’42 FLOOD: More today on the flood of 1942 from Bruno
Carnovale:

“This flood caused lots of damage to Austin, Cameron County,
Ridgway and Johnsonburg. There was much devastation to homes,
businesses, industries, highways, bridges, utilities and the
railroads. Also, there was loss of life in these towns hit by the
flood.

“Comparing that flood with the recent storms, we didn’t blame
God, the president, the weather bureau or FEMA (which was
non-existent at that time). There was very little outside aid from
the government (federal or state) or the Red Cross. Most of the
help came from friends, family and churches.

“The night of the flood, my parents had nine extra people in our
home. Seven of these friends stayed for three weeks. There weren’t
any fancy hotels for the government to put them in.

“Most of the damage in Johnsonburg occurred in the ‘flats’ areas
of Little Italy and Vernards Island. The damage to roads,
railroads, bridges, and utilities was crippling because most of the
able-bodied men were in the services and help was hard to get.

“The B&O, Pennsy and Erie railroads were hiring, but you had
to be 16 years old. Many of my friends and I who were 14 and 15
years old were hired by stating that we were 16. We worked two full
summers and weekends during the winter and spring months. During
these two years, we worked as section hands. It was hard, dangerous
work. The pay was 50 cents per hour. There were no benefits and no
raises because wages were frozen during the war years.

“It is difficult for us older people who grew up from poor
families with hard-working parents to see that today’s government
is looked upon as Santa Claus.

“People are expecting Uncle Sam to be the cradle-to-grave
provider and taking the blame for everything that happens. Many of
us went into the service when we became 17 or 18.”

ANOTHER COP: We get an e-mail from Bill Wallace: “In regards to
policemen in the ’50s, our neighbor, Mike Dwyer on Harding Avenue,
was a nice man. Also I remember going to an ice house/meat storage
locker off Congress Street.”

TODAY’S QUOTE: “You write and then you erase. You call that a
profession?” said Abram Bellow, father of writer Saul Bellow, circa
1915. As always, today’s quote is provided by the Freedom
Forum.