1958 Exira Flood
It was a rainy night in Audubon. As the flood waters of the Nishnabotna began to rise, the fire alarm sounded at 10:25 pm. Firemen, fighting the swirling muddy waters, warned residents in low-lying areas.
In Exira, farther downstream,
Claude Green, night watchman, was responsible for the first alarm
at 12:45 a.m.. Again, as in Audubon, volunteer firemen and others
rushed to West Exira and Brayton, warning residents to evacuate,
rousing the unsuspecting Exirans from bed on the night of the
worst disaster in Exira's history.
Statistics
The events of the flood are known by almost all the residents of Exira. In fact, as in many disasters, the flood of July 2, 1958 became a permanent part of Exira's vocabulary. Any conversation in town can include the words, "Oh, yes, that happened two years before the flood."
Numbers often speak for themselves. The statistics, when computed, were awesome. Nineteen persons lost their lives. Almost 1000 people in the area were flooded from their homes. Fifty-nine were injured, 971 families suffered some type of loss, and 68,400 acres of farmland were flooded, along with the disappearance of 150,000 tons of topsoil. There were 15,150 head of livestock killed. By July 17th, it was estimated in the Journal that 150,000 sightseers had traveled through the area. At least 12 inches of rain fell that night-a 20 inches in the month of July.
It would be impossible to
relate all the acts of heroism on that night; however, there were
some extraordinary stories that do need telling. . .
Elsie Smith
One of the most incredible occurrences involved Mrs. Elsie Smith (the late Mrs. Henry Christensen). She, her husband, Russell, and her son, James Hopkins, left their home in West Exira when the floodwaters began to rise. James found refuge in a tree where he was rescued several hours later. The Smiths had taken refuge on a car, but soon they were swept from it. Russell's body was found two days later wedged between a tree and his own house which had been carried downstream.
It was Elsie, though, that had the most harrowing experience of that eventful night. Swept down the Nishnabotna, she clung to a log, often submerged by the debris, only to reach the surface again, gasping for air.
A farmer living north of Atlantic notified Sergeant Harley Erts of the Iowa Highway Patrol of Mrs. Smith's plight after trying himself to rescue her. Erts sent word to residents south of Atlantic to be alert for the woman. The rescue attempt south of Atlantic failed.
Erts sped further south to Griswold and notified the fire department there. Soon two rescuers in a boat caught sight of the exhausted Mrs. Smith and were able to get a rope around her and pull her in.
All in all, the woman had
spent five hours in the floodwaters as she was swept nearly miles
downstream. She was treated at the Atlantic Memorial Hospital.
The "Lucky Thirteen"
Another tale of heroism and nerves took place at the former Bill Jacobsen gas station. There, 13 people (to meet again in 1959 christening themselves the Lucky 13) were thrown together by fate in the swirling waters. The group noticed one of Danzel Nelson's gravel trucks and it was there that they spent the next seven hours. The Journal noted that Bob Asberry and Bill Jacobsen kept spirits high during the night. Three children were held above the churning water by some as others kept debris from collecting and overturning their dangerous craft. (The children belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Sheppard from Brainerd, Minnesota. The Sheppards pulled into the gas station to escape from the flood water.)
Members of the Lucky 13: Bob
Asberry, Lee Thompson, Robert Green, Charles Powers, Mr. and Mrs.
Bill Jacobsen, Norman Baier, Myron Akers, and the Sheppard family.
Other Stories
Nearby, on top of the Exira Feed Service building, Richard Baier spent a terrifying night. "I'd rather spend three years in jail than another night like that," he stated when interviewed.
Hamlin was another scene of tragedy and courage. In Hamlin itself, the floodwaters hit about 11:30 . One establishment still open at the time was Sherm's, owned by Sherman Peppers. As the waters rose and the building became partly flooded, Mrs. Sherm Peppers, her son, Russell, and other customers decided to head for higher ground. Russell assisted his mother, father and several customers out of the unsafe building, making many trips.
