Flood/Tornado 1911

[ddurbin]

from the Moline newspaper  Aug. 4, 1911

DESTRUCTIVE FLOOD

Great Cloudburst At Moline

TORNADO DESTROYS AMES CHAPEL

Last week witnessed the largest and most destructive floods this vicinity ever experienced.

About a foot of water fell at Moline Thursday, 8 inches of it in less than two hours.  Water fell by tubs and bucketfulls from about 6 o'clock to 8 in the evening.  The streams were raised away beyond their banks in just a few minutes and soon the Wild Cat was a mile wide and the west part of town was under water.

It flowed into houses and rescue parties went out in drays and on horseback to get  people to safety.  Some were taken out when water was over waist deep around the houses.

Three railroad bridges were taken out, two near th lime plant and one on the Howard branch.  The iron bridge at the lime plant was thrown against the stone arch bridge and demolished it carrying the large stones of which it was composed into Spray's alfalfa field.

The Emporia train remained on the track over night and passengers slept in the coaches.  It made its run from the bridge north Friday and Satruday, the passengers, baggage, mail and express being carried out on a push car.  Sunday the train was brought in.

Meantime a tornado was raging in the Ames Chapel country accompanied by a destructive hail and floods.  The Chapel church was blown down, the Cunningham school house was demolished, the J. Q. Beach barn destroyed, all the buildings except the house and barn of J. W. Miller's place were carried away, and numerous other farms suffered great loss.  George Broughton suffered damage to buildings.  George Walker lost a barn.  The hail cut down crops over a strip of country about two miles wide and four long so that they looked like a herd of cattle had pastured on them.

The following families in different parts of the city were forced to leave their homes during the flood; Mont Baker, G. W. Rettig, J. E. McCray, Chas. Westling, Mr. Williams, J. H. Fouts, W. A Penciks, W. O. Ellis, John Larkin, Mrs. O'Neil, J. E. Brown, C. D. Dixon, H. A. Glazier, Joe Webb, B. B. Bone, G. C. Beals, W. E. Wallace, C. A. Morris, A. Westling, Mrs. J. B. Adams, C. M. Gibson, G. W. Richardson, J. R. Beach. J. M. Horne, John Falkingham, Frank McCray and E. F. Horne.

Out in the region where the hail fell the rabbits and birds were killed with the hail stones.  The hail stones were said to be as large as hens eggs.

Frank Webb, D. W. Richard and John Larkin lost hogs in the flood.  Lots of people lost chickens.

O. R. Ames was out with his dray before the rain stopped getting people to safe places.  He had a lot of willing helpers working with horses and ropes.  The Santa Fe got busy at once with three pile drivers and by Monday morning had temporary bridges ready for traffic.  There was no train from the east from Thursday till Monday morning.  The trains from the west came this far and waited till time to return.

AT ELK FALLS

Though raising practically all day there was no thought of high water even as late as dark, but at about 8:30 I. P. White telephoned to town that the water was within four feet of the high water mark of 1885, the report was circulated and the people became alarmed.  By nine o'clock the waters ceased rising but Mr. White's home was completely surrounded and he could neither get his family out or his neighbors get to him.  Others along the creek were looked after but none were in danger.

Though there was a heavy shower Wednesday night the waters continued falling and by day light the creek was within its banks.

The river was pretty high but reached nothing like the high water mark, but the rise of Wild Cat is estimated at 40 feet.

The property loss will total considerable but no particulars are now known except that F. E. and A. E. Clough lost about 10 tons of alfalfa and one large stack of oats.