On Friday morning Sept. 5, 1913, a group called the Peru Boosters arrived in Warsaw by way of the Winona Interurban. Arriving shortly before nine o'clock, the cars stopped at the corner of Lake and Center streets. The visitors got out at that point and led by the Third regiment band of Peru, paraded through the principal streets of Warsaw. A little ceremony was conducted in which three cheers for Warsaw were given by the boosters. Again boarding the interurban cars, the group visited Leesburg, Milford and other communities in the area, repeating the ceremony each time and giving three cheers for the community being visited.

On the return trip the group again stopped in Warsaw and the Third regiment band gave an evening concert on the court house lawn. Speeches were delivered by members of the Peru Boosters and by leading citizens of Warsaw.

Older residents will remember the year 1913 as the year of the disastrous Peru flood. On March 24 after several days of continuous rainfall, the Wabash river rose so high that the city of Peru was entirely under water. The Winona Assembly immediately sent 30 rowboats and 2 motorboats to help in the evacuation of the population. The people of Warsaw and the county fixed sandwiches, bread and biscuits to send to the stricken city. Kosciusko county families generously opened their homes to receive many of those who were homeless. The only telephone line in operation out of Peru at the height of the flood was the line to Warsaw.

This day of visitation 39 years ago by the Peru Boosters was for the purpose of thanking the people of the area for their assistance in helping Peru in her hours of great need. We would like to write a more detailed column on the Peru flood at a later date and any reminiscences which our readers could send would be greatly appreciated.

Warsaw Times-Union Sat. May 9, 1953