As the building began to turn in the water, Russell was swept across Highway 71 and back to the Hamlin Metal Works Yard where he clung to a tractor. Since the lightning was continuous, making the night seem like day, the boy noticed two women attempting to walk through the waist deep water on Highway 71. As he reached the ladies, a wall of water carrying railroad ties struck and Russell was unable to keep the expectant Mrs. Dalton Hansen afloat.
Mrs. Sherm Peppers was rescued, along with Hank Hansen, Darrell Jensen and Merlin Bald, after they had spent two hours battling the water. Sherm was washed away on a car into the Hamlin Metal Works Yard where he tied himself to a tractor, hanging for nearly three hours.
Tragedy overtook five cars south of the Hamlin intersection as the floodwaters rose on Highway 71. All but three of the 12 people in these cars were drowned.
As reported in Marie Frederick's
"Fresh Earth" column, other acts of courage were undertaken
by Jerry Finnerty , LeRoy Petersen, Gus Strubel, Ronald Spoo and
Thomas Payne . Quite likely there were many more of these acts
that were unreported.
The Community's Response
By daybreak the town began to go into action to help those affected by the tragedy. It was estimated that over 500 volunteered to scout the area for the missing, some in boats rescuing pets and livestock from the roofs of smashed houses. Several people, many in trees, were also recovered at this time. Rescuers were astonished at the sight of cornstalks hanging 12 feet high in trees. Grain bins, loaded with soaked corn, bulged and soon split, pouring the wet grain in the mud, the smell lingering for days. City water service, polluted by floodwater, was cut off.
The Red Cross set up a care station at the Exira school building under the direction of superintendent Oren Brinkley. The center was assisted by Mrs. Fred Crees, Mrs. Milroy Bills, the hot lunch staff and Mrs. J. G. Jones and Mrs. Donovan Christensen in the emergency clothing room. The school was open for 24 hours daily until an orderly procedure was established. Many other Exirans worked on a volunteer basis together with those directly in charge. On July 4th, "peak search day ", over 1000 meals were served at the school.
The Lutheran Church was the sight of typhoid shots which were given by local townspeople and the Red Cross. Several helpers were Lois Humphreys, Lola Belle Benton, Rosemary Avery, Jackie Jacobsen, Marlene Rubel, Marjorie Swenson, Dr. John Ankeny, Gladys Beck, Mrs. Nels C. Beck, Mrs. Dale Young and Mrs. Joe McKibben . The Red Cross reported that 2600 persons had typhoid shots during the first installment. Two more vaccination times were offered later. The Red Cross' total expenditure in Audubon County during this time was $62,507.
The area was immediately inspected by Gov. Loveless and Congressman Ben F. Jensen.
Ronald Spoo was named Exira disaster chairman. The Exira disaster committee was formed, headed by Arnold Nissen, along with Scotty Lindholm, Rev. Lloyd Lorensen and Milroy Bills. By final count, the disaster fund had reached the sum of $17,103.66. Breakdown: 13 building lots Wahlert addition...$4,000; for other building lots...$1,800; abstracts for above ... $429.80; surveying and platting ...$137.89; sewer installation. . . $1,632.50; emergency clothing. . . $62.23; newspaper advertising, postage, printing and envelopes. . . $158.24; divided as fairly as possible between the remaining families who received damage above the first floor. . . $8,883.
Offers from townspeople poured in to donate rooms in their homes for those who had none. The Salvation Army and the National Guard provided services for the flood victims.
The group of Mennonites supplied their help for days, often doing the most dirty work of cleaning out basements, and so on.
August 7th found eight chapters
of the FFA (approximately 50 boys) represented in Fence Day at
Exira helping those farmers whose fences were damaged on the flood
plain. Units worked on the farms of William Thielen, Frank Smith,
Bernie Thielen, James Friedrichsen, Glen Guy, Clarence Lauritzen,
Mrs. Anna Christensen and Henry H. Petersen. September 26th and
27th were also days of cleanup for the homes of Bernie Thielen,
Carl Johnson and Charles Hensley. The flood plain committee composed
of E. H. Petersen, Carl Johnson and Andrew Petersen organized
workers to clean up the massive amount of debris left by the flood.
