| Accession# |
VE4-2010 |
| Catalog date |
02/16/2010 |
| Collection |
OSHP Collections |
| Date of photo |
1937 |
| Description |
A myriad of volunteers, Patrolman, residents, and local law enforcement came out to help those in need during the Ohio River/Scioto River floods of 1937.
The Ohio River flood of 1937 took place in late January and February. With damage stretching from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois, one million were left homeless, with 385 dead and property losses reaching $500 million, further worsened by the fact that it occurred during the Great Depression and just a few years after the Dust Bowl.
In Portsmouth alone, more than 50,000 were homeless, 10% of the city was inundated, water supply was cut, and streetcar service was curtailed. The death toll of 10 was remarkably low for such a devastating flood and contrasts sharply with the 467 killed in the floods of March 1913. There were 100,000 in Cincinnati left homeless, as the flood impacted the city from January 18 to February 5. The river reached its peak on January 26, at 79.9 feet (24.4 m). Ohio River levels on January 26-27 were the highest known from Gallipolis downstream past Cincinnati.
Here is a portion of the scene at the Portsmouth Patrol Post described in an issue of the Columbus Dispatch, March, 1937:
"Let's say it's dawn - or mighty close to dawn - on a cold, rainy day. Then let's case the scene in a small room, about 12 feet square, ordinarily filled with two desks, filing cabinets, and several chairs. Now it is extraordinarily crowded with the bodies of sleeping figures.
"The chairs are all occupied by men, sleeping the heavy sleep of exhaustion. Two lie on the floor, their heads pillowed with coats, snoring softly. A small gas fire hisses; we clothing steams and drips, and rain patters on the window."
"The state of Ohio did not know it, but for over 48 hours, beginning January 21, the reins of government were all held by the hands of one man - Colonel Lynn Black.
"Even he did not know it, as all that he was aware of was that a tremendous mass of detail work that required instant and personal attention was passing through his hands, and that he had been without sleep for a day, a night, a day, and even then another night.
"Gradually, as the flood waters seeped over the Portsmouth city wall, as the different approaches to the city were cut off, the control of the city - then Scioto county - then other river counties - and finally the state (with all departments working at that time on flood relief) sifted in that headquarters, on Chillicothe Street.
"And Colonel Black, with the assistance of the patrolmen that he had trained personally, handled the situation calmly, decisively, and (as it was proved two or three weeks later) successfully."
|
| Year Range from |
1937 |
| Category |
8: Communication Artifact |
| Year range to |
1937 |
| Object ID |
VE4-2010-005 |
| Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
|
