FLOOD OF 1913 - The storm of March 21, 1913 was as severe as any that our county has ever been subjected to. Hundreds of buildings all over the county were more or less damaged. Smaller buildings were overturned or carried away, wagons and buggies overturned, hundreds of telephones were put out of service and telegraph communication with the outside world was cut off, delaying trains and putting a halt to street car traffic.
On “Good Friday”, which fell on March 21st in 1913, the entire state experienced a continuous windstorm. This was followed on Easter Sunday, the 23rd with a heavy rain that continued for three days, which caused the Wabash River to suddenly rise. By Tuesday morning, March 25th the river was overflowing its banks. The water continued to rise for two more days until the entire business district was inundated as far east as Pearl Street on E. Market. The Panhandle RR from its bridge at the mouth of the Eel to and including the round house and shops, also the Wabash RR from its crossing on Berkeley Street east to Seventeenth Street and all the territory south to the Wabash River looked like one vast lake.
Downtown Logansport Store Interior
Looking west on E. Market Street from 4th Street. First building on the left was Seybold's, two buildings down was McFarlands Jewelry; at the end of the street on the left was the Beaumont Apartments building.
The wreck of Biddle's Island Bridge
The bridges to Biddle’s Island were both swept away. The last of the old covered bridges in the county, Cicott Street Bridge and Lewisburg Bridge were swept away. The footbridge across the Wabash to the Country Club, four miles east of town, was swept away.
Flooded District
Broadway to Eel River Avenue; Market from Pearl Street down to Eel River Avenue, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Streets. From the Wabash river to the Eel river, all of the west side, all of the south side, Biddle's Island completely covered; Berkeley and Canal Streets and Riverside Park entirely submerged.
Two Deaths
Luther Maxwell, a streetcar conductor and Emil Wentze, a porter at Rehwald Saloon.
Biddle's Bridge completely washed away. Looking north across the river to
3rd Street from the island.
No Trains in or out of the city except the Vandalia trains from the north.
All telegraph wires down but one at Vandalia Station.
Bridges washed away include 3rd St. Bridge over the Wabash, Cicott St. Bridge, Country Club, Longcliff. And 6th St. Bridge is condemned.
Stranded Pennsylvania train passengers were fed and slept at the Baptist church.
5,000 people without homes. Several thousand remained in their homes as water rose overnight forcing them to upper stories and many to their roofs.
The local high school became a place for food and clothing distribution and doctors.
Chicago sends 5,000 loaves of bread to Royal Center then transferred by automobiles. South Bend sends meat and bread. Twelve Mile sends a wagon load of clothing and provisions.
Motor boats along with scores of Cadets arrive on nearly every train from Culver and rescue thousands from flood zone.
1,100 people were rescued Wednesday (the 26th) from west side homes by boats and Cadets Many were on roof tops when the Cadets arrived. Some had to cut holes into roofs to get to people in their attics. Victims shot revolvers into the air to get rescuers' attention.
By Thursday morning (March 27th) despite heavy snowfall the previous day and night, the waters were rapidly falling. By Thursday evening Broadway was free to 4th St. and the stores, offices and sidewalks were free of water.
The work of cleaning began. By noon Friday (March 28th) the Wabash was flowing within its banks and thousands of sight seers were walking on the streets where only yesterday the water was 9 feet deep.
James Zartman's Journal
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