“I WADED IN WATER UP TO MY NECK...”
EAST DAYTON
Of all the businesses in Dayton at the time of the flood, the Barney & Smith Car Company on Monument Avenue in east Dayton was one of the hardest hit. Literally acres of exotic woods used to build railroad cars were washed away by the high water. The company never fully recovered, closing in the 1920’s.
MAGALENA TOHT
Magalena Toht was trapped by the flood waters in a house near the Barney and Smith Car Company on Monument Avenue.
My father was downstairs and it filled up so fast, a mattress swirled around and got on top of my father – then my uncle got my father and the man who came in with the water, and helped them both upstairs, to where we all were on the second floor.
The family moved outside onto the low roof at the back of the house. They then climbed to the second, higher roof.
The house came off the foundation and started swaying; we would all move from one side of the roof to the other, our feet hung in the water already. My father and my uncles found some two-by-sixes and laid them across the water to the next house over, which was a little cottage.
Then we walked on that to the end of [the roof], we saw all these piles of lumber from the [Barney & Smith] car shop, all laying down on Monument Avenue – so we crossed to lumber piles on boards as they laid them – we got to the corner house, which was over on its side but held fast by two big trees. When we got there, we laid boards over piles of lumber again until we got to Requarth’s.
The Toht family stayed three days on the second floor of Requarth’s, their only source of food a barrel of pickles that had been caught as it passed by. On the third day they were able to lay boards across piles of lumber to reach a pulp paper mill. They used rags to make beds and built a cook fire. They were able to catch a duck and make duck soup with dumplings, using flour from a nearby biscuit company.
It was a terrible time, after the flood in Dayton – but everyone helped each other. Families opened their homes and shared what they had with those like us, who lost everything. It was a terrible time, but it was a giving time, and we were all stronger afterwards.
FRANKLIN BEIRLEIN
Hugo Bierlein wrote to Ida Zint on March 29, 1913. The letter also contains a message to Ida by Hugo’s son, Franklin, in which he states he had gone downtown to work at a jewelry store at the Arcade. Franklin was in the store at 8:30 in the morning when the water began to rush in, rising about a foot in ten minutes.
…from the Arcade roof I went to the top of the Phillips hotel where I could see the water and its havoc on Third & Main Sts. This is impossible to describe. All the windows of the stores started to crack and stores were flooded to the ceiling, the show cases of jewelry & silverware poured out of Newsalts Jewelry store which was the finest of its kind in the state. Cigars from the stores were being swept down the stream, which had a very swift current. I saw a horse swimming down the street and he came so fast that he hit an iron post and broke it off. You could see anything from a barrel of whiskey to a street car in the flooded streets. After the flood was at its highest point fire broke out just a square east of the building I was in & cleaned out the entire squares both sides of the streets – in which there was about 3 wholesale liquor stores, oil and wholesale druggists.
Fire also broke out in the south end & at the west end. I hardly got any sleep at all but had plenty to eat. I was penned in from Tuesday morning at 8:30 until Friday morning at 6:00 A.M. When I saw the water had been down in the center of town, I beat it to 3rd st crossing and dug out the railroad east to Dutoit st & down to Xenia Ave. When I was within 3 sqs of home I met Herman, & he said they were alright, that was quite a relief as I thought they were probably dead from fire or water. As I got to Wayne Ave and Adams I met papa, & went home with him where mama cried for joy. I suppose I will have to close could say more but it is late & must get to bed before the gas gets turned out.
E. C. BENNETT
On April 15, 1913 E. C. Bennett wrote a letter to John H. Patterson. After he was rescued from a house on Wayne Avenue, Bennett claimed to have saved 103 persons during the flood using a boat built at NCR.
On March 25, I let home to view the high waters, this was about 6:30 A.M., and was caught in the flood. I waded in water to my neck to get to a friend’s house on Wayne Ave. just opposite McLain St. We were trapped in this house and had to go out through the roof, and went across a door to the next roof. There was eight of us went across the roof. This was a much taller house and safe.
I was taken from this house about 10:30 A.M. Wednesday and landed at McLain St. hill and from there home, and a joyful meeting awaited me, for my wife and children thought me dead. I was not at home long when I told my wife I could not stay at home knowing the large amount still in the flood, so I went to Hickory St. School and took a boat with J. I. Lambert, Manual Training School Teacher, and we saved several, I did not keep no account of. I had another fellow part of the time but I can’t call his name. Then I had the boat myself and kept account and brought out 103 without accident, but took several pretty long chances. I quit Friday night about all in, and have been under Dr. Bechtel’s care since that time, - my nerves gave way.
I had one of the N.C.R. boats, and Tuesday morning I came over to see if I could not secure the boat to keep as a relic. I wanted to paint and letter it, showing the time it was made and the lives it had saved as near as possible.
