Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-07-22
.CYMNASTIC FEATS
Des Moines River Performs Unex
pected With Much Regularity.
WATER IS FALLING FAST TODAY
Considerable Damage Done by Yester-
days Rise Although 1t Was of Short
Duration-Rock Island Abandons
Passenger Train at oskaIoosa.
[From Saturdays Daily.l

[From Saturdays Daily.l
The Des Moines river has establish
ed record for gymnastics this year
! If not for high water, and those who
are affected by the rise and fall of the
stream hope that the record fill be al
lowed to stand for many years without
| dispute. After going to a high mark
on Monday it fell something over four
feet,and rose two feet Friday morning
before breakfast. All day Wednesday
the water crept up and preparations
We're made for good rise during the
night, but with characteristic treach-
cry and thickness the water began
falling again and is still receding, be-
| ing now within little more than a
foot of where it was before the second
| rise started at midnight Thursday
| Yesterdays rise, on account of being
! fast, was accompanied by damage to
some property, principally household
goods which had been replaced in some
of the homes that were flooded. When
the water came up the second time it
| damaged furniture and personal prop
erty before it could be removed.
Water Played Jokes.
| The fast rise of yesterday morning
carried away bridges which had with
stood the higher water and slower rise
of Sunday and Monday, and did other
damage which caused no little incon-
| venience. Several country roads for
much of their length We're impossible
on account of washoutS and a lack of
bridges, and the railroads suffered be-
cause of ballast washed from under the
ties. A bridge on the Rock Island at
| Kirkville was about eight inches out of
line yesterday, but was repaired by
this morning. Trains ran about on
time all day yesterday after the trou-
bic on the Burlington at Tyrone and
Russell had been done away with. but
last evening the Rock Island people got
frightened and failed to run the even
j ing south-bound passenger any farther
toward Eldon. it's destination, than
.Oskaloosa, where the train was aban-
doned. The morning north-bound
Z! train consequently did not run south of
Oskaloosa this morning, as the same
cars are used for both. Just why the
train was discontinued is hard to see,
as the water had been falling for an
hour or two before it was due in OF
tumwa last night and the track was
i found to be in fair condition when the
passenger leaving Ottumwa at last
evening went over it, bound for Des
Monies.
Wagon Goes Through Sewer.
A delivery wagon belonging to
James Weir, who resides near the
north end of the big Blake's branch
sewer, was carried by wind and rain
into the branch and down into the
sewer early Friday morning. All day
yesterday a search was kept up for
the vehicle but it could not be found.
Finally, when workmen We're clearing
away an obstruction at the mouth OF
the sewer, almost three-quarters of a
mile from the place where the wagon
started, they found parts of it in the
tangled mass of planks, stumps, mat
ted grass and weeds. 1t had complet
ed the trip of $3.50 feet through the
sewer during the night, making many
turns, and had finally made up part
of the obstruction at the mouth which
had it not been cleared away when il
Water Falling Fast.
The water is falling fast at Ottum
wa and all the way up the river NJ
more damage is expected and it Is an
ticipated now that the river will con
tinue to reeede. Then the real amount
of damage can be seen. Fields which
little more than week ago presented
picture that did the hearts of the
: farmers of the county much good are
now ruined completely, corn is flatten
ed, wheat in shocks is scattered al
J over the present bed of the river, the
! railroads have sustained damage to al
amount almost beyond computing, the
heaviest losers being the Burlington
and Rock Island.
To Raise Grade.
; 1t is semi-officially announced thai
the Burlington management expects tt
raise the grade west of this city about
two or two and one-half feet in order
to put the tracks out OF reach of the
water and to be prepared for the mex
rise of the Des Moines. This road has
lost much through the high water
! Trains have been delayed and an,
any amount of track has been rendered
impossible