The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-04-15
RIVER TOWNS
!. !. RISING anew
AFTER FLOOD
Ohio Valley Reconstruction
Is Without Parallel in
Past q Years
(copyrish.. 1886, United Pres.)

Sd. HUN Inv S4N, We d., HpliI
is. (UP(.-The productive Ohio
River Valley, winding from the
heart of industrial America thru
hundreds of miles of fertile wheat
and tobacco lands into the corn
country, IS undergoing a recon-
struction period without parallel
in % years.
The loss to the rich, thickly-
populated valley from the devas-
tating flood that swept from Pitts
burgh to Cairo, H., late in March
is measured in hundreds of mil
Lions of dollars.
Out of this devastation of ma
tire have come lasting benefits to
the Ohio Valley, however. These,
generally, are in the form of con-
,certed planning for flood control,
rehabilitation of waterfront areas
and organization Of public spirit
cd groups to help tiood-wracked
communities to "come back"
VALLEYS REBUILD QUICKLY
Valley towns will "come back
rapidly. There have been at least
"a bad foods of the Ohio since
1883. Usually the valley residents
take their losses, rebuild quickly
and hope that the next one VIII
DE less severe.
The 1886 floods have crystal
lied flood control plans to great
or degree than at any time since
1918. State officials and citizens
arc cooperating with the federal
government in plans to keep the
Sbeautiful Ohio" in check.
The most important preventive
measure projected in the brief
reconstruction period has been
Droposal to construct dams on
large tributaries to control the
foW of water into the Ohio. One
pian calls for construction OF 81
such dams.
ARMY APPROVES II DAMS
Fourteen of the proposed 81
dams have the approval of army
engineers, according to DR.. Chas'
~ Holzer, of Gallipolis, O., presl-
dent of the Ohio Valley Conserva-
ton and Flood Control Congress
: Such a food control program
would require long planning II II
should be approved by congress
Months Of surveys and plsnhianSS'
n1obably costing $l,OO0,o0o'
Would be needed. Roughly, the
ohio Valley water control project
,sn,,lJ cost from $75,00O,OOO to
500, U00. 900.
Several river towns also are con
sidcring building of flood walls
Twice in the last three years
Portsmouth, O., has escaped seri-
mus fiood damage because OF us
Ss0o 00l concrete wall which VIII
hold back 81 feet of water.
HUNTINGTON MAY
BUILD WALL am,
Huntington, a city of $4,000
nobulation, which lost at least
s2sO. 900 in the 1886 floods, IS
Considering construction Of sueh
a wall, to cost approximately So;;-
800, 600. The city would ask tea-
sral financial aid for the project.
$50 effectively did Portsmo9ths
tkree-mile food wall hold back
Inc river two weeks ago that there
was no damage to the city altho
the water stage would have COW
cred a large portion of the city
without the barrier. The cost OF
repairing and strengthening the
wall was only few hundred dol
lars. -.
Some towns are not in position
to be benefited by flood walls
Pomeroy, o., flooded to some de-
stee almost every spring, also Is
situated along tributary streams
which would "back up" and over
flow into the town even with a
flood wall. "
The flood has been followed by
cleaning up and rebuilding work.
giving employment to thousands.
A survey of reconstruction IN
some of the communities affected;
Wheeling, w. Va.-This city
lost about 100000 when the
Ohio river went rampaging. Hun
dreds of homes and buildings were
wrecked. The building boom that
already has started will give .,
600 building tradesmen work ali
summer. A labor shortage devel-
oped. Steel mills and coal mines'
Nheeling's leading INDUSTRIES
have ,speeded operations.
REBUILDING is RAPID
Bellaire, 0.-Belmont county
host an estimated $3,0OO,OOO IN
the food. Carpenters. contractors
and highway crews are busy put
ting Bellaire, Bridgeport, Martins
Ferry and Powhatan back to nor
NAL, Shacks along the river fronts
will be replaced by more modern
houses.
Steubenyille, O.-0rders are
piling up in the steel mills Of the
district, which employ $4,000. In
jefferson county, 1876 homes were
swept away by the food and $50
were damaged. City officials re-
port prospects for "the biggest
Business year since 1928"
Marietta, O.-Marietta's prob
lem has been largely one of CLEAN
ing up. Property damage was kept
to minimum. 81 =. = }
lrontoh, 0hio.-About $4,000
will be needed for reconstruction
work. $50 = Il
Catlettsburg, Ky. = Hard hit,
Gatlettsburg will spend about
100000 rebuilding.
Manchester, Ohio - Holbrook |
college buildings damaged. New |
homes will be built. Total cost OF |
rehabilitation estimated at $685.
900.