Charles Smittle
Ohio Claims First Victim in Lower Valley Region

Article taken from The Mansfield News Journal, March 23, 1936

PORTSMOUTH - (AP) - The Ohio river flood claimed its first victim in the lower valley region today. 

Charles Smittle, 57, of nearby Sciotoville, golf course caretaker, died of exposure and shock after falling from a rowboat into the cold flood waters.

The river stage at 11:30 a.m. was 59.2 feet and observers said it apparently was stationary.

A 60-foot $1,000,000 flood wall protected this city of 43,000 from the debris-filled waters.  Sand bags two feet high had been added to it as a precautionary measure.

The flood had claimed three Ohio victims in the upper valley last week.

Smittle was going from his home to the golf course in the boat.  With him was Lonnie Conley.  Conley was unable to pull Smittle back into the boat and it was 30 minutes before help arrived.

Expensive  motors used at the Portsmouth works of the Wheelering Steel corporation were moved to safety and work partly suspended when flood waters menaced the plant.

Work at the Ohio Stove company's plant was suspended.