Equipment and manpower were supplied by Art Andersen, Wayne Rucker,
Joe McKibben, Jacobsen Oil Co., Francis Ballou, Marion Wahlert,
Harold Stadsvold, Carl Johnson, Lloyd Jorgensen and others. These
and several other acts of generosity were appreciated by all Exirans.
Families and Businesses Affected
Several families had major readjustments to make when their homes were damaged. The disaster fund helped purchase 17 lot tracts for the relocation of flood families, most in northeast Exira by the water tower. Some of the families with damaged property: George C. Bauer, Floyd McClain, Dick Christensen, Max Parrott, Robert Green, Tony Kommes, Elmer Jessen, Harold McClain, Floyd Sorensen, Fred Sorensen, Marion Hinkle, Russell Heaton, Kenneth Russell, LeRoy Hansen, John Kyhnn, Orville Biggs, Russell Smith, Claude Green, Willis Hinkle, Chester Bartelt, Bill Jacobsen, Elmer Lengeman, Henry Rudolph, Lee Thompson, Robert Asberry, Eugene Carter, Nels Nelson, George Bartelt, Jim Christensen, Emmert Kallesen, Charles Wilkins, Mads Marcussen, and Edwin Jensen.
Businesses affected by the flood: Tony Kommes' service station, Jacobsen Oil Co., Everett Crees' Standard Oil station, George Andersen & Martin Hansen's newly established feed store, Parrott Produce, J & M Implement, Bauer Drive-in, Bauer hog buying headquarters, Arnold Nielsen-hog buyer, Exira Feed Service, Exira Elevator, Kozy Manufacturing Co., Harvey B. Larson-auto sales, the storage facilities of Jerry Finnerty's DX cities service companies, Exira depot and the Exira Playmore skating rink.
The flood of July 2nd cut
a swath a mile long and half a mile wide through West Exira. In
Exira, 75 homes were destroyed, almost 20 businesses damaged,
225 families suffered some type of loss. Guthrie Center, Audubon,
Hamlin, Brayton and Atlantic also suffered damage.
Hope for the Future
In an editorial in the Journal Marie Frederick asked, "We are looking to the future restoration of our community. We need the citizens (that lost their homes) and cannot afford to lose them, nor neglect our responsibility.
"Is it possible that a site could be contributed to this city for the people of West Exira in which to relocate their neighborhood? Would the city be willing and financially able to build streets, install utilities, and make such improvements as would be necessary in the development of a new tract?
"This is a problem of the community. What is your thought of solving it? "
Today, northeast Exira shows evidence of the generosity and concern of the people of Exira and those of the area in relocating those valuable members of the community who lost their homes.
There was financial loss from which Exira probably never recovered, but the town showed its concern for its most valuable resources-its citizens.
Those who lost their lives
in the 1958 flood: Mrs. Mads Marcussen, 63, Exira; Mads Marcussen,
68, Exira; Mrs. John Parsons, 45, Exira; John Parsons, 68, Exira;
Lenore Parsons, 21, Exira (body
never recovered); Russell
Smith, 49, Exira; Harry Wiges, 35, Exira; Charles Wilkins, 64,
Exira; Mrs. Charles Wilkins, 65, Exira; Donald Byriel , 17, Audubon;
Mrs. Dalton Hansen, 22, Audubon; Donald Eaton, 16, Audubon; Darwin
Kuntzweiler, 18, Audubon; Franklin Wiges, 32, Audubon; Camille
Buckner, 21, Scranton; Clyde Carrick, 21, Bagley; Roy Keeran,
72, Guthrie Center.
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The article above was taken from a story
in the book Exira, Iowa: 1857-1982.