The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, April 19, 1913, Image 8
TIE FLOOD AI HAMILTON.
mot!if:ii of C. j. nWYF.lt Ol1
THIS CITY uivk8 GRAPHIC
DLM HIITIOV.
M>. Dwyer In lib* letter Tell* of Itlse
off Water ami tin* i Ii^ih of III?
Family from Lower Fun of Town?
Praise for flminnatl for Its Mag"
nlm-tMit Kc*?poie*' to C ull for Aald.
The fallowing; letter from Mr. Wil?
liam Dwyer of Hamilton, Ohio, to his
brother. Mr. C. J. Dwyer of this city
will be read with the greatest Interest
by Sumter people. The letter gives a
graphic account of the flood and how
It brought terror and destruction to
the people of Hamilton, no that people
here can more fully realise the ter?
rible calamity which ban come upon
the inhabitants of those sections
which were so recently vlisted by the
terrible flood:
Hamilton. Ohio. April 12. 191.1.
"^rTT^TuTjiTcr?' 1 am after this long
delay answering your two letters. I
received both together about S days
after you mailed them. Your dis?
patch of March 29 was receive the
eve of the 39th. ?t*o you can see how
we were shut off. I wired you the
nest day C. O. D. and hope you re?
ceived It O. K. I thank you most
kindly for your very kind offers of
assistance, but think we can pull
through O. K. now. This is the first
time I have had a pen or pencil in
my hand since the memorable Tues?
day. March 25. All stock of every de?
scription was totally destroyed. There
was absolutely nothing .eft. Have
been working day and night doing
everything imaginable. Took 'j of us
men 8 days to get the mud out of the
hones; S 1-2 days to clean the cel?
lar which we Just finished yesterday
p. M All lights were out. dark and
lonesome as a dungeon. Oas cut off
the night of the flood and no heat,
water polluted and dangerous; town
under martial law; all saloons closed;
everybody off street at dusk; all stores
dosed. It certainly was Hell. It is
something that cannot be described.
Tou would have I see and exper?
ience It yourself to appreciate It. The
terrible rush of the water up to the
house roofs, the screams and prayers
of the drowning, the crash of houses
and ether buildings, the sky lit up
with the lurid glare of conflagrations
mace the strongest heart quake with
fea* and presented visions of the final
Judgment day that many thought had
cone. i have seen many things but
mthing to compare to this. I could
lever have Imagined such a terrifying
spectacle as this. The whole Miami
valley from hills to hills a solid sea
of raging flood SO feet deep in the
streets in front and rear of us. And
that we all escaped seems more and
more miraculous as the days go by.
Our house stood it though a two
story house dashed against our fiont
porch, broke in two, one half lodgeo
there snd the other swept on with
the current. It destroyed the porch
but served as a protection to our
house. Everything eine swept avay
The debris in front was piled up to
the roof. We had 16 feet gf water in
the house. All clothing, beddii g,
matt reuses, furniture, atSSAe* 'and s.
Mbrary. papers, shoes, wearing a| par
el, everything was totally ruined and
lost. All we saved was Just what we
had on our backs I am glad we got off
even with that. The following Thurs?
day the flrnt man told me that our
house was still Standing 1 thought he
had lost his mir.d. When I verified
this report I certainly conMidered my
sslf lueky. And when I see the ha\o<
snd d*?tructn n I feel Mke shaking
hands with myself. I have no com?
plaint whstever and am glad to la?
bere to write >ou tonight. To tell you
the truth. Charles. I cannot begin de
scrlpe the catastrophe. All the streets
are piled high with wreckage <>f every
(Inscription: pianos, books. shoes
tables, chairs, the contents of stores,
etc. etc. snd you m rOf saw su< h mud
I will attempt to *i\e yog a brief
w> nopain of the ev< at BJ bant I ca?t:
on Tuesday mecaiag. March 25, I
went |g \*..rk as usual. havmg no?
ticed that the river was v.rv high
At 8 A. M. Has came down to the of?
fice, Mild the river was rising very
rapidly and that she was seared und
was going over to a friend of he is
on Main and D street. I told her all
right, to go and stay until I sent for
her. They k??p? prangdsgj me every
few minutes, hut I mads light of it
In about an hour, the word was
sent to the shop from pop.,, head?
