Swollen creeks and streams fed by melting snows and driving rains plagued the area yesterday, flooding or washing our parts of a number of streets, area roads, bridges, and basements.

Although the situation seemed to be stabilizing this morning, according to various reports from city, county and state agencies, some areas, the towns of Mayfield and Ephratah in particular, were still struggling to open major road routes or keep watch on rising water levels near dam sites or bridges.

The Gloversville fire department answered more than 100 calls since early yesterday morning to pump cellars up to eight feet deep in water, and were still busy this morning trying to keep up with a backlog of 30 to 40 calls.

In Johnstown, some 18 persons at the American Hotel were evacuated due to a section of the foundation that caved in from flooding waters.

In Gloversville, a number of residents in the DuBois Garden Apartments' Building 6 were evacuated due to the flooding situation.

Volunteer firemen in Ephratah, a spokesman there reported, were keeping watch on the Garoga Dam, on Caroga Creek, as water there had been rising at rates of an inch per hour. Firemen reportedly were hoping that the dam would hold and had notified residents to be prepared in case evacuation was necessary.

The major problem in this city involved the cresting waters of Cayadutta Creek, which overflowed onto a number of city streets. W. Stephen Seaboyer, city engineer, reported that all city streets were open to traffic this morning, that most of the flooding waters had receded.

The Mohawk River near Fonda "looked like the Mississippi," a spokesman for the Fonda State Police observed. At least a dozen families had to be evacuated in Montgomery County, and the spokesman noted that the low farmlands just north of the river between Amsterdam and Fonda were badly flooded.

Marion and Thelma Argotsinger of Elman Street, Broadalbin, reported that flooding water caused part of their foundation wall to crumble, but did not report having to leave their residence.

John DeWitt, Gloversville Housing Authority director, told the newspaper that about 12 families in Building 6 of the DuBois Garden Apartments were forced out of their homes due to flooding in the basement that reached depths of seven feet, nearly touching the first floor.

He said that heat and electricity were turned off, and Meco fire department volunteers worked from 5:30 yesterday afternoon to 11:30 last night pumping out the basement. plumbing contractors were at the scene today, but DeWitt noted that it would be a day or two before heat could be restored so residents could return to their apartments.

Seaboyer reported that areas hard hit in Gloversville were mainly streets in the vicinity of Cayadutta Creek. Flooding waters of depths up to a foot were reported from that creek affecting portions of Spring, Grand, Lincoln, and Foster Streets, as well as North Arlington and West Eighth Avenues.

Johnstown streets closed last night due to the flooding of the Cayadutta Creek included North Perry Street, from Fulton to Green Streets; West State Street, from North Melcher to Cayadutta Streets; and sections of North and South East Avenues.

Estimates of water depth on North Perry Street were four to five feet last night, although this morning the street was clear of water, except in the lower spots near the bridge sides.