Flood Poles

Flood Poles. Library Grounds. , The Response – Defiance Crescent-News , Thursday, March 27, 1913 , "The great yellow flood of muddy water that swept the Maumee Valley and seemed to make Defiance its central point was followed by a fall of pure white snow several inches deep adding to the suffering of those made homeless by the high waters.", Relief work began immediately and the same paper reported $1,200 was raised in the first fifteen minutes at a Wednesday meeting. It goes on "This is the time when all must get together as one big family and assist…", Sherwood and Jewell immediately offered help. Toledo immediately offered hospital services and then sent $2,000 in cash and 100 cots and blankets. Three movie theaters in town gave the proceeds from their Sunday shows to flood relief., Captain DeKay of the National Guard asked homeowners to notify them if visiting a flood placarded home as his men had orders to shoot on site in an effort to protect against looting. Street cars resumed their service Saturday morning and gas was restored to Defiance Saturday night. After six days with no running water, service was restored on Sunday., Most businesses were back to work on Monday., Rumors flew that the Cheney Lumber Yard had lost all it's timber. A notice ran in the paper that the rumor was false. The employees had built a giant boom and with it, saved the inventory from flooding. School and most businesses restarted on Monday following the flood. Volunteers were organized to help the Turnbull Wagon Co., Defiance's largest employer, clean up at their factory. The flood also took out the local ice house and the following week stock was being sold for the Defiance Ice Co. which would produce artificial ice. A piano clinic was organized to repair pianos damaged in the flood., Suffering in Defiance was Real , The Toledo Commerce Club arrived in Defiance on Saturday bringing cash, cots and blankets. "One of the Toledo men took off his overcoat and left it here, saying that it was needed here more. The Toledo men said that Defiance was harder hit in proportion than any of the other towns and asked why Defiance did not send out an immediate cry for relief. Mayor Schmaltz informed him that Defiance thought it could take care of itself, but found later that the task was too big. The only reason for no loss of life here was the vigilance during the high water of the National Guardsmen, police, firemen and other officials," The Defiance Crescent-News March 31, 1913., What is a Flood Pole? , Three Flood Poles sit at the confluence of the Maumee and Auglaize Rivers. They mark three of the highest floods recorded since 1913. Accurate records were not kept before that time. The project was funded by the Rover Pipeline., Library to Place Tablet , The newspaper reported, in more than one edition, that a tablet was to be place in the library and possibly the Court House to mark the 1913 flood so no one could forget what happened during that cold, dark week in March. To our knowledge, that was never done. We hope this project fulfills our ancestor's request.