Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-08

quarter to carry persons from. the
! flooded streets in the business section
SHims in Water,
On Fifth avenue from Twenty fifth
to Twenty-eightb streets the street
resemblad a veritabJe rushing torrent.
going over the curbings in many
spots One jitneybus and two other
autos became stalled at Twenty-sey-
eHth street. when the carburater Of
the engines became filled with water
People in the vicinity Of Twenty
sixth street We're highly amused by a
liquor He tried to cross the street,
but slipped and fell. the strong cur
rent causing him to lose his balance
After receiving the ducking he did
not care what happened, and tumbled
about and swan in the water.
Two homes in this vicinity were
flooded, causing a damage of several
hundred dollars. AT the residence of
Henry Lempfart, 1928 Fifth avenue,
the water poured IN through the rooms
. foot deep. and after the food had
subsided a deposit of clay several
inches thick was left in every room,
ruiaiuE all of the rugs and much of the
furniture. The Lempfert home is built
lower than the street,
At the home Of Mary HeeI0n. 2T39
Seventh avenue, the water rushed in
through the doors from the street,
flooding every room
Many Accidents.
As soon as the rain had subsidized
somewhat. a rush of delayed traffic
was started. many near accidents oe-'
curling on the cIay-coFered pavement
At Twenty sixth street q large touring
ear skidded and turned completely
around. narrowly missing another
auto Motorcycle and bicycle riders
experienced numerous falls
Evidences of the deluge are to be
seen on every hand today. Deposits
of rubbish, mud, clay, sand and ma
terials are streWu over pavemeDts and
up in yards, running many beautiful
lawns On the hill districts water
coming down the inclines swirIed
around trees and other Instructions,
leaving deposits of rubbish
Battle Water All Night.
AT Clemann q Salzmann's a force of
10 men batded all night long with the
water. as soon as the extent of the
storm was realized, employees began
the work Of removing goods from the
basement stored there. They succeed
ed in removing all of them before the
water was high enough to do any dam
age Gradually the water rose until
there was a foot of it in the cellar.
Men with tubs began early in the ev-.
ening the big task of carrying it out
Pumps were used, but the work was
not completed until morning.
Fifteen men worked most Of the
night in removing goods from the
basement of Hartz & Bahnsen's The
water reached the height Of a foot,
much Of it rushing over the sidewalks /
and through the windows into the
cellar. A large siphon was used in /
baliag cut the water. Considerable
damage was done, but it cannot be es-
tImated as yet
Two Buildings Hit.
Two buildings belonging TO Mrs. H. /
\. Hastings suffered in the storm. F..
One. which Is located at sos Eleventh /
avenue and occupied by Gus Corne- /
uus, had its chimney blown off, /
and the other had the north /.
side of its floor torn off. The first
floor OF the latter structure is occu-
pied by the Hastings & Pewe grocery
and the upstairs occupied by Mrs. /
Storm Hero.
Nc storm is without its hero. With
duty reckoning to him, an Argus
aewsboy mounted his bicycle and start I
ed cut TO deliver his papers ia the
face Of the torrent of rain. When he
reached the corner of Fifth avenue
and Twentieth street the force of the
water was too great. He had nobly
been pumping" against the current.
but as he reached this point the stream +
carried the bicycle out from under
aim. and he fell TO the pavement.
clothes and papers getting soaked.
Groceries Damaged.
Groceries were damaged at the store
If Fred BIadel. Twelfth street and
Eleventh avenue Coming with little
warning, Mr. Bladel had no time to
carry his stock 70 safety.
Without question the prottlest place
q Rock Island under ordinary condf- il