Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-13
FOUR INCHES 'OF
RAIN NTH|sM0NTA
July Has Made q Record So
Far for Amount of Water
Which Has Fallen
MUCH DAMAGE IN
HENRY COUNTY,
Skunk River Is Out Of ItiS
Banks and Bridge Is a,T
Washed Away n

During the first eleven days of July
Ottumwa has been visited by q total
rainfall of 4.24 inches. With q moder
ate downpour early this morning and
gentle fall during the balance OF the
half day the city and vicinity has been
experiencing more Of the DAMN
weather" today. MI
The heaviest rain this month wa
on the first day when 162 inches fell
and the next heaviest was on July e.
when record of 1.18 inches Is shown.
Saturday evening .S2 inches fell. The
heaviest portion of this came betweon
5 and o'clock. The skies were par
TALLY frightened at sunset and the
peculiar yellowish gray afterglow waaa
the cause Of considerable commenE
No damage of any consequence haa
been reported near here although the
wind snapped of branches from Sew
eral shade and fruit trees in various
parts of the city. Reports from Kirks
vile and vicinity are to the effect that
there was but very little rainfall there
Saturday evening. The dampness u
the ground and the intense heat OF tho
sun Sunday caused humidity that
was quite noticeable.
Big Rain at Mt. Pleasant.
Mt. Pleasant, July 12.-Henry county
experienced one of the worst rain and
thunder storms in its history Saturday
evening between the hours of and To-
In this city number Of trees wers
blown down and the streets were flood.
ed during the steady downpour. The
-seMers proved inadequate to carry o.
the overflow and in many places wa
ter was running level with the side
walks. At North Main and West Pearl
streets a backflow covered portion
Of Iowa Wesleyan college campus. a
large grain barn near Oakland, four
miles south of here was streck By
lightning and totally destroyed. The
Skunk river was out of its banks for
quarter of mile for a few hours and
much of the low farm lands near the
river suffered. A wagon bridge over
the same stream at Trenton, and In
land town near here. was swept out.
Cyclone Kills Woman.
New London,f July 12.--One Of the
worst cyclones in history passed over
this section Saturday night killing
Mrs. Milton McCabe and probably
fatally injunng Ed Knockman.
The storm was the result OF two
clouds meeting. one from the south
and one from the northwest.
Houses, barns and trees are laid
low. The storm was accompanied by
the most terrific and destructive
and heavy rain.
Telephone and telegraphic COM
muncation was almost entirely cut
off. Only one Western Union wire out
of here was in service and electric
light service was badly crippled.
Labor was at the highest premium
here yesterday. Some of the car
penters' gangs refused to work on ac-
count Of Sunday
Some of the queerest freaks Of storm
were manifest Five cars standing on
a siding were taken by the force of the
storm passed over two switches to the
main line and taken almost to Danvillo
seven miles east. house roof was
taken Off In the room there was
sideboard, clock and SOM rrtnkets.
These were not touched and the clock
was running this morning. Al tnls
place a steel range and kitchen cab
met were carried 300 yards and set IN
a cornfield Corn In many places Is cut
off right at the ground. One field Of
fifty acres and many others are rolled
fiat
The Burlington reservoir was raised
two and one-half feet. At Denov4
in this county, six inches Of rain fell
in one hour. Loss to property ana
crops will reach hundreds of thou
sands Of dollars.