The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-03-16

the weekend reached a climax
when Bluffton experienced its
1913 inundation.
The high waters, reaching a crest
at II a. M, blocked four Bluffton
streets, stalled automobiles, washed
out portions of two roads and a
segment of a railroad right-o
swirled into the buildings of several
of the towns principal manufactur-
ing and industrial plants, marooned
few residences and inundated
hundreds of acres of farm land in
the vicinity.
.Altho several houses were COM
pletely surrounded by water it was
unnecessary to evacuate the resi-
dents because the water fell rapidly
after it reached its peak.
An almost steady downpour of
rain thruout Saturday, continuing
into Sunday, brought the first indi
cation of flood conditions at a. m.
Sunday when Big and Little Riley
creeks went over their banks. The
water continued to rise rapidly and
by IL a. m. the flood was at its
worst.
Subsidies Quickly
Within the next hour, however,
the water had begun to fall notice
ably and the flood continued to sub
side almost as quickly as it had
risen. BY Monday morning both
creeks were again within their banks
and Bluffton was engaged in clean
ing up the muddy deposits that rep
resented the aftermath.
Altho approaching the 1913 record,
this years flood brought little less
water. Total damage also was less
this year, principally because the
food was of shorter duration, it
was said.
In comparison with the 1913 in
undation, Sundays flood was said to
have lacked from four inches to one
foot of being as deep, according to
those who had records to check in
making their estimates.
From the point of its entrance
into Bluffton until it left the town
the Big Riley looked more like a
lake than the peacefully flowing
little stream to which Bluffton is
accustomed.
200 Yards Wide
The water lay in a particularly
wide swath from the eastern edge
Of Harmon field to Jefferson street,
flooding everything within an area
more than 200 yards wide.
Looking from the Nickel Plate
railroad bridge toward College ave-
nue. a real flood picture was pre-
sented, for the broad expanse of
Harmon field lay under five feet of
water, with the concrete stadium
rising like an island from the swirl
ing, muddy current.
The edge of the water extended
beyond the field to the east within
a few feet of Railroad street. On
the other side the water was across
Harmon road in spots and the
Triplett plants parking lot was
under water.
At cherry street the width of the
food had narrowed slightly, but
even at that point it stretched from
the Harry Tripplehorn residence or
the west to the Steinman Lumber
yard at the east. Vance street look
ed like river with swiftly NOV.
ing current sweeping toward Jeffer
son street. Higher ground neal
Jefferson street, however, turned the
water back toward the regular chan
mel, and the flood at that point went
out of the creek on the other side
Streets Blocked
College avenue and Cherry streets
were impossible, but cars were abl'
TO traverse Jefferson street alth,
water was flowing over the road t,
a depth of about six inches. TIL
water at that point was pouring in
to the large National quarry nov
owned by the Central Ohio Ligh
and Power preventing the possibilit,
of flood conditions as bad as at tn
other two streets.
North Main street presented tn
most serious traffic problem whe
swift current of water swep
across the pavement for stretch 0
about one hundred yards betwee
the Big Riley bridge and the A. {
& Y. railroad tracks.
With water up to the bumpers an
Continued on page 81