ause of the clogging of the sewage system and the
stagnation of back water. The water works and gas plants continued in
operation, but the electric light plants had been forced to cease.

In the Kentucky towns of Dayton, Ludlow, Bellevue and Bromley identical
conditions existed, but in their cases all communication with
Cincinnati, Newport and Covington was suspended. These towns remained in
isolation until the water had fallen sufficiently to permit the
operation of street cars on the south side of the river.

In these towns there were 2,000 persons cared for by relief committees.
More than 500 homes disappeared under the flood waters. Property damage
assumed alarming proportions, especially as this was the second time
within three months that the Ohio Valley had suffered from high water.

By Sunday the outlook for Cincinnati was brighter. No trains had gone
out of the city except south to Kentucky by way of Covington, and rail
and telegraph communications were still badly demoralized, but fair,
warm weather which had continued since Thursday had greatly helped the
complex situation. It was predicted that the river would reach its
greatest height at Cincinnati on Monday.

EXPLOSIONS IN THE CITY

Spreading over a vast expanse of territory in Cincinnati, as well as an
almost equal amount in the various towns that lie along the river on the
Kentucky shore, the Ohio continued to rise.

During Saturday night the central part of the city was thrown into a
semi-panic by an explosion that could be heard for miles. The Union
Carbide Company, at Pearl and Elm Streets, had been destroyed in an
explosion caused supposedly by the carbide coming in contact with
water.

The river reached the stage of 69.3 feet at noon, Saturday, and
continued to rise at the rate of two-tenths of a foot every two hours.

Two companies of the Ninth United States Infantry, stationed at Fort
Thomas, Kentucky, were held in readiness to march at an instant's notice
to Covington, where Mayor George S. Phillips feared the city might be in
need of military protection due to high water that virtually surrounded
the town. When the river stage reached more than 68 feet on Friday the
gas plants were put out of commission and the city was in darkness.

Of the few important towns in Kentucky, opposite Cincinnati, only one,
Newport, maintained direct communication with Cincinnati. Through
Newport communication was obtained with Covington by a circuitous r