58 



1SS4. That of Miu-cli. 1913, however, was noted ospecially in two respects. 

 ^iz: the remarkable rapidity of its rise, and the very t^vvAt (luantity of 

 sediment carried. 



From ten days to two weelis are usually retjuired for the Ohio River 

 to reach a flood stage such as that of March, 1913, but in that case such 

 was the rapidity of the rise, that flood stage was reached in four or five 

 days. Because of the unusually rapid rise there was a destruction of 

 movable property much greater than ordinarily occurs. 



.Slide Covering Madi.so.n and Hanf)vor I'ikc. 



Tile deposits left on the liottoni lands of the Ohio by the floods of last 

 Mai'ch were by lar the ixrcalcst kiiowii. In many plaics the silt or mud 

 was laid down to (lie depth of six. eigbt. and even twelve inches, 'llie im- 

 mediate effect of this dcitosit was the complete desl ruction of all wheat and 

 alfalfa gi'owing in the bottoms below bigh water mark, where covered with 

 flood waters for sevei-al days. In many of the Ohio bottoms alfalfa is ou" 

 of the mo.st valuable crops iind its destruction was a serious loss to the 

 farmers. Where the soil conld be broken and cultivated all the bottom 



