from The Evening Guide  Monday January 7, 1929
For the first time in the history of the town, the peaceful Ganeraska went on a winter rampage early Sunday morning, owing to the heavy fall of rain. Floods have annually occurred in the Spring and sometimes in June, but it is a rare occurrence to have one in the winter months.

The damage was lessened by the absence of heavy cakes of ice but the yard at the Ontario Hotel is covered with numerous small hunks. The laneway in the rear is also covered with ice.

Early Sunday morning, the local fire brigade were called out and seven horses were released from the Ontario House stables. Three feet of water inundated the stables and considerable damage was wrought. The residence of T Roberts on the west side of the tracks was completely surrounded by water. The quick drop in temperature brought about a cessation of the flood.

The section south of Barrett Street is completely inundated and cakes of ice are piled up. The Barrett Street Bridge, which has been in a somewhat weakened condition, gave way and was carried away in its entirety.

The Ontario Hotel, where so much havoc is created every spring, was a terrible sight. Water overflowed the cement abutment skirting the yards, and early in the evening the yards were filled. Late in the night the water gradually rose and the main floor of the building was inundated to the extent of several feet. Occupants of the hotel were marooned until the waters receded. Turbulent water flowed through the kitchen, dining room, and lobby and the muddy water left ruin in its wake.

from The Evening Guide Saturday January 19, 1929
Damage amounting to thousands of dollars was sustained in Port Hope late Friday night and early Saturday morning, when the Ganeraska river went on its second January rampage. On January 6th the peaceful river nearly assumed its spring proportions and considerable havoc was then wrought. Without a doubt, it is the worst flood Port Hope has ever experienced. Serious damage was wrought in the downtown section when dozens of stores were flooded and heavy loss to stock was occasioned. Three stores, occupied by T J McMahon, Fish Market, W Yeomans, Shoe Repair and W Smith, Barber, were completely washed away at three o'clock this morning and a big gap on the south side of the bridge bears silent testimony to the damaging waters.

After a twelve hour torrential downpour, the Ganeraska assumed alarming proportions and at ten o'clock the muddy waters started to flow down Ontario street. The Port Hope Fire Brigade were summoned and the firemen did what they could. Scores of citizens remained on the scene throughout the night and early this morning the flood scenes were indescribable.

The cause of the flood is attributed to the heavy rain on Thursday when the river swelled its banks and yesterday's driving rain melted the snows which helped to swell the surging waters.

At six o'clock Friday night the water began to rise and at nine o'clock last night reached the bottom of the steel bridge on Ontario street. At ten o'clock water began to trickle down Ontario street and shortly afterwards Walton street resembled a river. The peak of the flood was reached in the early hours of the morning and towards nine o'clock the waters began to recede.

The Ganeraska, with its many northern tributaries, poured tons of water into Corbett's pond. The dam, at this point, has stood the test for many years and helped to stay the onslaught. However, the water surged over the corner of the pond and flowed in a maddening swirl down Cavan street. This outlet could not convey the overflow and the water surged over the western banks of the pond in a veritable Niagara Falls.

The Ontario College of Art Summer School is completely surrounded by water and the wooden bridge, at the north end of Cavan street, which has narrowly escaped being carried away on several occasions, was completely lost from view. The heavy cement bridge, at Corbett's dam, was several feet under water and it was utterly impossible for traffic to cross it. Cavan street is also blocked with huge cakes of ice. The Nicholson File Plant came in for a deluge and the southern end of Beamish's pond gave away under the tremendous pressure. This same section also gave away about ten years ago.

The section south of Barrett street is completely inundated and cakes of ice are piled up. The Barrett Street bridge, which has been in a somewhat weakened condition, gave way and was carried away in entirety.

The Ontario Hotel, where so much havoc is created every spring, was a terrible sight. Water overflowed the cement abutment skirting the yards, and early in the evening the yards were filled. Late in the night the water gradually rose and the main floor of the building was inundated to the extent of several feet. Occupants of the hotel were marooned until the waters receded. Turbulent water flowed through the kitchen, dining room, and lobby and the muddy water left ruin in its wake.

The stores on the west side of Ontario sustained severe damage. The owners, anticipating a flood, had removed most of the stock to safety, but the stock in Cancilla's fruit store met with heavy loss. The stores occupied by Jex & Smith, The Agriculture Department, R S Brown Estate, Chas Cancilla, E Broadbent and Geo T Hancock and the Toronto Bank were flooded and streams of water poured from the doorways.

Driftwood, logs, ice, etc, piled up against the Ontario Street bridge and huge cakes of ice were lodged on the Midland Railway tracks. Railway traffic on the Midland Division was completely demoralized and it will be some time before the right of way is cleared. The brick cottage, occupied by T Roberts on the west side of the tracks was nearly submerged but 'Tom' vacated the premises early in the evening. The three new brick houses occupied by T Marshall, I Margles and W Roberts on the east side of Ontario street were surrounded by water and Roberts Bros butcher shop and the residence in the rear came in for their share of the water.

The maddening waters surged through the lumber yard of T Marshall and quantities of lumber were carried down stream. The sawing outfit at the rear of the property was damaged to a considerable extent.

The rise in water proved too much for the retaining wall at the foot of Walton street and although tons of water were turned down the river course by the wall, the water also surged around the northern end and down Mill street. The dwellings occupied by T Harwood and Miss E Croft were completely surrounded and at one time the angry waters reached the base of Jacob's Ladder. It has been a long time since the water level reached the Registry Office and McMahon's Law Office, The Brewery Warehouse and the two garages, saw a seething mass of water flowing lakewards.

