One hundred ten years ago in 1913, taken from the pages of The Youngstown Vindicator:

News, updates, and information about the disastrous weather throughout Ohio dominated the Youngstown Vindicator for more than a week in late March and early April of 1913. Here are some excerpts:

• “The flood is fast receding today. Waterworks still inundated but fires will soon be lighted under boilers and pumps started — preparations under way to resume operations at various industries along the river. Latest reports most encouraging.”

• “Fire threatens the business section with water works out of commission. Emergency water supply proves a Godsend on Friday morning when Bonnell Block burns at East Federal and Walnut Street — it is estimated the loss will reach $75,000.”

“Flood refugees sleeping in the National Guard armory were routed out early Friday when it looked as if the fire in the Bonnell Block would spread. The armory is located on the third floor of the block adjoining the Bonnell property.

“Lieutenant Ross Raymond was in the armory when the fire broke out. He aroused the sleeping refugees and ordered them to be ready to leave at any moment. National Guardsmen moved their equipment from the barracks to the Diamond, where it was stored under guard until all danger from fire was over.”

• “Optimistic is the belief that local iron and steel plants will resume operations at an early date and that the flood losses thereto have been comparatively slight, local heads of these great industrial concerns were Friday morning radiant as the sunshine in May.

“All expressed the opinion in no uncertain terms that the early estimates of flood losses have been greatly overdrawn, even by representatives of their own establishments. The Youngstown Sheet and Tube officials declare that their principal loss will come from damage to finished product and damage to electrical equipment, to the brick work in furnaces, and lastly to the miscellaneous losses about their plants.”

• “Sunshine ends darkest week ever known in history of Youngstown; recovering from shock of flood. With the river practically in its regular channel and conditions bettering every hour, the sufferers from the flood have already moved back into their slime and mold begrimed houses.

“The worry and dreariness of the past week are already forgotten in the preparations for a new start and up and down the Valley, hundreds of the flood victims are busy with broom and brush, mop and rag, busily engaged in cleaning the houses and removing all traces of the unwelcome guest who has visited them for the past week, driving them out with its rapid onslaught.

• “Saturday’s bright sun buoyed up hopes and drove cheer into the hearts of these people practically homeless since the coming of the yellow waters. As desolate as the scene is up and down the Mahoning Valley from Girard to Struthers, it can be seen already that although the monetary damage in stupendous ($2.5 million in 1913 equals approximately $76 million in 2023 dollars), it is not really as bad as it was at first thought. It will be weeks and months, however, before things can resume their even tenure.”

• Compiled from the Youngstown Vindicator by Traci Manning, Mahoning Valley Historical Society curator of education.