Wellsville Area Flooded

The lower end of Main St. in Wellsville was flooded for an area of approximately 50 feet, causing much damage to stock in one of the merchant's basements. The Hotel Fasset had to cancel its weekly Rotary Club luncheon because employes[sic] living in flooded areas were unable to report for work.

Trains on the Erie Railroad, east of Wellsville, were held up, with nothing scheduled for New York. Buses, however, were able to carry through on their schedule.

Majority of the Main St. merchants closed throughout Tuesday because of no power. Schools in the area suspended classes for the day when a checkup revealed basements flooded and heating systems and lighting equipment out of order.

The Bradford Era, Bradford, PA 29 May 1946

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WELLSVILLE, in adjacent Allegany County, was almost equally hard hit by the rampaging Genesee River. The city's municipal water and electric plant was put out of commission early this morning when the surging water swept into the building.

Electric power had ceased entirely and only emergency telephone service was in operation at Wellsville. Emergency service from the Buffalo-Niagara Electric Corporation was cut off when three poles were toppled by overflowing Knight's Creek near Scio.

ROUTE 19 between Wellsville and Scio was blocked by the turbulent Genesee. Considerable crop damage was reported from farms in the Genesee River Valley area. In Wellsville, itself, a small part of the business section and several residential areas were flooded.

Public schools there also were closed after basements became filled with water.

Syracuse Herald Journal, Syracuse, NY 28 May 1946

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Birth by Lantern

WELLSVILLE, (AP)---A baby boy was born early today at Jones Memorial Hospital by the light of lanterns held by two volunteer firemen when a flood forced the municipal power plant to shut down, and the hospital's emergency lighting system failed.

Both the mother, Mrs. Richard Fessenden of Wellsville, and the baby are "doing fine", their physicians said.

Syracuse Herald Journal, Syracuse, NY 28 May 1946
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!