quarters that all men living on th<
west side must quit immediately and
go home us all truffle over the bridge
was to be . ut off at once. Then I got
seared, started home and found Ird
street Impassable. I managed to get
through back yard.", etc ??y wading
snd found Emma, Kthel and Don
had most of tin- movables upstairs. I
helped raise the piano and IfgOg want?
ed them to leave with me for mother'<
thinking we would certainly be out of
the reach of the flood down there
Hu! they didn't want to have so I
nnally had to threaten to throw
them out of the window If the]
wouldn't go otherwise, and they re
luctantly went. By this Ilms Iii? wa?
ter whb hip deep on the high point
ami was raising at a furious rate. We
went back the way I had come and
Kmma fell in over her head but 1
grabbed her out. In rear of us peo?
ple were alrady calling for help, but
1 could do nothing, havmg my hands
full. Black street was a raging tor?
rent and some men on the corner
helped me across with the family.
This was about 9..Hi A. M. ho you can
nee how fast the water came tip. In
front of the Nlles the water was just
beginning to cover the pavement. All
business waa suspended ami great
crowds of people were collected at the
waters edge and fell back as it ad?
vanced. We got down to mother's
without further incident, wet to the
akin and Jose came to the door and
couldn't believe we were refugees. We
h mged clothes there, I put on Ike's
clothes and you can imagine how they
fit me. In the meantime Ike came
home and we started up to see what
was going on. By this time the water
was washing over the Pan Handle
tracks on East avenue. 1 went around
to Maple avenue as far as 7th . When
I got there I saw a man swimming his
horse over High Street and the water
washing over the horses back, so I
got. scared, turned around and went
back to mother's, knowing we were
in for it. When 1 got back there I had
to wade and in a Jew minutes we were
cut off there too. In a short time the
water was In the yard and kept run?
ning and rising faster and higher.
Soon it came in on the porch and we
adjourned upstairs. We had heard all
kinds of dreadful reports, the fire bells
rang alarms and I certainly was
scared. All bridges went down and as
night came on it looked fearful. It
was pitch dark except for the terri?
fying glare in the sky. People were
screaming and calling for help, houses
and debris were shooting down East
avenue and I was afraid the house
was going down every minute. We
all gathered together upstairs and
about miunight Jose and the rest
came through saying that we must
prepare for the worst as all chances
were gone. Ike and I pacified them
by telling them a lie
About 5 A. M. the water ceased ris?
ing, it was then 8 feet In the house;
stood still for an hour or so and them
slowly began to recede. There was
no sleep that night for any. Not a
soul was to be seen. The current
down East avenue was terrific. When
dam broke it waa certainly an awful
sight. We could sec the Poor House
Hill lined with spectators and that
hill never looked so good to me be?
fore. Then the water rose again and
stood still a lone time. It was im?
possible to go out even in boats. We
passed Wednesday and Wednesday
night in the sume suspense. We were
out of water and had consumed all
the provisions. I did not have any?
thing to drink for over 24 hours and
never noticed it. When Thursday
morning came, and It was very cold
[and had snowed some, I ventured out
to get some oil for the little stove the
! folks have. I went down to Herman's
and they were wrec ked. Then I went
over to Black and got some so we
had a little warmth. I can't begin to
describe the demoralization. I then
went up the Itentschler building and
went up to the 8th story to see if
anything was left up our way hut
couldn't make anything out. Word
had reached Cincinnati t of our ca?
lamity and relief began pouring in,
otherwise many would have perish?
ed from cold and hunger. Nothing
can ever describe how nobly and
splendidly Cincinnati came to our re?
lief. It was the most splendid thing
that ever was done for the relief of
a stricken community. Every man,
woman and child there will always
say God blesa Cincinnati. A singb
line of automobiles from Cincinnati
to Hamilton loaded with supplies and
* offlns braved the night, the cold and
rain to get to us. It was magnificent.
This is only an outline and I am short
of paper and must stop. I 'rust you
are all well. We are < >. K. Excuse
pencil for this is all I have and didn't
gel this till tonight When Harle came
home from Cincinnati.
