Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-16
F[O0DSAMENACE
IN CENTRAL OHIO
Fears That Heavy Losses Ex-
perienced in 1913 Will
Be Duplicated.
OTTAWA RIVER is RACING
THROUGH LIMA STREETS
Six Blocks in Columbus Deluged.
Freight Train in Washout, Fire
man Badly Hurt.

Swollen by torrential rains thai
have fallen throughout the last
ten days the streams in centra
Ohio today menace many points
and threatened to approach the
magnitude of the great flood ot
March, 1913, when more than SOC
persons were drowned and prop
erty damage aggregating many
millions of dollars resulted.
The Ottawa river had overrun large
areas in both Lima and Kenton. Sew
eral villages in that section were cut
off from communication.
In Columbus an old 1evee on the
northwest side broke early today
flooding six city blocks in the vicinity
of West 5th and West sth avenues, and
sending waters over one city play
ground and many public gardens. Both
the Olentanzy and Scioto rivers con-
tinued to rise today as a result of a
cloudburst during the night.
River Racing Through Lima.
LIMA, Ohio, July 16.-Ottawa river
is racing through Lima, driving fam
lilies to the higher portions of the city
and tearing out bridges and viaducts
Since midnight 1t has risen on an aver
age Of six inches an hour. and at
am. was within fifteen inches Of high
water mark of 1918.
More than 200 homes are under water
IN, "a
city was kept on duty all night aiding
in rescue work.
Toward Elida farmers report the
of 1913. Wheat has been beaten down
SO as to be almost a total loss and the
hay crop has been ruined.
The river Is full Of debris. indicating
that above Lima considerable damage
has been done. One woman died from
burns received when gas in the cellar
was exploded and a lamp she was
carrying threw burning oil over her.
Rising waters had put out gas under
a water heater and she lit a lamp and
went to Investigate. Four little chill
dren in the house received minor in
juries. The house caught hre, but the
blaze was extinguished.
Serious Conditions at Kenton.
KENTON. Ohio. July 1s-Scioto river
passed the 1913 food stage at noon and
still rising. The water works is submerg-
ed and city is without protection against
fire. The worst flood In the history Of the
city Is feared as the result of the tor
rental rains OF last night. One hundred
families have been rescued by boats since
o'clock this morning.
The town of Foraker. on the Scioto
marsh, is under water, caused by a
break in the river bank at that point
1t is feared that lives may have been
lost there.
A freight train on the Toledo and
Ohio Central railroad struck a wash
out along the river at the south end OF
Kenton this morning. and Engineer
Dushane, Drawing the torrent. rescued
his fireman, Jack Williams, who was
pinned under the frebox, in danger OF
drowning or scalding to death. Will
liams is in a critical condition and may
die.
Kansas City Faces Serious Situation.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. July 16.-Kansas
City today faced a serious flood situa-
ton, according to announcement by the
local weather bureau.
At noon the Missouri river here had
reached twenty-seven feet, the high
water mark of last month. when res
idents and business houses in the low
lands were forced to move to higher
ground.
The river was fast rising, and, should
there be continued rains, the river here
probably would go to thirty feet, the
weather observer said.
Already miles of low1ands have been
flooded and truck farmers forced to
leave their homes. Railroad service
both east and west is badly crippled.
More heavy rains in the Missouri river
watershed early today sent the tribu-
taries-the Blue and the Republican
out of their banks.