Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-19
IOWA'S LOSS WILL
RUN INTO MILLIONS
HoRTtcuLTURISTs BASING ESTl-
MATES ON REPORTS RECEIVED
FROM OVER THE STATE, TAKE
A PESSiMiSTlC VIEW.

and freezing weather Of the past forty
eight hours which ruined the fruit
crop In this section. Local nursery
men and fruit growers declare the loss
is total. The thermometer registered
as low as twenty-seven degrees, Ave
degrees lower than the freezing point,
and If any Of the fruit crop is saved
they declare that 1t will be miraculous.
Others are of the opinion that the
snow and rain drew the frost out OF
the ground, thereby removing the
damaging condition Of the atmosphere.
The report Of Voluntary Weather OBJ
server Charles w. Sloane at the fire
station showed that Sunday morning
the mercury had dropped to twenty
seven degrees above zero while, Satur
day night at 9 o'clock it registered
twenty-eight degrees.
Loss Is $4,000 900. lo
The cold weather conditions were
the same all over the state and horti-
culturists say that the frost has ruined
the Iowa fruit crop and estimate the
: loss at millions Of dollars. State
Hortfculturist Wesley Green, speaking
from reports received from over the
state, says the loss Is total and places
1t at $1O,OO0,O00 w. J. Wragg, former
state horticulturist, placed the loss at
$6,00O,O00. Not only has the fruit crop
been ruined but DR.. Chapell, Of the
weather crop service, declares the
small grain has been damaged many
millions Of dollars. Many Wapello
county farmers had completed their
plowing and were sowing their crops.
Garden stuff also suffered and Ot-
tumwans who had put in all of their
garden declare that it has been de-
stroyed by the FROST,
Weather Was Wlntry.
Flurries Of snow all day yesterday
made the weather in Ottumwa re-
semble that Of a wintry day. The
weather was very disagreeabIe, the
snow melting nearly as fast as it fell,
and the attendance at the church
services was cut down to a. large ex-
tent. Outdoor amusement in the way
Of ball games had to be abandoned
and the majority of the people lowered
around the flreside and stayed there
most Of the day.
Coal Bins Are Empty.
The sudden change in temperature
found many families with empty coal
bins, none Of them thinking of sud
den change in temperature after the
delightful weather In March and the
early part of April. The furnace man,
who was Of the opinion that his work
was finished for several months, was
called into service. The fires were re-
kindled and warmth that emanated
from the register was greatly appreci-
ated The coal dealers were kept
busy Saturday filling orders for fuel.
The poor OF the city suffered from the
cold and many calls for coal and pro-
visions were made upon the overseer
of the poor and the Open Door Rescue
mission.
The weather man predicts freezing
temperature for tonight and more
damage will be done.
Early Fruit Hurt at Cedar Rapids.
Cedar Rapids, April 49, Especially -
The freezing temperature of the last
forty-eight hours has played havoc
with the early fruit. The lowest tenn
perature was eight degrees below
freezing, low enough to blast the crop.
The loss will be heavy.
Big Loss at Waterloo.
Waterloo, April 18.-(SpeciaD -
Fruit, early vegetables and foliage
have been killed in this section Of the
state by the frost. The loss will be
heavy.
100000 Loss at Burlington.
Burlington, April 18.-(SpeciaD -
Frost last night ruined the entire fruit
crop in this section of the country.
The loss will run into 100000. The
full extent Of the damage will not
be known until the sun comes out.
Iowa's Crop Loss Big.
Des Moines, April 1S.-Secretary
Greene, Of the Iowa Horticultural de-
partment, today estimated the loss Of
Iowa's fruit and vegetable crop from
freezing weather to be between 5.000,-
900 and $10,O00,000. Snow is falling in
many parts of Iowa today. A temper
ature Of % degrees above zero was
reported in southern Iowa, during the