e miles south of the city, but it was
impossible to recover them immediately.
Conditions were much improved, the light plant having been able to
resume service, and the water supply also was now adequate. The water
had receded from the streets, and all public utilities resumed
operations.
The homeless refugees were being cared for in the homes which withstood
the flood and in school houses. Provisions were plentiful and there was
no disorder. Many citizens were sworn in as deputy marshals.
The looting problem was one difficulty for the authorities.
Notwithstanding their efforts much looting took place.
Near Omega, to the south, Mr. and Mrs. Hatfield and their family of
seven children were drowned when their home, barn and all their other
buildings were swept down the river.
FLOOD AND FIRE IN PORTSMOUTH
Portsmouth presented a picture of distress as the flood from the swollen
Scioto and Ohio Rivers advanced. On the night of March 27th the Scioto
bridge was swept away by the flood. By morning hundreds of persons had
been driven from their homes, school houses had been thrown open to the
homeless, the streets were filled with household goods and merchants in
the heart of the city were moving their wares to places of safety in
anticipation of flood conditions more serious than ever before.
On March 29th the Ohio River stood at sixty-eight feet, the highest ever
known, and was rising.
Fire broke out in several places and was difficult to control because
the flood had interfered with the water facilities.
Efficient management, however, soon brought the situation under control.
The arrival of the steamers, "Klondike" and "J. I. Ware," on March 31st,
brought sufficient provisions to supply those in need for a week.
HOMELESS IN EAST LIVERPOOL AND WELLSVILLE
We have already seen the swollen waters of the Ohio at Cincinnati,
Portsmouth and Marietta. It remains to treat of the devastation wrought
in other Ohio River towns in the eastern and southern parts.
At East Liverpool on March 27th, more than a thousand families were
driven from their homes, five thousand potters were deprived of
employment temporarily and the city water works were out of commission
as the result of the flood. The electric light plant was seriously
threatened and trolley lines were tied up.
The following day the river had eclipsed the 48.8 foot stage of 1884. A
stage of at least fifty-one feet was expected.
Conditions remaine
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