I will tell you more the next time.
Loys to all. Your lovir.g brother,
WILL,
Ml ST BE GOVERNMENT MADE.
United States Circuit Court Holds
That Private Parties (ant Bring
Contempt Charges,
Sea York. Apni it?The United
Mtates ?. mi < ouri of appeali ruled
t "lay thai contempt proceedings In
a civil case to he vsJM must be insti?
tuted by the government ami not by
a private individual. Tin opinion was
hawed upon the decision of the United
States supreme court in the famous
case of Samuel Cotnpcrs, president of
the American Federation of Labor
ami tin- Bucm Btove ami Range com?
pany. The lath r was a criminal cast
but lie- ? ir? nit court bei,I that tin
ruling then- made applied to civil
?. uses as Well
Whatever its defects love making
at least teaches a fellow a lot about
astronosjij ?Columbia Rtnte,
WEATHER CHIEF FIRED.
WILLIS L. MOORE DISMISSED
FROM SERVICE BY PRESI?
DENT WILSON.
Pernicious Political Activity Given as
Reason foe sumniary Discharge
Is Said to Have used OfSoo to Fur?
ther Ills Own Ambitions?Resigna?
tion W?hdr.iv? 11.
Washington, April 16.?Prof. Wil?
lis I* Moore, chief of the weather bu?
reau since 1895 and an appointee of
the Cleveland administration, today
was summarily removed from office
by President Wilson. His resignation
recently had been accepted to take
Iaffect July 81, after an investigat?
ion of his alleged efforts to become
secretary of agriculture In the present
cabinet, grave chargea of irregularity
were preferred and the president to?
day withdrew his acceptance of the
resignation, dismissing Pro. Moore.
Later he referred the subject to the
department of justice for inquiry.
Secretary Houston of the agricul?
tural department conferred with the
president before the removal of Mr.
Mooro was announced. The secretary
then issued the following statement:
"Immediately after the resignation
j of Prof. Moore of the weather bu?
reau was submitted to the president
and acepted by him, charges were
filed with the secretary of agriculture
by responsible men within the service.
The>?e charges were of such a grave
nature that the secretary of agricul?
ture called upon the department of
justice for an investigation.
"The investigation is still under way
but the facts so far secured and laid
before the president yest? ?*day were
sufficient to warrant him in deciding
to withdraw his acceptance of Prof.
Moore's resignation and ret lOVO him
summarily, which has been done to?
day. The president has also directed
the secretary of agriculture to sus?
pend Mr. Charles T. Burns, an em?
ployee of the weather bureau, pend?
ing a further investigation of his case,
<nd take such disciplinary measures
as he may deem necessary with such
other employes of the weather bureau
as may be found to have been unduly
active in using the public service for
private and personal ends.'' s
The president's letter to Secretary
(Houston directing Mr. Moore's re
j moval was not made public.
I Unofficially it was said at the White
House that the campaign to make Mr.
Moore secretary of agriculture had
; been extensive, that members of fon
j gress in various parts in the country
i had been eanvassd and that a letter
j writing campaign had been conducted
among weather bureau employes.
Prof. Moore has been a target for
I attack in congress. Representative
Fowler of Illinois introduced a res?
olution a few days ago calling on the
secretary of agriculture to advise con?
gress regarding the appropriations
for traveling expenses for the
weather bureau, what amount of sal?
aries in the weather bureau was ex?
pended for promotions of weather
'bureau employes during last January
land February and the comparative
figures for the preceding four years.
The resolution asked for information
as to what journeys were performed
by Charles T. Burns, under . official
orders ami what instructions between
July i, 1912, and February 88 last,
and also called for data regarding
circulars and other matter printed at
government expense and "used by
the ehlef of the weather bureau in
his campaign for secretary of agri?
culture during the last fiscal year."
