Excerpt from Asheville Municipal Bulletin, September 1916 (Volume 1, Number 8)
Dublin Core
Title
Excerpt from Asheville Municipal Bulletin, September 1916 (Volume 1, Number 8)
Description
Excerpt of the report of L.E. Perry, Chief of Police, two months after the Flood of 1916, as printed in the City of Asheville's monthly bulletin. View the full publication on Archive.org.
Creator
Source
Buncombe County Special Collections
Publisher
Date
Format
Language
English
Identifier
Ref N.C. 352 ASH v.1 no. 8
License
This work has been determined to be in the public domain based on its publication date.
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
The Flood.
After reviewing the efforts of this Department for the fiscal year, I can but praise the endeavors of every member in seeing that the laws have been fairly and impartially enforced. Time after time every member of the force has undergone hardships and trials which would test the nerve and manhood of the hardiest. One of the most trying times in the history of the City of Asheville was the disastrous flood of July 16th, which destroyed so much property and imperilled so many lives. The members of the Police Department were practically on continuous duty during this flood and its aftermath, and rendered invaluable service in the rescue of endangered people and in the protection of property.
I do not think that I could praise too highly the spirit of public service and devotion to duty exhibited by the members of the Police Department during this critical time. My commendation of them and their labors is unstinted.
I should also like to avail myself of this opportunity to express our appreciation of the assistance rendered us by the motormen and conductors of the Asheville Power and Light Co., who were sworn in as special policemen and who aided us in patrolling the city during the night hours when our street lighting system was dead.
It is worthy of note that we were able to pass through this crisis without any serious disorder and with a minimum amount of pillage. This record can only be fully appreciated when consideration is given to the enormous amount of private property that was exposed along the river front.
After reviewing the efforts of this Department for the fiscal year, I can but praise the endeavors of every member in seeing that the laws have been fairly and impartially enforced. Time after time every member of the force has undergone hardships and trials which would test the nerve and manhood of the hardiest. One of the most trying times in the history of the City of Asheville was the disastrous flood of July 16th, which destroyed so much property and imperilled so many lives. The members of the Police Department were practically on continuous duty during this flood and its aftermath, and rendered invaluable service in the rescue of endangered people and in the protection of property.
I do not think that I could praise too highly the spirit of public service and devotion to duty exhibited by the members of the Police Department during this critical time. My commendation of them and their labors is unstinted.
I should also like to avail myself of this opportunity to express our appreciation of the assistance rendered us by the motormen and conductors of the Asheville Power and Light Co., who were sworn in as special policemen and who aided us in patrolling the city during the night hours when our street lighting system was dead.
It is worthy of note that we were able to pass through this crisis without any serious disorder and with a minimum amount of pillage. This record can only be fully appreciated when consideration is given to the enormous amount of private property that was exposed along the river front.
Location
Page Number
7
Citation
L.E. Perry, “Excerpt from Asheville Municipal Bulletin, September 1916 (Volume 1, Number 8),” Come Hell or High Water Community Memory Project, accessed January 20, 2026, https://helenehistory.omeka.net/items/show/545.