Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-04-02
People in Central Addition,
East End and South Side
are Forced to Higher
Ground by High Water.
RIVER IS NOW AT
DANGEROUS STAGE
Fourteen Foot Mark Passed
This Afternoon; Flood
Waters From Above
Promise Greater Rise.

NSASAAh6 AAO AooipSSA ASSS AAAssA =
this afternoon and rising at the rate
of three-fourths of an inch an hour with
food waters coming from the vicinity
of Des Moines, the river is now at
threatening stage. Between fifty and
sixty families in Central addition are
hastily abandoning their homes today.
Twelve families at the extreme end
of South Walnut avenue have already
moved out and large number of
others in the lowlands east of the pack
ing house and south Of the railroad
tracks are packing their household
goods and either leaving Of preparing
to leave. People living In the vicinity
Of the baseball park on South Myrtle
street are also deserting their homes
although the water has not reached the
houses. Merchants are moving their
wares frOrS the cellars in anticipation
Of back water through the sewers. A
few inches more will send the water
Into the Easements Of many business
houses. At o'clock this afternoon
water started coming in cellars on
South Market street. The lOwlands
/, AL along the river are inundated. An.
other. foot Willsssubmerge the Myrtle
street park entirely. The south end Of
Myrtle street is now under water.
Although rises at Des Moines do not
affect Ottumwa in like degree the
climbing of the river at the former
place promises higher water here. The
river at Des Moines showed rise Of
three feet from Saturday night until
this morning mark of seventeen feet
now being recorded. The river Ii
however. expected to 60 down there
| by tonight Nevertheless Ottumwa is
due to receive these high waters from
above but just what effect the floods
there will have here is uncertain. In
past years of high water q rise OF one
foot at Des Moines produced climb
of from four to six inches in Ottumwa.
Rain fell above and below Des Moines
last night but It Is thought that 1t will
affect the river but little. Reports
from above indicate that Ottumwa can
lexpect a rise of another foot at least
and it Is probable that greater rise
will come.
| Families Moving Out.
The first family to move out Of Cen
trail addition was mess of ten hogs.
A temporary pen was constructed at
the south end of the Wapello street
bridge. Some families started to
move last night. But today the steady
pushing Of the water over the lowlands
has caused them to make haste. Live
stock is being gotten across the race to
higher ground. People living In two
story houses are in some instances
storing their goods In the second floor
feeling that the water will not go
thigh enough to endanger their homes.
/ The water has not yet reached the
houses but rise Of another foot will
send it through the doors OF some.
The avenues of escape are already be-
ling inundated and it Is for this reason
that the people are abandoning the ad-
dition. In many places this afternoon
1.-TWO fee of water stands on the roads,
by which the people gain access to
their homes.
| Condition in East End.
| When the gorge against the Cliff
land bridge sent back water floods
\ throughout the lowlands below the
packing house, twelve families living
ifar down on South Walnut avenue,
were forced to flee. Returning after
the recession of the water. these same
families are once more compelled to
go to the homes Of friends. The water
has already entered some of these
houses. People below the tracks on
this street are beginning to move out.
The lowlands in this vicinity are en-
tirely Inundated. The lands Of the
packing house are covered with water
but it will have to rise much higher
before the buildings are endangered.
II the river continues to rise In any
great degree more than one hundred
families in this locality must aban-
don their homes.
Water in Ball Park.
"A A rise of one foot will completely
!, cover the south side ball park. The
water is already around the edges.
+ Access to the park by Myrtle street is
!, cut off, about one foot Of water stand
ling over the street car tracks at the
lsouth end, the lowest part. The bot.
/ tom lands from Bashaw street, from
, lwhere people are preparing to leave
to below Bakers grove are flooded
People on Madison avenue are greatly
!, concerned and will begin preparations
(Continued on Page 81