Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-08-23
Miss stumpf Formerly Resided In OF.
turnwa and Was Sent From Here by
the Methodist Churches as a Mission
ay-Detective Drainage System.

more or less hooded after smart
shower of rain. The reason evidently
fs that the sewers are not sufficiently
capacious to carry off the water rapid
", and. besides, the gratings or open
ings through which the water finds its
way to the sewers get blocked with
sweepings. We have had two very
heavy falls of rain during the past
two days. The streets were badly
flooded on Wednesday, causing slight
interruption to the tramway traffic, and,
as 1t began to rain at the Office hour,
much Inconvenience to business men.
But the downpour yesterday was heav-
Ter and practically incessant during
the whole Of the day.
Sewers Wore chokesi.
The sewers evidently became choked
In an hour, and then the streets and
subsequently the compounds Of houses
began to fill, till, it is no exaggeration
to say, many premises in various parts
of the city resembled islands Most
compounds had fully one foot Of water
In them, and, in some cases, the water
had reached the lower floor, making 1t
extremely uncomfortable for the resi-
dents. There are some parts Of Cal
cutta which become flooded under the
least provocation, as, for instance, the
portion of Lower Circular Road near
the Tramway offices. This part Of the
town suffered from the rains both yes
terday and the day before. as it al
ways does. The waters, owing to the
lowness Of the ground seem to have
gathered considerably on the sward to
\ the east of the Presidency Jail. 1t
y looked. in fact, like an immense tank.
where number of villagers, residents
Of adjoining huts, were amusing them.
selves fishing. Portions of Camac
street and Theatre Road were also un-
der water. Chowringhee Road suffered
as we'll, but not to any considerable
slextent. Probably the worst part was
that portion between the Continental
and Grand, Hotels. Visitors to and resi-.
dents of these two establishments had
to wade through little more than
ankle deep water in either going from
or returning to them.
Business Portion Inundated,
But even these places were fairly
comfortable when compared with the
business portion OF Calcutta-we mean
the block from Bent,nck street, down
Chitpur Road, into Har rison Road,
Strand Road, through Hastings street
and Waterloo street back into Ben
timex street. 1t is scarcely possible to
convey any idea of the manner in
which most of the roads, lanes, and
streets round this block were inundat-
ed. From Waterloo street to Hastings
street in a direct line up to Old Post
Office street, was a perfect stream
where the water in no place was less
than two feet deep, and in which it
would have been pleasanter to sail in
fiat bottom country boat. In fact,
anyone engaging municipal boat, say,
IN Waterloo street, thana, would have
been able to sail down, Old Court
House street, into Lyons Range, partly
round Dalhousie Square, good length
of Strand Road, and completely round
Government House pretty comfortably.
All these streets were roaring, raging
torrents, and immense discomfort was
experienced in getting in and out Of
the offices. Nowhere in these localities
was the water less than two feet deep,
and unless one elected to wade through
It, it was impossible to do business.
Here and there coolies were requistion-
ed and derived rich harvest.
Joker Comes to Grief.
One humorously inclined gentleman.
Of Pickwickian proportions, came to
sad grief in front Of one of the estab-
lishments in Old Court House street.
He employed two men to carry him to
shop. While being thus conveyed, a
wicked notion possessed him. Catch
ing the heads OF his bearers he tried
to make them meet, His Aryan breth-
rem did not quite relish the joke, and
they parted company, with the newt
able result that the humorist was the
next instant laundering in the water.
The coolies, 1t is said, dived and reap
peared few seconds afterwards in
Lyons Range, while the jovial party,
not having change Of raiment handy.
had to go home. He was heard to say
that # at his next appearance in this
city he meets those two coolies, he
will be Mt the bar of the High Court
for manslaughter! Another amusing
contretemps occurred in by.lane off
Bentinck street. The compound being
flooded, chairs were placed for a mar.
ried couple to get to the carriage. The
ladyis nress-her last seasons Christ
mas gown--got caught in the chair, she
tripped ana fell into the water. She
was heroically rescued by the servants,
but for some unaccountable reason, her
better half made himself scarce for the
remainder of the day.
Immense Sheets Of Water.
Dalhousie Square, North and South,
was badly inundated. In fact, the ten
mis- ground on both these sides were
immense sheets Of water distinct from
the tank in the centre, which the re-
cent rains have filled to considerable
extent. A couple days heavy showers,
sach as we had yesterday, will SION
cause the ancient ''Lal Digges" TO over.
flow its iank. feeding police patrol to
prevent natives, from carrying away
, the fish. Tho grounds in the south OF
\ Government House we're niso under
water. the sraai'l ornGil entail lake which