The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-07-29
AN UNLOCKED FOR STORM
WEATHER BUREAU CAN'T EXPLAIN
YESTERDAYS HEAVY BLOW.
White River Rising Four Inches an
Hour-A Fall OF 50 of an Inch
of Rain Yesterday.

1t has rained so much this month that
there is already an excess over the aver
age for the month amounting to lisa inches.
The total for the month is 55.A inches and
the deficit for the year has been cut down
from TIA to go inches. The rainfall dur
ing the storm yesterday morning and the
storm last night amounted TO SO OF an
inch.
Mr.. Wappenhans, of the weather bu-
reau, regarded the storm of yesterday af-
ternoon and last evening as remarkable,
for the reason that it came Unexpectedly
and from a source from which rain could
least be expected. The storm of the early
morning came up from the West and
passed eastward and off into the Atlantic
ocean. Early in the afternoon the reports
showed no indication of rain anywhere in
the Ohio valley, but at 8 O'clock a storm
came in from the East and spread itself
over the Ohio valley as far west as Spring.
field, Ill.,, and east 70 Maryland.
The rainfall in and about indianapolis
was heavy, but not TO be compared with
the extent of ii TO the north of the city.
From the office of the weather bureau it
could be seen that a heavy storm was rag
ing northward of the city some time be-
fore the %cloudburst here. Mr.. Wappenhans
said he judged from the color of the
clouds that a hailstom followed the rain
and subsequent reports verified the judg-
ment. As close to the city as Broad Rip
pie enough hail fell to make 1t exceedingly
unpleasant for animals that happened to
be without shelter, but there was not
enough to damage crops to any extent.
Along the northern part of the city a
heavy wind preceded the rain. This was
not severe enough to cause much dam
age, and so far is known a few uprooted
trees is the extent of 1t. But the wind
was sufficiently strong to cause much UNI
easiness to those living in its wake. 1t
has not been so long since the st. Louis
cyclone. and the subsequent statement or
PSYCHOLOGISTS that they had predicted 1t,
with the added prediction that lndianap-
oils would be swept by a pad windstorm In
July or August. that the credulous nave
forgotten. Every unusually hard gust OF
wind finds its victims of nervous tenn
permanent and the wind of yesterday was
no exception. AT Brightwood the wind was
perhaps more severe than about
the city. Here a number of trees In the
streets were snapped on ana blown down.
In one street the only two trees for sew
raj blocks were uprooted. This caused
something OF a panic in the neighoorhood
and brought the Women ana chlIdsen OUT
the moment, but soon took refuge from a
sure wetting in preference TO guarding
AGAINST injury from Il pOSSlDic CyCioics
WHITE RIVERS RAPID RISE.
Following the morning rains White river
rose rapidly. 1t had been up TO six feet
above the low water mark on Sunday, but
had fallen to less than three feet yester-
day. During the afternoon another foot of
water was in the basin ind the water was
rising slowly until the rains of the after
noon began to affect the stream Then
the river began rising at the rate OF four
inches an hour. Above the city it is re-
ported the storm was the heaviest for
years. At Anderson the river was out of
it's banks. and did great damage to crops
and farm property. As the river comes
this way, however, the channel broadens.
and it is not believed there Will be enough
water to cause the river to do any dam
age here
Pleasant run was full last night. 1t has
a wide channel TO run in n the only Ell
feet of the high water was to wash the
Accommodations of the summer from along
the bed of the stream. The lake at Gar
field park, which was already nearly full,
was spread over all the bottom land IN
the fork of Pleasant run and Bean creek.
IL did not get high enough, however, 70
carry out the foot bridge nor did Bean
creek wash out any of the substructure for
the new bridge in the park, though IT was
feared that the arch would go. The lake
being full is all that saved it.. This caused
the water TO back up above the site OF the
bridge and there was no torrent formed
by the rush of the waters, as there would
have been had the lake been empty.