The house committee on expendi?
tures in the agricultural department
had planned last year an exhaustive
l
Investigation into the weather bureau,
but was prevented from making it by
the Wiley case, the Florida Ever?
glades case and other special mat?
ters. Representative Moss* of In?
diana and Democratic members of
the committee did take up special
charges tiled against Prof. Moore by
James Berry, a former employe of
the weather bureau, which related to
misuse of the contingent fund. The
Commlttee( Mr. Moss said today, never
found enough in these charges to
press them for further inquiry. It is
prepared) however, to conduct a thor?
ough Investigation of the bureau as
soon as the committee is organised,
which probably will not he until the
regular session next winter.
Prof. Moore Issued a statement to?
night declaring that the same Influ?
ences that attempted to "disgrace and
remove Dr, Harvey W Wiley" were
responsible for his removal and
branding as "infamously false" any
intimation that he had coerced em?
ployes of tin- weather bureau in sup?
porting him for the secretaryship or
that public money had been expended
in his candidacy.
His statement follows:
I am in I e< eipt of a letter from
the president of the United states
saying that an Investigation of my
conduct of the business of the weather
bureau discloses such Irregularities on
my part lhat the interests of the pub?
lic service demand my Immediate re?
moval.
Int eply 1 vv dl say t h it it is t hv
THE BETTER BABY SHOW.
WINNERS will HE PRESENTED
WITH MEDALS.
Superintendent Haynsworth Wants
Mothers to Enter Their Rabies at
Oner?Contest Will 1k? Held on
County School Day, April 36th.
The county superintendent of edu- .
cation would like, as soon as possible,
to hear from those wishing to regis- j
ter for the Babies' Hea'.th Contest,
School Day. April 2Gth. Instead of j
money, the two prizes wdl be medals, j
First prize, a gold medal; second prize j
a silver medal. The medals will bear
the following inscription.
"Best Baby, Sumter County, 1913.'
Keverse side, Name, age, score." 2nd
Best Baby, Sumter County, 191 a. Re?
verse side. Name, age, score."
The examination, ns stated before,1
is absolutely free of cost, and really
gives a splendid opportunity to the
Sumter County mothers to see just
how their babies measure up to the
standard of perfect babyhood.
Information will be given also as
, to diet, fresh air, and in fact every?
thing needful to make the little fel?
lows (both boys and girls) as healthy
and happy as possible, putting them
in the right way to become the mos
useful citizens in the years to come.
No child with a contagious disease
will be allowed to enter.
Let every mother, who is so for?
tunate as to have a little fellow, one,
two or three years old, realize that
this is a move in the right direction
for the babies, and that it is right
and proper to encourage it. No harm
can come to the babies, and instead,
it may mean so much good.
Because it's free, don't get the idea
that it is a charity affair. Not at all it
is not that, but a contest in which com?
parisons are helpful for all alike. Let
your baby take part in this year's
"School Day." Maybe next year we'll
have a contest for the old folks.
Many of them have seen thir babies'
babies, and deserve recognition.
The time is short, so don't wait, but
send in the names.. Respectfully,
J. H. Haynsworth.
County Superintendent of Education.
There are no new names to call the
umpire, of course, but then there are
always new umpires.?Chicago News.
same old influences that attempted to
disgrace and remove Dr. Harvey W.
Wiley, without letting him see the
charges against him or confront his
aeeusoers, that is now driving me from
the public service.
, "As an aspirant for the secretary?
ship of agriculture I announced that
I would if appointed revoke the ben
zoatc of soda decision, abolish the
Hemsen board or any other extra
I
judicial body in the department that
I thought had been designed for the
purpose of minimizing the effective?
ness of the pure food and meat In?
spection laws rather than in aiding
in their etticient enforcement, and
that I WOUld restrain the activities of
the solicitor's office to reasonable
prerogatives and reorganize the de?
partment.
"I was not selected and, of course,
have no complaint on that ground.
But Secretary Houston, almost imme?
diately upon entering office, demanded
that I forward to the president my
resignation without ever having set
foot in the office of the weather bu?
reau, without honoring my request to
see such ( barges as might have been
, filed against me, or permit me to face
, my accusers or to be present in per?
son or by proxy and examine the wit?
nesses whom lie summoned against
me. laterally third degree methods
were applied to my friends in the
weather bureau under such penalties
I that they dared not speak to me and
then a report was made to the presi?
dent that had for its object the driv?
ing of me in disgrace from a service
j where I had had an honorable career
for over a third of a century.
