, 1935-08-04
by II

Floods in hilly New York are not
like floods In the Valley
When ! went to bed Sunday
night. July 2. ! did not have the
slightest notion that the next
morning ! would witness the worst
flood that had ever struck Hornell
and western New York. 1t was
raining hard and long. jagged
flashes Of lightning interspersed
with deep. rumbling thunder fill
ed the skies: but ! did not think
anything of 1t as 1t had been rain
ing off and on for several days
previous. Even If ! had thought
OF a flood I would not have dream
ed that 1t would come I'D around
our house because 1t is over three
blocks away from Caneacadea
Greek. which Is a very small
stream.
The next thing that I knew was
az Sis the next morning when an
excited girl called on the telephone
and nervouSly explained that the
water was all around her house
and that her water and gas had
been cut off. OF course we all
went to the windows to see the
destruction. If any: but we were
disappointed to find that there
was not even the slightest image
Of a flood. However, the water
supply was out of order.
IL was still raining, though, and
we did not have to wait very long
until small revulets of water be-
gan flowing along the street. These
streams continued to grow in size
until they were curb full and in
some places slightly over. This
was about z o'clock in the morn
ing. OF course everyone was I'D
and many people started out to
lower sections Of the town to see
the damage as the water Soon
went down out Of the streets.
But not for long. In less than
half an hour after the first rise
water suddenly began TO flow
again In the streets. Most people
did not believe it was significant
and went on about the daily tasks
that they could do without the aid
Of water. But this time the water
did not 90 down after 1t was to
the curb-it continued to come up
and each time we looked on a
fence next door we said, Well, I
guess this Is about as high as IL
will 60. I'm telling you this Is the
worst flood I've ever seen"
Even as early as 10 O'Clock In
the morning water was flowing
through the newer houses that are
built rather low on the ground.
The water had come up SO fast and
with no advance notice that rugs.
pianos, lamps, and furniture on
the first floors of many houses
were ruined. In our house the
water did not enter the first floor
at any time, but the cellar was abb
Solutely filled and all the windows
and doors in the cellar had been
forced open by the power Of the
water. This was due to the fact
That when the water was about IL
feet above the curb il began flow
ing between the houses from the
next street back. In this house
alone four electric motors were
ruined.
The debris FILLED water continued
TO rise until about 2 o'clock in the
afternoon at which time a man try
ing to cross the street was nearly
drowned because the water was so
deep and swift. I estimated that il
was between four and five feet deep
IN the middle Of the street. Every
one was out on the porches as by
that time everything was either
ruined or saved and nothing more
could be done about it. People were
shouting back and forth to each
other and comparing the damage
they'd received. Our phone did not
go out so we called others who had
been as fortunate and learned
that we had been lucky to get out
with so little damage. It was very
interesting sitting on the porch
watching things float by. A pair OF
houses and we tried to figure out
whether they were ours or not.
Paint cans and lumber from a house
that was being repaired came rush
ing down the swift current, a a
that had been parked up a drive
way slowly came to rest-lodged