100 years ago
JUNE 5, 1903 — (The following is copied from the front page of this issue of the Marion Record:)
THE FLOOD IN MARION
All Previous Records Broken
THE HIGH WATER MARK OF 1877 ECLIPSED BY SEVERAL FEET
We made only brief mention, last week, of the great flood which submerged the west half of Marion last Friday. It exceeded the flood of 1877 about a foot and a half. For the first time in thirty years the RECORD office was flooded. Our people had been warned of a cloud burst at the headwaters of the Cottonwood river the day before but many of them refused to believe there was any danger here. But the river rose rapidly after midnight and before daylight left its channel and spread with great rapidity over the valley. So sudden was the overflow and so rapid the rise that many people, suddenly awakened, jumped out of bed into a foot or more of water.
Nearly every business house in town was flooded. Ehrlich's store and the Bank of Commerce and Funk's furniture establishment, we believe, being the only exceptions. Most of the merchants, however, had timely warning and removed the exposed articles as far as possible to higher places. Still, the loss was considerable.
The town looked like a great lake. Every boat in town, and there are many of them, was brought into use, and were kept busy removing people to places of safety. Most of those living in two story houses refused to leave their homes, and such houses were generally the rendezvous of several families.
The people were first warned of their danger by the shrieks of the water works whistle and the ringing of the city bells about four o'clock in the morning. Some had anticipated the overflow and had made preparations for it.
Many acts of heroism were performed, for the current was swift and violent, and the rescuers risked their lives in some cases to relieve others from perilous positions.
The people on the hill (the east part of town) threw open their homes and hosted the refugees with generous hospitality. The High school building was turned into a hotel, and nearly four hundred were fed there at noon on Friday, and quite a number were thus fed for several days, or until their homes were again habitable.
For future reference, we may say that the water reached half way up on the water table of the Baptist church, and was about 17 inches deep in the front room of the RECORD office.
The property loss can not be estimated. No one in town lost heavily, but hundreds sustained some loss.
We know of but one well in the valley which was not flooded, and that was at the home of Mr. S. Jetmore in Jex addition.
Both the Rock Island and Santa Fe railroads suffered severely. The rails and ties were washed away like chips, in the path of the currents that swept down the valley.
The wooden sidewalks (plague take them, anyhow) were floated all over town and piled up in heaps in remote places. Enough damage was done to them to sidewalk a third of the town with brick. Does it pay to put down these walks?
It is remarkable that no serious accident occurred and no life was lost. We ought to be thankful for that.
Crops in the valley are not hurt as much as it was supposed they would be. The alfalfa and wheat and oats, it is believed, will generally come out all right. Much corn will have to be replanted, but the season is late and it may make a big crop yet.
Central Park was flooded but no great damage to it resulted. When the waters receded even the flower beds were found to be comparatively uninjured.
A serious conflagration was probably averted by the prompt action of Mr. Blanchard and his assistants at his lumber yard. Some slacking lime started a fire which might have destroyed much property if it hadn't been promptly extinguished.
One of the rooms occupied by Mr. Kieferle in the stone block on the corner of Main and First streets is about to collapse. It has shown signs of weakness in foundation for several years, and this flood has made it dangerous.
Our butchers report quite heavy losses. Mr. Williams and Mr. Bradbury report a loss of several hundred dollars each.
Fortunately the telephone remained intact, and was a valuable means of communication with the various parts of town.
A Rock Island construction engine was ditched just south of town, and is there yet.
Meals were served in the second story of the big Elgin hotel, the water covering the first floor several inches deep.
Mr. Edmunds and family, in southern suburbs of the town, living in a pretty one-story residence, were driven to the roof of their house where they perched several hours, or until boats could stem the swift current to relieve them.
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Mr. Joseph Strickler, of Ramona, and Miss Amy Morris, the beautiful daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.P. Morris, of Marion, were married at the home of the bride last Tuesday night at nine o'clock. Rev. McCormick, pastor of the Methodist church, officiated. Mr. Strickler is one of the finest young men in the county, a successful business man, and in every way a splendid young man. His bride has grown to womanhood here, and was teaching a successful school at Ramona when she met Mr. Strickler. The RECORD wishes the happy couple a long and prosperous life together.
Owing to the unsafe condition of the building he was in, Mr. Remmers has moved his harness establishment into the room two doors west of the RECORD office. We know he will make a good neighbor.
A bushel of lime should be sprinkled in every cellar in town. And every sink should be similarly treated.
Marion has been shut in or out from the rest of the world, most of the time for the past week. No trains and no mails reached here Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. A copy of the Wichita Eagle, of Sunday's issue, was brought over from Peabody, Monday. We put it up in front of the RECORD office and it reminded us of war time to see people crowding around to read about the awful flood at Topeka, Kansas City, and other places. Tuesday, a train bearing some papers got here, and trains from the north have since been coming in.
Dr. Marner reports a fine new boy at the home of Frank Morris.
The rains since the flood have been a great blessing. Had the sun come out immediately after the waters subsided, crops would have been ruined and the atmosphere would have been poisoned by noxious vapors. These rains washed off the filthy sediment and helped mightily to purify things. Let us be thankful.
(Copied by Joan Meyer from the 1903 microfilm files of the Marion Record.)