Fred Little's blacksmith's shop was completely undermined and the livery stable and two neighbouring garages were flooded. Late in the night Mrs Douglas was in that vicinity looking for her husband and left her baby in a carriage on the Ontario street bridge. She waded across Ontario Street and the water carried her up against a wire fence. She was assisted to safety by Ralston Roberts but the small child was in danger on the bridge. John Tozer came to the rescue in time and the youngster was brought to safety.

At midnight, the water began to creep over tihe Walton Street bridge and about three o'clock had reached suc;h velocity that the stores operated by T J McMahon, W Yeoman and W Smith, were completely washed down stream. The other stores in that vicinity suffered from flooding and all the stores on the north side of Walton street, east from J L Westaway's came in for a large amount of water.

Early this morning a horse, the property of T Marshall was drowned in the stable in the mill yard. Another horse was released and swam to safety.

Employees were unable to get to work this morning as the downtown arteries were blocked. At 7:20 the first car crossed over the Peter Street bridge and later vehicles could pass down Walton Street and also on Ontario Street.

from The Evening Guide Monday January 21, 1929
The Ganeraska subsided as quickly as it rose and after its maddening spree late Friday night and early Saturday morning, is now peacefully flowing in its natural course. Immediately after the deluge the work of rehabilitation was commenced and merchants cleared their cellars of water and debris and preparations were made for flood sales.

Early Saturday afternoon the Town Council held a special meeting to decide upon relief measures but no official statement was issued.

Scores of residents had their cellars flooded and considerable property damage resulted. Tales of residents fleeing to upstair quarters were common and Dr J N Johnston, V S and Chas Moyse were forced to spend the night in a livery stable loft while water tore through the building and filled it with ice.

Although several residents were forced to flee to safety from their homes and others were marooned, police authorities, after a thorough check, report no fatalities. At 3 o'clock Saturday morning a near-tragedy occurred on the Ontario Street bridge. Mrs Arthur Douglas waited through the long, weary hours of the morning for the return of her husband, and decided to make a search. She proceeded to the stricken area, and, although the flood waters were rising rapidly, she reached the Ontario Street bridge. For an instant she paused, and then turned back. The maddening swirl carried her off her feet and she was pushed up against a heavy wire fence, which prevented her from being washed down-stream to an inevitable death.

Ralston Roberts of Roberts Brothers Meat Market, which borders the river, saw the woman's plight and rushed to her assistance. The heavy rush of water was sapping her strength and was gradually forcing her to release her hold of the fence, but Roberts waded to the spot and brought the woman to safety.

Meanwhile Percival, her 5 year old son, was left on the bridge amid the rising flood. Despite cries of warning, and evidently not realizing his perilous predicament, the child attempted to reach his mother. Frenzied onlookers some distance away tossed chocolate bars to the child to stay his advance, and the assistance of the fire brigade was sought. After a hard struggle Driver John Tozer and Fireman Charles Roberts reached the bridge and snatched the youngster from his perilous position.

Another tale of bravery and hardship centres around the home of William Lowe, on the outskirts of the town, where a family of twelve were marooned throughout the entire night. The Lowe home is situated below Corbett's Pond, and the small dam was unable to carry away the huge volume of ice and water. Consequently the pond overflowed, and throughout the night the western end resembled a veritable Niagara Falls. The muddy flood waters quickly surrounded the frame dwelling to the depth of several feet. The lighting system was cut off, and with water and ice dashing against the doors and windows the family spent an anxious and terrible night. The force of the water can be readily imagined when a touring car was carried from a garage and deposited in the garden. The occupants were helpless, and Charles Sawyer and John Fayle, returning from work at midnight, were determined to reach the house. With the former desirous of reaching his wife and 4 months old child, the pair gained the house after a struggle through waist-high rushing water and ice.

An auxiliary Canadian National train was on the scene of the washout near the File Factory dam early Sunday and the damage was rapidly repaired. In the flood of 1922 a huge washout occurred and the piles which were driven in then still stood and assisted in the work of re-construction on Sunday. Today, traffic was restored to normal.

When the heavy rush of water and ice carried away the three stores on Walton Street the torrent ripped a large hole in the bakery premises of John Wells and the large oven was carried downstream.

Rivers all over Southern Ontario were on the rampage as a result of the unseasonable rains and ice thaw. The tumult of tumbling waters in some cases carried hundreds of tons of ice on their crest and swept down on waterside property carrying death and destruction in their wake.

With four deaths reported, together with hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of property damage, Ontario, during the week-end, probably suffered the most severe flood damage in recent history. Roy Post, aged 36, Trenton, CNR engineer, and John Pekly, brakeman, lost their lives in a train wreck near Belleville, caused by a washout.

The Moira River at Belleville went on the rampage and flooded 3 cellars in the business section; a team of horses, together with cattle and hens, were drowned out in the township.

The Big Creek at Tillsonburg took ia sixteen-foot rise and precipitated hundreds of tons of ice down on riverside industries, occasioning a score of a thousand dollars damage. London, Ont reports a near train wreck as a result of another washout; fruit growers at Grimsby report heavy damage; and dozens of municipalities have tales of flood woes to relate as a result of the idiosyncrasies of the weather.

Duffin's Creek at Pickering, considered one of the flood danger spots on the Kingston Road, subsided early on Saturday morning, and before daylight the roadway was cleared. No serious damage was reported at this spot except for the delay in traffic, which was detoured north for several hours during Friday night and Saturday morning.