast. However. the people realized
that 1t was going down and no one
could imagine where any more
water could possibly come from as
the streams around Hornell were
all small ones. Naturally w were
worried about I'll car; so as soon
as 1t was possible / went out TO the
garage and opened the doors; oil
floated out on top Of the water. !
discovered that the force OF the
water tipped over a full, 30-gallon
drum of oil and that closed garage.
This oil followed the regular cur
rent OF the water and went in on
many peoples rugs and floors. The
alley on which the garage opened
was slightly higher than the yard.
Out In the alley vas a young woman
who told me that she had gone
down town after the first rise to get
her baby some milk and that the
second rise had come before she
could get back. The hid was alone
with the young maid and without
food.
That night after the flood waters
had gone out Of most parts of the
city, newSboyS we're around selling
paperS-two-page papers that had
been printed on job presses because
the presses of the daily paper were
under the muddy waters. Although
the type was out-dated, the fact re-
mains that the paper was put out.
At this time many people were
out viewing the wreckage; but
there vas a peculiar absence OF
cars. Every place that the water
had been there now "a the stick
lest, Shiny mud that I had ever
seen. One bridg enearby was still
there. but 1t va so twisted and
covered with debris from the dew
astating torrents that IL was hardly
safe for q person to walk on. Other
bridges we're entirely gone. The
only evidence of their ever being
there was the strtst thtt now end
ed so abruptly. 1t had rained con-
tinually until 2 o'clock, but 1t was
almost clear at this time. Bad
odors OF the Shiny mud and dead
plant and animal life were every
where present. We heard Z about
people in the lower parts Of town
who were taken from their second
story windows in boats. News that
the silk stocking and furniture fac
tories and lumber mills could not
possibly open again because the
intricate machinery had been ruin
ed by the dirty water. came TO our
ears.
I'left Hornell late that night and
did not return until ten days lat
CT. Thursday. July 10. From the
outside the town looked as If the
flood might have occurred the pre-
vlous day. Clouds of yellowish dust
hung over the town, sitting and
choking everyone: the beauty Of
front yards had been entirely for
gotten or overlooked as In most Of
them all the debris and slick mud
from the cellars had been dumped
to be taken away by the city trucks
- soon as possible. Lime had been
sprinkled over the mud to keep
Gown the dust. Water was in the
city mains, but the people we're
warned against drinking it-water
for drinking purposes was trucked
in from nearby towns in which the
water supply had not been affect
cd. For the first four days after
the flood there was no communica-
ton by rail or wire and travelling
in car vas a great risk.