"I do not believe that the great
commercial, agricultural, marine, ed?
ucational and labor organizations that
have known me for nearly 20 years as
the chief of the weather bureau, and
who largely indorsed me fop a cabi?
net place, will he satisfied that I have
done anything dishonorable until the
light of publicity is met and Secretary
Houston's Russian methods give way
to American fair play.
"i brand as infamously false tin
intimation that any man in the
weather bureau has been coerced into
supporting me for tin1 secretaryship,
any man promoted for serving me or
a Collar of public money expended in
my candidacy, I worked for the place
ami spent my own money ami so did
many of my friends, is this a crime
under tin- m w dispensation of things?
"l shall gladly welcome any Investi?
gation to which th." press is admitted.
Ami why limit the inquiry to the
weather bureau .' h has always had
a clean lull of health from every in?
vestigating committee thai has looked
into its affairs, which is something
which can, not lie sa ii| t\% teeve^MRjJjv ?
reatis In the department to whicn Se<
retftry -? Houston's rtteThods hffCe no!
applied."
DAl <;irrKK8 I 'AIIi '!() I .M < T.
None of Candidate* Neeures a Ma?
jority of Vote* in Fi;>t Day's Bal?
loting.
Washington, April 16. Count to?
night of ballots cast for president gen?
eral of the Daughters of the American
Revolution in annual congress here
disclosed there had been no election,
the vote being divided so that no one
of the three candidates had mustered
a majority. Mrs. John Miller Horton
uj Buffalo, 2f; Y.. g.a f,1*: Mr* Wil?
liam Cumming;i Story, New York <-ity,
r>'.?.. ami Mrs. Charles n. Bryan, Mem?
phis, Tenn., 163. i >n the fa<?- of the
ballots cast 566 votes were necessary
to elect.
Balloting will he resumed tomor?
row.
The Manning library was formally
opened last Thursday under the aus?
pices of the Civic League. There is in
this library a nice lot of interesting
books.?Manning Times.
IF IT WAS
Only to do over again I'd ha\o more sense" is the Pry ??f nian> a
man who has pa seed the larger earning period of Ida life in hav?
ing a "good time'' instead of preparing lor old age.
However, life is a one-way trail?its "Do it -Now" or reget it
later.
It is our earnest desire to eetabUah relations of mutual useful?
ness with more of the young men of this eom?nunit>. t ome In
and let us demonstrate to you our ability to assist you in your en?
deavors to get abend in the world. not only demonstrate oiu*
ability but our willingness to help you in any way consistent with
safe, sound bunking.
Fir^t National Bank
STRENGTH I
Viewed
From the
Standpoint
Of SAFETY, no bank,
however strong in Cap?
ital and Surplus, can of?
fer greater security than
this bank does.
With each transaction,
protection for depositors
comes first with our Of?
ficers and Directors.
Your Checking Ac?
count, large or small, in?
vited.
THE BANK OF SUMTER
CAPITAL &.SURPLUS $250,000,00
We Now Have
a Complete Line
Millinery. Dresses. Suits. Corsets.
Automobile Dust Coats and Caps
and Novelties.
When You are in Sumter Let us Show you our Stock.
The Ladies' Outfitting Go.. Inc.
J. D, LEMMON, Mgr. MRS. L. ATKINSON. Milliner t
?????????????????????????????????????????
Try This Fine Receipt.
FIG PUDDING.
l-'J (up dumped beef surt. 1.2 t up milk; 1-2 lb. Hnrtj rltoppod
liii-. - vkkh. - 1-2 tups bread .tiuhIk (.2 eup sugar.. Work tltc
HIIPl Wltll WIMMlCII K|MM>|| Ulltll ufn ? rnni> COflsisteth?%. Hu n add
tlic fu>. Sunk brea?< erumb* in milk, mid well beaten pick*, ?ugar
?ml salt. Conihiiie mixtures, nun into h buttered mould. Steam
three hours. serve with moluste* hmiuv.
THE BEST
BREAD
LOOK FOR THE
LABEL
The New York Bakery