I put my application in as cook while there, and went home. Was home about an hour, and a messenger came with a letter from Mr. Munsell stating that they were in need of a cook at the Patterson School. I got ready and went at once. Mr. Ramsey was in charge and said they needed a man that could take full charge of cooking and feeding the people. This I took on myself to do and did till closed. We fed more than 5000 people. This can be verified by Mr. Lang who wrote me a very nice letter of recommendation when we closed.
I have worked at the N.C.R. about one year and did lots of wall decorating at Mr. Deeds’ new house, also at your house. I live in a four room cottage at 129 Jay St., and had as high as 22 [flood refugees] at one time. The last ones left last Friday.
The boat I had has my name on it and has one end broken out. I had as high as 12 people in this boat. I was on every street between Jefferson, Sixth and Wayne Ave. If this boat is to be destroyed, would still like to have it.
W. G. MORRISON
W. G. Morrison was living at 1623 East Third Street in 1913. He wrote of his adventures during the flood in a letter to his Uncle John.
We live directly across from the June Street Fire Engine House and have become familiar with the gong. So many Bells for first and second and third alarm riot call Militia &c. On the morning of Tuesday March 25th, 1913, from three O’Clock in the morning until Six it seems as though the alarm was constantly ringing until 21 Strokes came in which meant that the Militia was needed. We all got up and went down stairs when they told us that the river was rising and that the Militia was needed to warn people in North Dayton Which has some water every Spring. I took a bite to eat Cup of Coffee and a piece of biscuit. My wife wanted to fix me a couple eggs I said no you have plenty. I then started for the office before seven mind you I never get down until after eight. I got to the office all right and hundreds of people were viewing the river, (You know how my office is located) I can look up Main Street to the river or in any direction. I was looking up Main st. when I saw something like Bucket of water throwed up against the curb when it dashes over. I looked up again and saw a roll of water that covered the Levee and Street and the people turned and run like the last day I said Bill you had better get on the other side of the Canal where no water can come as the Elevator was stopped I ran down the Stairs and two blocks to St. Clair St I could not get across and run to an alley When I was in the Alley I saw that that it was blind and did not run through then I had to get back and go down another way the water came so fast that I barely got through. When I got to 5th & Canal I thought I would go home when I looked aroun [sic] I found that I was surrounded. I still tried to get home I run and waded until the water was higher than my waist when I run on a porch from there I went in the house then up stairs then in the Attic with 34 of us stayed from Tuesday morning until Thursday Night Without, Fire, food, Light, or water besides being wet to the Skin and Cold. The water came higher and higher then the fires begun to break out all over the City the only thing could be done was to let them burn as the Water Works was out of Commission People were imprisoned in their homes and crying for help. The roofs were filled with people whom had knocked holes through the shingles and crawled out the sick were there in a driving rain. One woman across from us sat for two days with three children against a Chimney. Horses by the hundreds were in the water fighting for their lives they would break windows and doors and try to get upstairs in the houses.
Tuesday was a terrible day, Tuesday night was a night of Horrors It was so dark that you could not see, the cries for help came from every direction, Logs, Houses, Barns, buildings of every description was bumping and grinding and breaking so you did not know what would happen next. You had ought to hear some of them suckers pray I told one fellow he ought to be game living the way he had been as long as he had I would be ashamed to go to Heaven. I made a list of my Accident and life Insurance and pinned them on the inside of my coat and give up because I never could see how I was going to get out as the fire was strong and was coming our way. It had me guessing one accident policy I would have left $10,000 if I was burned to death and only $5,000 if I was drowned. I wanted my family to get all they could. As I had drowned once I knew that it was an easy death but hated to go up against the fire. (When I was a boy they took me out of the water unconscious just the same as if I was dead)...
It is the first time that I ever knew flag Stones and Cement paving to float. We had a Club at St. Paul Church that has a Kitchen, this was thrown open and people were brought there for food and shelter I am enclosing a Copy of the list of names I put it in the way of a Society Notice. My wife did not know where I was but thought I was in my office. The boys worried a great deal but she told them as long as POP had some Star Tobacco left he was alright but as soon as he run out you could look for him swimming out.
One night about one O’Clock Frederick woke up and asked his Mother Say do you think that Man in the Conover Bld’g is all right. He tells me since how he prayed for me. You know we had no gas and had to do the Cooking in the Furnace we had a stream of people coming and going all the time about all we could have was soup and Coffee. You could not buy anything as every thing was sold out. People would have starved if it had not been for the quick response for help on the outside. We had from 15 to 20 at our house all the time my wife only had a dollar when I left home the Banks would not open your Checks were no good I happened to have about $15.00 still you could not buy anything it was no unusual thing to see a man worth a Million in the bread line. We were all on the same level. It seems like a dream…
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