The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-01-22

CONTINUED from Page u
functioning at near normal for the
moment.
Flood Gates Opened
The gates were opened at / a. m.
After a sleepless night OF uncer-
tainty and feverish preparation for
the flood that "A hours before had
become inevitable. For week the
three mile long wall had held back
the flooded Ohio and Its tributary,
the Scioto, which joins: here.
Two hours before, City Manager
Frank e. Sheehan, who directed the
flood preparations: Fire Chief
Robert Leedom and City Engineer
Charles Stevenson had met in
emergency conference the river was
within inches Of the top OF the wall
and was rising rapidly - the result
OF 10 days of almost incessant rain
fall In the two valleys. There was
no time for argument Of ii1decision.
In a few moments they were agreed
that the only safe course was to
open the valves.
Whistles Sound Warning
Factory and locomotive whistles
sounded a prearranged warning,
and those stu In the doomed dis
trict made haste to get to the hills.
At five minute intervals for half
hour the whistles blew. Evacuating
residents rushed about madly for q
time, but swiftly, the streets were
emptied.
Police cars toured the streets,
warning all to hurry. City firemen,
house-to-house canvass OF the
war veterans and Boy Scouts made
residential district to make certain
every one had heard the warning.
But the river had not waited. AT
midnight water had seeped into
Chillicothe street, the main business
artery. Pumping stations were kept
operating until the last minute,
turning back the seepage from q
core wall along the Scioto, which
was being reinforced as a WPA prof.
ect before the high water came.
The pumps stopped. At the up
river levee at the .east end Of the
city, engineers opened the valves.
Water poured In.
All along the wall the valves were
being opened and water poured
down in gushing spouts.
s to 10 Feet in Streets
In less than three hours the Levitt
of the water in the city was up to
the level Of the rivers. BY 4 a. m.
there were eight to ten feet OF
water in the lower portions OF the
business district.
An area little more than q mile
square was Inundated. The water
stood from few inches to 10 feet
deep. In the streets closest to the
river the water was even with Sec
ond floors.
It was an agonizing picture to
those whose homes were In the flood
area. They suffered little physically
because their safety and comfort
had been assured yesterday. when
the desperate measure was first de-
cided, by the Red Cross. city officials
and relief agencies. They found
refuge in school houses, churches.
and private homes.
Plants Forced to Close
Industrial firms employing 10000
workers were forced to close. The
biggest of these was the Wheeling
Steel Corporation plant at suburban
New Boston, scene Of bitter strike
| last summer. Three mills were shut
down. They employ 5000 workers.
Other plants closed were the SelDy
Shoe Company, employing 1000; the
williams Manufacturing Company,
shoe concern, employing 1000, and
the Orio Stove Company.
Transportation was crippled. All
roads leading from Portsmouth were
reported under water. The flood
area extended about 20 blocks from
each river. :.
City officials believed the wall
would Withstand the terrific water
pressure. II 1t had broken before
the pressure was equalized, most OF
the city would have been swept
away.
| Driving Rains Falling
| Cold, driving rains continued 10
fall throughout the river valleys
today, making 1t impossible for gov
! eminent observers TO estimate &C
(, curately the probable crest here. The
rivers will not start receding before
next week.
A ferry boat. the Captain John,
went aground while removing a
few residents from the isolated
Nauvoo section on the west side, but
did not sink. The passengers
waded ashore.