| Transcribed by Norma Knotts Shaffer from microfilm of
the Calhoun Chronicle dated 3/14/1918.
Grantsville is Flooded
Highest Rise in History of the Little Kanawha
Grantsville was visited by the biggest flood in its history
Wednesday
night and Thursday morning when the Little Kanawha river rose to a
height
of forty feet, reaching its crest about three oclock this
morning.
A general rain which began in this valley and its tributaries at two
oclock
Wednesday morning and continued for twelve hours, almost incessantly,
was
the cause of this flood. This is the first high water that has
compelled
families to move out of the lower stories of their dwellings since
1898.
At five oclock Wednesday evening the river was rising at a rate of
more than a foot an hour after having reached a height that exceeded
the
mark reached ___________is evident that many families must move
upstairs.
Those out of danger immediately resolved themselves into helpers and
everything
possible to minimize the loss to these people was done. Carpets
removed,
pianos and furniture raised, feed transferred, has lessened the loss.
________
families. However, the Grantsville Mill, of which C.A. Witt is
owner,
has sustained a loss of from $800 to_________feed, flour and
fertilizer.
The Grantsville Lumber & Manufacturing Co. has sustained a loss
of about $1200, we are informed by a member of that company.
This
includes a loss of lumber which the company had bought in the upper
part
of the valley.
Deems & Co. was compelled to move its feed to the upper story
of
the barn. The horses were taken out, as were the automobiles
which
were stored there. At 3 oclock today the water had abated
enough
to allow the barn to be occupied.
No great amount of harm was done to any of the private houses, as
far
as we can learn. This is very fortunate, as there were more than
twenty houses in which the water covered the first floor.
Floods are usually accompanied by fires; but the only threatened
conflagration
here was immediately checked this morning. Fire broke out in the
house next to Deems & Cos barn, and occupied by Jerome
Francis.
Water surrounded the house and it took only a few seconds to stop the
flame.
The electrical storm which accompanied the rain Wednesday morning,
burnt
about half the telephones out, so we are entirely without
communication
with the most places in the county. Steer Creek was the highest
ever
known. At 3 oclock yesterday it was expected that the water
would
be four feet deep in the residence of R.J. Knotts. Dock Stump
was
compelled to move out yesterday morning.
We understand that the West Fork rose to an unprecidented height,
and
the water was in the residence of George Hays, at Arnoldsburg.
At Glenville at 9 o'clock last night, the river 32.9 feet high and
rising.
While we have no further grounds for the belief, we are sure that Main
street was badly flooded.
At Creston the water was nearly to the top of the first story of
the
Parsons hotel.
At Elizabeth this evening at 3:30 the river was 22 feet high and
falling.
At this place the river is falling at the rate of only six inches an
hour,
and the rain _____________may lessen that rate.
Of the six mails to this place, the one from Smithville has made
the
only trip, it being the only mail to here since Tuesday. | 
