March 1945.

March 3, 1945

Hello Arthur,

Had early Sat night supper have a few spare moments to write. Well the old river sure is coming up. The announcer on the radio just said its 61 & 7/10 feet. As I came over the bridge from work today it sure looked terrible. The bottoms of Newport sure is flooded. 4 street bridge is closed and I guess by tomorrow the Central bridge in Newport will be closed. Its a good thing we had a few cold spells when we had all that snow or I think we would have had another 37 flood. I sure am glad I dont live where you have to sing Riva, stay away from my door'. They have a pump going and so far it has kept the mill creek off of the streets and factories. It seems so funny to see it flooded by the river and not in Cumminsville. The engineers claim it will hold it up to 65 feet.

Heard some real good news this week - moms friend's nephew was found in a prison camp in the Philippines. He was there three years they never heard a word from him in all that time. They sure were tickled. He is a missionary brother.

Seen a good show last See Here Private Hargrove. That sure was a good story of camp life and plenty of funny KP. I guess you have fond memories now of all of that.

Well Arthur its time to be going to church for novena so I'll close. Take care of yourself.

As ever,
Stella

A Note From Rose

The bottoms of Newport to which Stella refers happens to be where this commentator lived in 1945. Total recall now, as the whole affair comes back - One rainy morning, a high school sophomore leaves for the mile-or-so walk to school. Way, way down the street she sees water. Around 3 o'clock in the afternoon, she returns home to find the same steps that were dry in the morning covered with the dirty brown river water. There was only one thing to do - reverse tracks and come into the house through the back yard. The water was already a few feet in the basement and stopped there. She remembers someone coming to the door late that night and reassuring her family they did not have to vacate unless it should rain through the night. Happily it didn't.