FLOOD OF 1897

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    When the writer of this article departed from the Banner Plain Dealer office for his home last Thursday evening it was with a feeling of elation of the prospects, as indicated by the appearance of the skies, for clearing, warmer weather. When he arrived at the office the next morning it with the feeling of a drowned rat, and a determination to never again indulge in weather forecast covering a period of more than twenty minutes, for in just that time after he had expressed himself, the night before, in favor of pleasant weather, it began to dribble timy drops that before long enlarged to the size of pigeon eggs. From five o'clock Thursday evening until 10 o'clock Friday morning there was almost a constant torrent of rain. The earth was already soaked to repletion, and it was but a short time until the branches and small creeks began to vomit forth immense volumes into both forks of the Muscatatuck, and within a couple of hours the latter stream was past fording. The steady rain kept the creek on the rise until the time, when it at once began to fall and further damage by the flood was abated. It was not known until nearly eight o'clock a.m. that anything out of the ordinary in the way of high water had occurred, or was likely to occur. Then rumors began to fly about that the creek was "on a tear" and was playing hob generally with fencing, buildings, bridges, crops, stock of all kinds, etc., which, upon investivation, proved true, and soon there was a steady stream of sightseers moving toward the water works pumping station and the B. & O. S-W. Rail yard bridge, from which points magnificent views of the rapidly rising water and its accummulation of nondescript drift were to be had. The pumping station was submerged, and before the rain stopped the water was within about an inch of the floor of the wagon bridge east of the city. Logs, fencing, houses, hay and straw stacks, hogs, horses, buggies, barns and other outbuildings were among the flotsam that went whirling by. Reports from other points in the county showed that the damage was not confined to this vicinity.
    At Vernon the rapid rise of water compelled about a dozen families to vacate their homes, some of whom had to fly, so fast did the creek rush upon them. Many waited until they had to be moved in boats, and all suffered by damage to buildings, furniture, etc. The three bridges near that point, one iron and two wooden ones, were swept from their foundations and are total losses. The Ochs' Ford bridge went off with the others, but a break in the approach to the Sullivan bridge changed the current there and saved that valuable structure. At the Weeks' ford, in Campbell township, a break in the approach also did good service in saving the bridge there. At Scipio the Wyaloosing bridge was carried away and for a time it was feared the big wagon bridge across Sand creek at that point, would also be lost. The railroads suffered greatly. A landslide at Vernon, one at Scipio railway bridge, one near Elizabethtown, and a lost bridge at Columbus stoped all traffic over the Madison branch of the J. M. & I. The B. & O. S.W. traffic was stopped by a washout on Moore's Hill Grade, east, and the loss of the bridge over Six Mile creek, west, and no trains were run on regular schedule time over these lines until Sunday.
    The "oldest inhabitant" sits in mute despair. His best high water card has been trumped, and whatever he has to say in that line about the past is no longer a matter of wonder to the present generation, as his ancient tales pale in the face of recent events. His glory is gone.

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    The Muscatatuck was on the rampage Friday. The heavy rains of Thursday night raised the creek to such an extent that it is almost impossible to describe its height. Uncle Henry Wagner who has lived here for nearly seventy years, says the creek was higher than he ever saw it. At daylight the water was in Wm. Kersey's house and he had no time to move out and almost everything he had was washed away or destroyed. About 6:30 the Finney Ford bridge went out and and 7 o'clock the Huckleberry bridge went out. The Leavitt bridge was the object of much discussion as to whether or not it would go-but the drift commenced accumulating under it and about 7:30 it went out, one span falling below the abutment and the other span was carried down by the drift to the mill-pond. At this time the creek was rising at about six feet per hour and the work of moving the people out of the houses that were threatened by the flood commenced. Some of the household goods were taken out of Wm. Kersey's house but the rapid rising of the water prevented further saving. Lewis Wagner saved his piano and several other things and moved what he could with the help of others, to the second story. The water was about three feet on the first floor. His barn was saved by anchoring it with ropes. It moved about thirty feet from its foundation. In the meantime while the work was being done in the west side of town, a large number of people were helping move the sufferers on the west part of town. This part of town suffered the most. Garrett Branham, John W. Morris, Frank Tempest, John Overfield, and Mike Fetter had to vacate their residences and the houses of Garrett Branham and John Overfield were anchored to prevent their floating away. All of the out buildings in that part of town floated away. N. Ditlinger and Henry May, in the north part of town had to move out, the water reaching about 18 inces in Ditlinger's house. Mays moved their goods into the upper story but had to be taken from the house in a boat. The pump house of the water works was almost submerged but no damage was done except from the effects of the water and mud. The members of the family of John W. Morris were taken from the house in a boat, but the water did not get high enough to get into the house. At 12:30 the creek commenced to fall and the scene of distruction after the flood subsided was terrible to behold. Surrounding the town outside of the damage done on account of the bridges going out the damage was such that it cannot be fully described. The lower part of Henry Hengstler's farm was ruined. The current took nearly all the soil and left sand in its place. Mrs. Jane Stott's garden was ruined. Jas. Abbott's wheat field was almost totally destroyed and the farms of Jas. Wilson, Jas. Orell, Norman Gannon, Thompson Childs, Wm. Stewart and all bottom fields suffered much damage. The water-wheel of the Tunnel Mills and other machinery were carried away, rendering the mill useless. May we never see such a flood again.

