The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-02-18
Thursday, February Is, 1897

The following letter was re-
ceived this week by Joe Beran OF
Clements from Mrs. Milo Beran
whose husband is a Presbyterian
minister at Mount Washington,
Ohio, and one of the volunteers
who helped save a great many
lives in the flood area. Milo and
Joe are brothers.
To begin with, Mount Washing
ton is high and dry. Our suburb
is entered by a levee and bridge,
which were totally submerged,
and therefore we were cut off
from the city by the normal route.
However, we could reach the city
by going about five times or more
the normal distance, so you can
be sure we did not make trips in
to the city only just last Saturday
when Milo had to get some things
and yesterday when he had a fun
eral service down in Kentucky.
The waters are receding very fast
now and our bridge and levee will
be open sometime today or tomor-
row we feel quite sure. The feel
ing of being isolated was quite an
experience, but one look at the
bleak unlighted city, with all
stores except restaurants, grocery
and drug stores closed, made me
feel very happy that we had our
comfortable home to come back
to.
Our water supply has been off
for quite a while, it was some
time before a week ago Sunday,
and our electricity must be con-
served. We are allowed to use the
radio and burn one small bulb in
our homes. The refrigeratorS are
allowed to be turned on certain
hours. No other electric appliance
may be used, such as washing ma
chimes, irons, etc.
We have been getting our
drinking water and water to use
for cooking and brushing our teeth
ar a spring owned by one of the
men in the community, and he has
been very generous with his lnVl-
tations to people to use it. There
are also other springs around
here. This water we boil for 10
minutes, regardless of the report
that it is supposed to be 100 per
cent pure, because we are taking
no chances these days. We fill our
gallon jugs Of the water and drive
home with a smile on our faces,
grateful that we have enough
for a couple more days cooking
and satisfying our thirst. Water
for dishwashing, etc. Milo and
some of the church boys haul
from a creek not so far from here.
in any kind of containers we have
tubs, boilers, etc. Our bathtub
is filled with this water, and you
can't imagine how grateful we are
to have it there, just for washing
our hands and faces. We feel so
we'll taken care Of with the bath
tub filled!
The telephone service to the
city. Of course, was also cut Oft,
except in cases of extreme emer-
genCy. The lines were so loaded
and there were so many wires and
kilograms sent to and out of Gin
cinnati. that I'd be interested to
know just how many were sent.
Operators worked constantly.
Mount Washington is high up,
overlooking the Ohio river. Just
below us are two small villages,
California and NeWtoWn, which
were totally submerged. The peo-
ole from these two towns were
brought up here to Mount Wash
ingtOn and housed and fed in our
public school. which is new, lar
&c brick building, so well equip
ped to care for them. Just yeSter-
day some of these $50 refugees
left. but most Of them will be
there until perhaps another week.
SO far as being given physical
comfort now, they have good beds.
three fine meals every day, and
they were given Ceeded clothing.
but the anxious looks on their
faces tell many stories. and reveal
that the mental suffering far eN-
cccds the physical trouble they
have experienced. They are an
xioIely awaiting word that the
river has gone down, so that they
may 60 back tO-what? Many of
tha.r homes were shaken off the
Foundation and have gore down
the river. Those who do find their
homes will also find they are very
much in need of repair work and
their furniture practically worth
less. Everything in the world
they owned is ruined. Many OF
our church people have been
helping at this center ever since
the refugees were brought there
and they certainly must be COM
mended for their splendid work
and with no thought of being PAID
for it. and of course they won't be
They are only too happy to feel
that they have been able to dc
something. anything! (You under
stand. of course. there is nc
school, and I'm not sure if the
school will be ready to open next
Monday or not. Of course the
whole building must be fumigated
before the school children can
come back, which will need to be
done with the many schools
throughout the city, which have
been used for refugee centers. 1t
is really wonderful that so, far
there has been no serious sickness
and that is a blessing).
I wanted to also explain that
the only reason we have electri-
city is because of course electri-
city is furnished wherever refu-
gees are being housed, and we
just happen to be on the same
line or current as the school here
However, our streets are all dark
ened and it is really wonderful to
see how the people cooperate
with instructions to burn only one
small bulb in their homes. An in
spector can be seen walking
through the streets with his fash
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