| The flood situation in the
Adirondacks was acute. The village of Luthern, with 200 inhabitants, was cut -off while
half the town of Fort Edwards was innundated. At
Hornell, N. Y., part of the town was reported under water, bridges damaged and a dozen
surrounding villages inundated. There was one death from drowning in the flood at Hornell.
Portions of North Olean, N. Y., were under ten feet of water and much damage resulted.
TROY, N.Y.
The worst flood in the history of Troy, N. Y., occurred
during the week of March 28. After breaking all records and creeping up nearly two
feet higher than the historic overflow of 1857, the water began to fall Friday evening,
March 29, and receded rapidly. So far as was then known, there were no drownings or other
fatalities, but the fire 1oss was heavy, the buildings in most cases being a total loss.
Six, eight and in some eases ten feet of water prevented the firemen doing anything at
all. Hundreds of people, particularly in the South End, were made homeless and all they
had in the world was inmany cases destroyed. The loss cannot be calculated, but
corporations, merchants and business men suffered heavily. National guardsmen patrolled
the streets day and night. The Troy Gas Company was able to furnish light Friday night,
which made conditions more bearable. There were, of course, no trolley ears and no
electric light, all power plants in the Capital City district, as well as Mechanicsville
and Spier Falls, being under water.
Good order was maintained without difficulty. The police and
firemen all worked hard. Nobody suffered for food or lodging, but the property loss was
enormous.
The Standard Press of Troy issued flood editions 8 x 11
inches on several days, and was the only newspaper printed in Troy during the flood.
Flood conditions were reported from several other points in
Northern New York. In fact, the week will go down in history as unprecedented in the
United States as a period of widespread damage from storm and flood. |
