This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: ghoecampbell Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.ohio.counties.franklin/18278/mb.ashx Message Board Post: In 1937 there was a horrible flood in Ohio. An article on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 1927 in teh Columbus Citizen, page 3A, recalls the 1913 flood: "MEMORY'S TRICKY ON FLOOD HERE IN 1913; BUSEY'S NOTEBOOK TELLS THE REAL STORY" By Harry F. Busey (Who was city editor of The Citizen in 1913). "As reports of flood havoc along the Ohio come in, Columbus memory reverts to 1913. Memory is a tricky thing, and not always accurate as to detail, so I turn to an old notebook for the record as I briefed it there immediately after the Columbus flood tragedy. I find this story: 'On March 25, 1913, at 8:30 a.m. the Scioto River broke through it's earthen levees and inunated the west side from the river to teh asylum hill. For three days the west side was cut off from the east, north, and south sections of the city. 'Ninety-four lives were lost by drowning, 4000 houses flooded, 389 homes entirely swept away, and 20,000 persons homeless. Estimated value of flooded property, $25,000,000. 'The whole city of Columbus was without water for 20 horus, without street car service for two days, and without street lights for two weeks. Not a steam or electric train entered tor left the city for 36 hours and transportation service was crippled for weeks. 'Bridges at Broad, State, and Town streets were washed away. The Rich Street Bridge, condemned 15 years before, stood. (somewhat repaired and extended it is still standing and in service). 'Storage dam falsely reproted broken on the afternoon of March 26. This was the day 'the dam busted,' in later years giving the comic touch to the otherwise tragic story. 'The cause of the 1913 flood at Columbus was unprecedented rainfall on the watershed of the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers. In the period from March 23 to 27, total rainfall varied from 11.2 inches in Logan County and 10.6 inches in Marion County to 7.9 inches in Franklin County. So much for the notebook. Most of the west side escaped with a soaking from back water. The loss of life occured when the main flood current refused to take the big bend and cut across between the B & O Railroad and the asylum hill, taking out house after house and the fmailies marooned in them. Some of the bodies were later found as far down the river as Shadeville. When the flood came some West Siders fled to the Hilltop while others came east across the bridges. Families were separated. For three days there was noo communicaiton between the sections, except as came by word of mouth in some round-about way. During this time fathers who had to come to work uptown didn't know whether their families were safe or not. During these days The Citizen gave over pages to printing the locations of refugees so relatives might find them. There was no radio. Wireless telegraphy was being played with by amateurs. It was a Hilltop amateur ticking off a message to afriend on the east side of the river who got over first word of conditions on the Hilltop. Many tales of heroism and tragedy there were. One sticks in memory. It concerned a fmily named Underwood. As I recall there were seven or eight in the family. Rising waters forced them to the roof. Then the house floated away. It lodged against a tree and broke to pieces. The members fo the fmaily clung to the branches. During the night about half of them dropped off to their deaths. The rest held on, witnessing the deaths of the others, until rescue came. All this happened on what before and since is dry land. There was a loud cry for flood protection which, after much argument, resulted in teh wideening of the Scioto channel through the city and, incidentlly, in establishing the civic center." Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.