    The bridge question is the talk of the town now.

    Eleven families had to move on account of high water.

    George Wells had to move his family into the second story.

    A live steer passed here when the flood was at its height.

    The skifts came in good play to use to anchor the buildings.

    Charley Roose's leap for life was one of the most thrilling incidents.

    Drifts, houses, out houses, barns, hay stacks, chicken coops and everything passed by.

    There was at the least calculaiton 25 feet of water above the low water mark during the flood.

    Wagner Bros. & Co. furnished, free of charge, all the rope to anchor the houses and barns.

    The first thing that John Overfield tought of saving was his favorite foxhound pup, Sunshine.

    John Overfield caught a stand with a lot of clothes and a bible in it. He holds it for identification.

    A chicken coup with a lot of chickens onit was one of the many things that went down during the flood.

    Quite a bevy of good looking young ladies from North Vernon witnessed the destruction caused by the flood Saturday.

    Sheriff Bradford is ahead one barn on the strength of the flood. Rettig's barn floated across the alley and settled on Bradford's lot

    The Commissioners should replace all the bridges taken out by the flood and do so at once. If they do not it will be doing us a great injustice. By all means let us have the bridges.

    The water was shut off at the stand pipe as it was expected that the pump house would go out. The pump house was almost submerged only part of the roof being out of the water. Several tons of coal on the floor saved it from going out.

    We desire to thank the general public for the interest it took in helping to take care of our property during the recent flood.
JOHN OVERFEILD AND FAMILY

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    Our city was not slighted by the recent flood. Among the greatest losses the new steamboat owned by Hicks & Son; an ice house containing several tons of ice belonging to Mr. Scherling; a barn containing, hay, corn and a new carriage belonging to a Mr. Jones; smoke house full of pork also property of Mr. Scherlng; and the dwelling house of Orville Sampson with all household effects. Mr. Sampson and wife had just time to make their escape after becomng aware of their danger.
    Quite a nimber of traveling people have been detained in North Vernon on account of the washouts in the different roads. Among the number was a Rev. Cox, of Dubois county, who assisted Rev. Trout in services at the Christian church on Sunday morning.

BUTLERVILLE

    Campbell township has been no exception during the recent floods we have lost the approach to the bridge at the Weeks ford, lost the cable foot bridge in the Rice neighborhood, stone, sewer and wooden culvets besides innumerable washouts in the roads.

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Vernon News Column
    "It commenced raining here on Thursday and rain incessantly until Friday afternoon and it was claimed by some of the oldest residents that the fall of rain was never harder. During the night the rain was terrific amounting almost to cloudburst. The Creek was at its normal height at about 4:00 Friday morning from that on it rose so rapidly that some of the people among the creek had barely time to escape with their lives and goods. Some 10 or 11 families had to move upstairs and some to higher points. Considerable damage will be experienced by these people. All of the bridges in this township viz. Leavitt's Ford Abbot's ford Finny Ford and Och's Ford were found completely destroyed and the West approached to the Sullivan bridge was washed away. Garret Branham house is ruined and nearly everyone along the creek were damaged more or less. The bottom farms hear about are almost ruined the soil being washed away and gravel and sand deposits instead. It is said that this is the highest the creek has been since Noah's time.

High Water Notes
Jack Overfield came near dislocating his dogs neck pulling him from under the house.

Several buildings were saved by anchoring.

Too much credit cannot be bestowed on Mr Fred McCammon, Will Johnson, Cal Thomas, Will Nauer, Peter Smith and many others for their aid in saving lives and property. A live steer passed down stream but could not be reached - so far in the stream. A stand table was caught with a lot of clothes in the drawer and a Bible. John Overfield is holding same for owner to claim. A box with a live pig in it went with a downstream with plenty of grunts and squeals.

A chicken coop with a lot of chickens in it was seen.

Several stacks of hay pass by non-stop. They followed the steer.

Wagner Brothers and company, graciously furnished all the ropes necessary to anchor houses and barns for which they deserve thanks

Lewis Wagner lost several nice hogs and had to wade into his barn to his waist to save his other stock.

Charlie Roose leaps across the raging chasm for his life was one of the thrilling incidents.

The pump house for water works was nearly submerged but on account of the heavy machinery and several tons of coal it was spared.

All manner of houses, barns, outhouses, coops and everything almost imaginable except humans passed by.

M Fetter lost one of his outhouses and in an hour another one floated in and stopped in 10 ft of where the other stood.

A whole gob of good looking gals from your town took in the sites.

A lot of fruit vegetables and some other stores were destroyed in the cellars.

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