| Transcribed by Norma Knotts Shaffer from microfilm
of the Calhoun Chronicle dated 04/15/1913.
P.P. Bell Describes Flood
Ed. Chronicle: --
As my friends in Calhoun may want to know how we passed through the
recent great flood at Pt. Pleasant, with your permission I will give a
short account of the same. The people of Pt. Pleasant had hardly
recovered from the effect of a flood a few weeks ago, when to their horror
they realized they were doomed to a greater flood than had ever been known
along the Ohio Valley. The stage reached here was 62.8 ft. about
two and one half ft. higher than the flood of '84.
Almost the entire town of Pt. Pleasant was under water. Every
store except one in the North end of town was put out of business, all
the hotels and Banks and other business places were flooded. Houses
were turned over, and floated from their foundations.
The damage done will reach far into the thousands of dollars.
My brother Robert had allowed his neighbors to move their household
effects into the upper story of his house, so when he realized that a great
flood was coming, he placed his own stuff high up on scaffolds, above the
'84 mark but it flooded him as it did hundreds of others and destroyed
nearly everything for him. Paris' house was entirely surrounded by
water, but it didn't quite get on the first floor. Paris was at Spencer
during the flood and could not get home as there has been no trains running
for more than a week.
North Pt. Pleasant where I live was partly flooded. The water
was in my cellar and partly around my house. A two-story house belonging
to Charley Kay, formerly of Calhoun county was washed away. The house
stood only about ten rods from my store. A man living on a shanty
boat near my place, got his boat crushed and sunk, by a large barge striking
it, one of his children three years of age was drowned and the rest of
them barely escaped death.
I stood in my store and saw dozens of houses floating down the Ohio
and I am of no doubt but what there was hundreds of houses went down.
The Ohio river broke over the low ground about a mile above here, and had
us completely surrounded by water for five days. Several families
here had to move on account of the water but we are all happy to know that
it was no worse than it was.
Charleston sent boat loads of provision and tents to Pt. Pleasant to
feed and care for the homeless.
I never want to see another flood. I hope that I may sometime
see you all and tell you more about it.
Yours very truly,
P.P. Bell | 
