Man Against the River (1937)

[Music] Rushing Water thundering water carrying destru through the Peaceful Valley of the Ohio where yesterday flowed a friendly River today na of flood unmindful of its banks unheeding manmade obstacles the swollen River throws its might against man and his works in the early stages of its Rampage of January 1937 the river was everywhere Victorious forcing man to Dynamite his own levies to gain relief from its brutal [Music] power as it spread over the countryside man was driven steadily back whole towns and Villages fled before the river Advance busy cities symbols of Man's power and progress stood helpless 10 ft deep in icy [Music] water rushing where it could creeping where it must the river Advanced steadily into man's domain rooftops became isolated Islands in a sea of Muddy Water Business stopped Factory Stores homes were deserted as man fled before the Relentless water [Music] buildings were washed away or crushed into heaps of Tangled wreckage by the Rivers's grip even pets and livestock were deserted in the retreat and so with its stunning surprise attack a torrent 10 times the volume of Niagara Falls humbled man in the Upper Valley of the Ohio soon his towns and cities were firm in the ice cold Rivers grasp Seas of watery desolation a national crisis demanding Federal action it got Federal action from the White House Down the best organized and most effective campaign against such a disaster in the history of the country first those trapped by the flood must be saved under the direction of the Coast Guard and local authorities volunteers and WPA workers labored heroically to rescue thousands marooned by the rising Waters by the second day of the flood 18,000 WPA workers were on the job many of them helping to enact scenes like this getting thousands of imperal families to safety away from the rapidly approaching flood [Music] Crest the Coast Guard brought hundreds of boats Overland from many stations others were command deared but to meet the need for still more boats relief workers built them in the streets launched and man them in nearby [Music] Waters with normal Transportation almost completely disrupted the distribution of food and other necessities was a tremendous problem here the Red Cross through its experienced Personnel into organizing an emergency service of supply for which the WPA supplied much of the Manpower carried as far as possible into the stricken area by train these precious Commodities were shifted to WPA trucks and boats for distribution to the points where they were most needed thanks to the tireless efforts of these workers and The Splendid unselfish work of local suppliers there was never a food crisis throughout the entire blood [Music] area to prepare this food for refugees outdoor kitchens were established and manned by the Red Cross local volunteers and relief workers many carloads of warm clothes and bedding were rushed to shivering Refuge GES from WPA sewing rooms in many states here's one vital necessity of the wintry flood rubber boots worse than the danger from water was the Menace of disease first emergency hospital treatment was necessary for those injured or suffering from exposure in hastily organized hospitals like this one in a hall over a garage thousands of lives were saved by Red Cross and volunteer nurses and doctors assisted in the care and feeding of patients by trained WPA [Music] workers [Music] but the greatest danger of the entire flood was the threat of contagious disease principally typhoid the measures taken to combat this probably constitute the swiftest campaign of disease prevention in history clinics for typhoid inoculations like this one sponsored by an American Legion Post were established everywhere throughout the flood area day and night lines of refugees filed past doctors and nurses much of the serum was flown into the flood area by Army and Coast Guard ples in this phase of his battle with nature man was completely [Music] victorious in the upper Ohio Valley the river struck almost without warning but in the Lower Valley and along the Mississippi Man was given a little time to strengthen his defenses to raise and bolster levies and seaw walls for hundreds of miles Along The Valleys the WPA supplied the shock troops that held the river within man-made walls relief workers transported material by hand by truck by boat working day and night they filled countless thousands of sandbags raising the levies above the record Crest Manpower beat the river on this front backed by the system of flood defenses previously erected by Army engineers and often working under the skilled direction of these Engineers 50,000 relief workers fought the river at every critical point it was a grim weary struggle with relief forces aided by 20,000 from the CCC by thousands from resettlement and the Nya and with red cross military and public health leaders ticking together like a great machine more than 40 WPA workers were swept to their death in the fight without without this vast Army of well organized and equipped workers quickly available the flood toll would have been immeasurably [Music] greater and people of the flood area will not soon forget the courage of these heroic workers for administrator Harry Hopkins heard their praise along the full route of his inspection trip as head of the president's committee with General Edward Markham chief of army Engineers Surgeon General Thomas paron Jr Colonel FC Harrington Chief WPA engineer and J l feaser in charge of Red Cross operations administrator Hopkins visited the entire flood area from Memphis to Cincinnati reporting on the amazing morale and Splendid cooperation of the great variety of flood relief agencies and Facilities the committee were almost caught in Arkansas by the rising Waters of the St Francis they left over roads already underwater the last traffic over this road for several days among the specific accomplishments of relief workers in relieving flood distress was the construction under Army supervision of this pontoon Bridge through the streets of Louisville for several days this bridge provided the only access to the center of the city another type of accomplishment was the construction of refugee camps such as this one near Louisville which housed over a thousand persons made homeless by the flood Crews of WPA Carpenters constructed rows of firm raised platforms upon which army Engineers put up tents [Music] when the tent city was finished each tent was equipped with cuts and the comfort of the city's inhabitants was assured by truckloads of stoves following in the wake of flood came fire this Blaze completely destroying a large section of Cincinnati while a gas explosion and fire killed seven and left a massive wreckage in l in this latter fire police and firemen from several cities were aided by WPA workers in fighting the flame even before the wreckage was cool a swarm of relief laborers were on the job to remove bodies and clean up the wreckage as the flood waters recede PA's greatest work really begins the work of cleaning up water must be pumped from basements in some cases with the help of fire trucks condemners must be demolished sanitation measures applied debris clogged streets and roads must be opened and repaired and this disease bearing debris carted away although relief workers cannot repair private property unless public health is endangered they can and do Aid the property owner by removing heavy obstacles such as these also public buildings schools and parks are rapidly restored fire and police alarm systems are put back in commission flooded underground wires being replaced with temporary overhead ones in rural areas thousands of dead cattle are a menace to help these must be collected rela workers and buried or otherwise disposed of unpleasant but vitally necessary work tremendous work to be done a tremendous need the WPA does the work meets the need with 15 ,000 people engaged in All Phases of the cleanup job and doing this work provides jobs for thousand destitute victims of the flood men who would otherwise be dependent on charity or direct relief the battle with the river was a costly one but the cost in lives and human misery would have been far greater but for the gallon fight waged against it by the agencies of mercy and relief the WPA is proud that from the ranks of those who can't find jobs it can provide the shocked troops of disaster [Music] a