Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-30
OTTUMWA WAS
VISITED BY A
B|GDOWNPOUR
LONG DROUTH FlANNLY BROKEN
BY RECORD RAIN OF. THE YEAR
LIST NIGHT; PRECIPITATION
WAS $40 INCHES.

The efficacy of prayer was realized
in good measure last night when the
downpour of rain drenched Ottumwa
as it has not been drenched for very
long time. Some of the churches of the
city on last Sunday prayed for rain in
destroyed by the excessive drouth,
might be saved. Tuesday night little
response to the invocation was had
and some were inclined to say that 1t
was the convention and decorations
about the city that brought the rain.
This same element now blames or
credits the picnic of yesterday and say
it Is another argument for Ottumwa to
go after big events in dry weather at
least. Be the cause what it may, GER
tainly many of the picnickers were
given slight taste of the big event.
related in antique history to cope
with which Noah built his house boat
and the appearance of hundreds Of
these as they gathered about the
street car waiting room last evening,
motley crowd of all ages, sex and
color lends to the theory that the pic
ally is grateful, Notwithstanding that
some little damage was done.
Fall Was 81 Inches.
The downpour, when over regis
tered at the local weather station the
immense fall of 81 inches of rain.
This great quantity of water was not
without it's harmful effects as well as
benefits, and look at the paving along
North Market street, from Fourth to
Fifth streets, will show several bricks
washed from the paving and the street
damaged not a little. The 10
poured down this hill with the roc :, I
a rapids and entered many Of the cell
lars and Easements Of the buildings
along the street. In places it mounted
high on the poles along the sides of
the street and entered the fire station
to the depth of more than an inch.
Waste paper cans located at corners
were floated along the streets, torn
from their moorings and landed dis
lance from their rightful quarters.
Sewers Clicked.
Persons exposed to the rain during
the shower that took place in the
evening after o'clock, in some places
stepped in water at the crossings
above their shoe tops. Newly paved
streets were washed clean of the sand
coating that has covered them since
the work was completed on them and
at some places the sand and mud is
lodged to the depth OF from six inches
to foot deep. Sewers were checked
rapidly accommodating waters was felt
by merchants, although no great dam.
age Is reported in actual loss of mer-
chandise from that cause.
Fire Station Flooded.
In the East End in the vicinity OF
Iowa avenue, old ]. Pluvius de-
scended in his wrath and sewer re-
Gently completed in Main street along
the Janney addition shows the effects
Of the heavy rain fall. In one cave-in
of the sewer near Morrell street a
buggy was shown to be wrecked this
morning and the spokes of one Of the
wheels was broken into kindling. This
sewer was laid at depth in places OF
as much as fourteen feet and cave-in
along much Of it's length was seen
after the rain has subsidized. The East
End fire station was made to suffer
considerably, due to the two sewer
openings there having been choked by
the debris and too great quantity OF
water shed by Iowa avenue hill and
the surrounding incline. The water
filled the stations lower floor to dan
gerous depth and caused the fire lad
dies to don their oilskins and forget
slumber in order to clear the flood
from the building. Cellars In that
vicinity were flooded due to the
choked condition Of the sewers.
After all was over this morning, the
common expression on the streets.
after considering the damage done,
was that 1t was good rain after all.