70 Years Ago
5 — Spreading over thousands of acres of ripe wheat and oats, lush alfalfa and corn fields, the Neosho River reached a crest of 21.2 feet yesterday morning, receding slowly last night. At 7 a.m. today the West Street Bridge gauge registered 20.65, more than five feet above bankful. Joe Divine, farm bureau agent, said he doubts if any of the crops in flooded fields can be salvaged. Scores of farm homes up and down the Neosho were surrounded with water yesterday and in many places tractors and farm equipment were standing in flooded fields. No doubt a few chickens and perhaps larger stock were drowned or washed away. Several blocks of Iola’s residential district in the south part of town were flooded. On U.S. 54 the water extended from the edge of the old cemetery on the east to the Union District School house west of the river, although the level was well below the pavement.
The levee protecting the Rosenthal district northeast of Chanute crumbled this morning, permitting the flooding Neosho to spread over 1,500 acres of fine farm land which has not been inundated in recent years. The river is expected to crest in Chanute today at 26 feet, six feet above flood stage.
