Flood of 1907: News from March 16, Wheeling Daily News, Special Flood Edition

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- from Wheeling Daily News, March 16, 1907 (Flood Special Edition).
 

THRILLING WERE SCENES

Some blood-curdling scenes were witnessed on the South Side last night and this morning while the flames were consuming the Warwick pottery. There were sights never before witnessed here except during the ever memorable '84 flood.

The family of John Simple, residing on South Main street, father, mother and five children, escaped death by jumping from one house top to another. They traversed nearly half a square in this way, crossing seven houses. Their actions were witnessed bu a dozen or more persons standing near Alley 18 and Market street, who were unable to turn a hand to save them.

One frantic foreigner swam two squares with his two children in his arms. He saved both children, but the exertion was so great that it is extremely doubtful whether or not he can recover. This incident occurred on South Main street early this morning during the fire episode.

Seven foreigners escaped certain death [l]ate last night on South Market street by clinging on to driftwood. They had jumped from second story windows into the water, after boats had taken their wives and children out of the house. They were caught by some boatmen at Twenty-seventh street.

A man named Macklin had his boat capsized near the Suspension bridge. He went down twice before caught. The man who save him, himself had a narrow escape from drowning. Macklin upturned his (the rescuer's) boat. Both men struggled for several minutes in the water before other boatmen rescued them. This incident was witnessed by fully a couple thousand persons who thronged both the bridges.

Otto H. Schultz, of No. 133 Thirty-third street, advertising agent for the Intelligencer, had a thrilling experience at Forty-second street at 6 o'clock last evening. He, with Louis Steinman, was out in a skiff. The boat upset in a spot where the water was about twelve feet deep. Schultz went down twice before he was saved.

Frank Heymann, of the East End, came near losing his life in the creek at 4o'clock yesterday afternoon. His skiff upset near the Terminal depot. He clung to the upturned boat until help arrived. He was nearly exhausted when taken from the water.

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