Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 74, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1913 — SOME INCIDENTS OF THE BIG FLOOD [ARTICLE]

SOME INCIDENTS OF THE BIG FLOOD

Rensselaer People Worried Because They Can Not Hear From Relatives in Stricken Cities. . "" . • ' / Rensselaer people generally are congratulating themselves that they escaped with no greater damage during the floods that caused such direful losses at other places. Although quite meager v the bulletins published from, severel stricken cities in Ohio and Indiana, in the Evening Republican of Wednesday, gave a true indication of the conditions that existed and the reports were verified by the Chicago papers which reached here on the milk train Wednesday evening. While the death losses are probably not so many as told by the first dispatches there were deaths in many more cities and towns that at first reported and the losses in the rural districts are thought to be extensive. Rensselaer people with relatives in the stricken districts have naturally been greatly concerned. Probably the most worried people in this city were Mr. and Mrs. A. U. Cloud, formerly of Peru, where the parents of bpth reside. Mr. Cloud is a plumber in the qmploy of E. D. Rhodes & feon. When he learned of the flood and the great loss of life and property at Peru he feared at once that either his or his wife’s parents might have 'been included in the death list. No communication by telephone or telegraph could be procured, so Mr. Cloud determined to make an effort to rejich Peru in some manner and left Rensselaer on the milk train Wednesday evening, hoping to be able to make some connection that would let him get to Peru, but the success of his trip seemed very doubtful, owing to the fact that railroads generally had suspended trains. City Councilman Geofge W. Hopkins was somewhat concerned about Mrs. Hopkins, who is at Vincennes, on the Wabash river, from which .place stories of flood damage were sent out. He was unable to hear from her because there has been no train or mail service. Vincennes, •however, does not„seem to have suffred much. X

T. G. Wynegar, a traveling salesman, who makes his home in Rensselaer, arrived home on the milk train Wednesday evening from a trip to Benton ebunty. He had expected to find the flood condition much worse here than it was. Mr. Wynegar had a quite difficult time getting home, but finally reached here via Goodland and Fair Oaks. High waters prevailed every place and especially at the C. & E. I. bridge over the Iroquois river near Foresman was the situation grave and it was feared the bridge would be carried away, but this evidently did not ensue as the water has fallen considerably since that time. Mr. Wynegar was very much pleased upon reaching Fair Oaks to learn that the milk train was running and that he would be able to reach home that evening. He heard that a house had floated down the Wabash river at Lafayette and that a' woman and child were in the house and both were killed when the houtee struck the bridge/ F. W. Tobias, the newsdealer, has two brothers and a niece at Dayton, Ohio, and has been concerned about them. He wired another brother at Greenville, Ohio,' but has received no reply to his inquiry. Miss Elizabeth Spaulding, the Western -Union operator, saw the name of William A. Sexton among the list of the dead at Columbus, Ohio. Miss Spaulding visited Mr. Sexton and wife in that city last year. She feels certain that he lost his life while engaged in rescue work.

A report reached Rensselaer this morning to the effect that the Eel river at Logansport had gone out, causing the death of 400 people. This report, however, could not be authenticated and there is some doubt about its correctness. General reports show that the waters are receding. In Rensselaer the situation has greatly Improved. The river at the Washington street bridge has fallen about 20 inches from the high mark and the same fall is recorded at the lower bridge. This has drawn most of the water from about the Benjamin, Morris and Wiltshire residences.

In the east end of town the condition also improved, but the sewer there seems to have altogether stopped up and In order to get rid of the surface water is was necessary to cut a ditch along the macadam grade on Webster street at; Elm. This was done this morning and Is rapidly taking the water away. There is some danger from Infection resulting from the water that swept over the sewer and flooded the old open channel of the Make-

ein-self ditch getting into the wells at the pump station. A safe precaution against typhoid infection would be to boil .the water. Flooded basements have largely cleared and furnace fires have again been started and they are much in need today. The drifting snow that came during Wednesday afternoon continued through a good portion of the night and theiy was about 4 inches of snqw this morning. It is now melting and will probably last but a day or so. The city schools were able to resume this morning, although it had been thought impossible yesterday. The water drained from about the steam pipes and that ended the trouble. Not to exceed 50 per cent of the pupils were in school, however, this morning, owing to the fact that it had been an nOunced that there would be : no school.

Dr. F. H. Hemphill was called to Peru last Sunday to see Lyman Harris, a brother of Mrs. Hetnphill, who fell from a haymow and struck across a manger. His injuries at first were thought to be very serious but he is now out of danger. Dr. Hemphill returned home Monday afternoon, just ahead of the flood conditions that caused the suspension of the trains. Peru was Mrs. Hemphill’s and they are anxiously awaiting information of the disaster which occurred there. Dr. E. N. Loy and wife have relatives at Piqua, Ohio, which city suffered storm damage, but they have received no word from them. G. H. McLain and wife are also from Ohio and have relatives in the stricken sections from whom they await assurances with anxiety. The Monon is again running the milk train only today, making the round trip between Brookston and Chicago. General Manager Westfall and other officials, who went to Battle Ground Monday, are still on the job there. They can not estimate the length of time necessary to repair the fill south of the Wabash river. The report that the Monon bridge over the Wabash had gone out is not the case. The giving way of the fill helped to save the bridge, on which a train load of stone had been hauled in order to hold the bridge down. This expedient worked splendidly. It continues to be reported that the Brown street and Big FoUr bridges at .Lafayette Are out and that the Main street fridge there was almost carrfed away and that the water was 4 feet deep at the Big Four depot. On the Indianapolis division of the Monon there are three serious washouts, one ft Delphi, one at Kirklin and a third at Broad Ripple. No proihise of repairs can safe ly be made. Several mail clerks from here were out on their routes when the floods cut them off and they have not been heard from. Fred Chapman, Lem Hammerton and Ross Benjamin, at least, are away from home. Frank Leek and Charley Grow, two other elerks, are both at home this week. Pat Farley, who lives at Liberty and makes round trips between Rensselaer and Cincinnati, is here this week and he Is wondering about conditions at his homq, Miss Oeie Wood, of Parr, visited relatives at Columbus, Ohio, la.--t week and came home only a few days before the flood. Her parents Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Wood, have relatives there that they are anxious to receive word from.

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