Cincinnati, OH Flood, Jan 1907

CINCINNATI SUFFERS HEAVY LOSS BY FLOOD

FIFTEEN THOUSAND PERSONS DRIVEN TO HIGHER LAND.

CINCINNATI, O., Jan. 19. - With the crest of the flood water in the Ohio river not yet in sight the financial loss in Cincinnati and vicinity, due to high water, is $500,000 up to tonight. The loss includes damaged goods, loss of manufacturing facilities and wages of idle men. Some 15,000 persons have been driven to higher land. Nearly 50 houses in Newport, a dozen in Covington and large areas in the east end and in Mill Creek quarter of Cincinnati are under water. The conditions are similar at all points between Pittsburg and Cairo. The immense stretch of the river, silently and remorselessly carrying before it all manner of property was watched all day by thousands of people on both banks, and the high buildings. While strenuous efforts were made by hundreds of men to carry to places of safety those whose homes had been invaded by the flood or some of the household effects, from the flooded homes. For better handling relief work, Mayor Dempsey this afternoon divided the city into four relief sections.

The Macon Daily Telegraph, Macon, GA 20 Jan 1907

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THOUSANDS OF HOMELESS PEOPLE SUFFER IN OHIO

Are Driven From Home By Raging Water and Then Struck By Cold Wave

Sections of Towns Are Submerged

CINCINNATI, Ohio, Jan. 20. - Colder weather and a gale of wind increased the suffering of those thousands who had been made homeless by the flooded Ohio and a number of buildings that had been weakened by the water went down before the wind last night and today. The first and probably most serious loss by collapsing of walls was during the night, when several floors in the buildings on Walnut street, occupied by A. Janszen Wholesale Grocery Company, and the Ohio Butterine Company went down with a crash that could be herd for several blocks. Both buildings were heavily loaded with merchandise in the upper stories, goods having been moved from the cellars, and the collapse occurred just as the high wind coming along the river began to shake the high buildings. The loss cannot yet be estimated, but will probably be heavy.

The area of flooded section increased considerably during the day, each inch of rise spreading over wide territory. For several hours the river was stationary at 64.8 feet, but the weather bureau officials could find only temporary consolation in this fact, announcing during the afternoon that the news from up the river indicated that the river here would go up to at least sixty-six and perhaps sixty-seven feet within the next thirty-six hours.

People Isolated by High Water.

The rise of last night and today cut off approach in the foot bridges across the Ohio. Isolating most of the poeple on the Kentucky side of the river. Some of those in Covington were still able to cross over the railroad bridge, but the report was almost wholly cut off and Covington, Bellevue, Ludlow and Bromley were suffering from the back waters. Sirenuous efforts were made to avoid serious interruption to street railway traffic but the isolation of the bridges prevented a continuance of the car lines to Cincinnati, and there were long stretches along the Kentucky side of the river where the cars were unable to pass. In the east end of Cincinnati the car service was so badly crippled that half a dozen transfers were necessary to go a few blocks. Systematic efforts to relieve the sufferers, who are estimated at nearly twenty thousand in Cincinnati and the nearby cities on both sides of the river, were under way all day. the special appropriation by the city council being supplemented by special funds, to which all the churches contributed today. Reports from up the river today varied little from those of last night.

Towns Under Water.

The lower end of Parkersburg was under water, and the railroads were in trouble. Almost the entire business section of Portsmouth was under water, and the entire north and west end flood bound, while five thousand people driven from their homes were sheltered and [sic] schools and churches, and the city was without gas or water service. At Madison, Ind., several hundred people have been driven from their homes by the water, which has gradually approached on the business and residence section. While the low lying sections of Huntington, W. Va. are under water it is not believed that the damage there will be very heavy. Many bridges in that section have been carried out by the floods.

The flood in Cincinnati this afternoon hampered the efforts of the fire department in attempting to fight a fire in the foundry of William [illegible] & Co., the water cutting off access to the burning buildings. The establishment burned to the water's edge, causing a loss of several hundred thousand dollars.

The Macon Daily Telegraph, Macon, GA 21 Jan 1907
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Transcribed by Tim Taugher. Thanks, Tim!