The True Story of Our National Calamity of Flood, Fire and TornadoMarshall, Logan
History
The True Story of Our National Calamity of Flood, Fire and Tornado
Marshall, Logan
Floods -- Ohio River Valley; Omaha (Neb.) -- Tornado, 1913
With real philosophy and high courage its people set about the arduous
task of retrieving the ground and the fortunes they lost. The lives that
were taken by the disaster were not sacrificed in vain. The Citizens'
Committee, headed by John H. Patterson, the relief agency, and H. E.
Talbot, determined to find a way to protect the city against a
repetition of the horrors of the week.
Things looked brighter. It was announced that on Sunday the water would
be turned on in all the mains that were not broken, in order to give
pure drinking water to practically the entire city, something the
sanitary and engineering experts were working for as imperative if
epidemics were to be avoided. Until such time as the city mains could
be used, water was distributed from artesian wells by water carts and in
kegs, which were carried to the various districts by the "flying
squadron" of the auto relief corps.
SECRETARY OF WAR GARRISON ON THE SCENE
Secretary of War Garrison and his staff arrived at Dayton at noon, and
immediately went into conference with John H. Patterson, chairman of the
committee of fifteen, in charge of the relief work.
Soon after Mr. Garrison arrived the relief committee began to call local
physicians to consult with him to determine whether to place the city
under federal control. It was said Dayton's sanitary condition appeared
to warrant the presence of federal troops and government health experts.
It was later decided to leave the city in control of the state militia
and the local committee, except that sanitary experts from the federal
health service should be brought to Dayton. Mr. Garrison stated that
Major Thomas Rhoades, in co-operation with Major James C. Normoyle,
would have charge in Dayton. Major Normoyle had experience in furthering
relief in the Mississippi flood district last year.
GARRISON'S REPORT
Secretary Garrison gave out the substance of his telegram to President
Wilson as follows:
"I find the situation at Dayton to be as follows:
"The flood has subsided so that they have communication with all parts
of the city, no one being now in any position of peril or without food
or shelter. The National Cash Register plant has been turned into a
supply depot and lodging place for those who have no other present
place.
"Surgeon General Blue and some of his officers are here, as are also
some naval surgeons. We are all working in concert. The Governor, the
Mayor, the local committees and the citizens have all expressed much
gratitude for the action of the National Government, and have welcomed
us warmly, all of them stating that the fact that a direct
representative has been sent to their community has been of the greatest
benefit to the morale of the situation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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