Headline from the Charlotte Observer
The record breaking wind and rainfall that caused the flood of 1916 were perhaps the most devastating elements that affected the city of Charlotte. Luckily, the Catawba River did not run close enough to the city for the flood waters to have directly affected it. However, the flood did demoralize the railways, and the telegraphs and telephone communication, thus cutting Charlotte off from a wide area South and West as the Catawba continued to take down bridges and wires. No trains could travel in or out of the city for an extended period of time and city dwellers lost all power. First estimates of the crop damage exceeded $10,000,000, and property damage was later estimated to be over $15,000,000. Although the city was void of direct contact with flood waters, it was largely affected by the damage of the storm in the city and the greater area.
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