The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1917-08-17
STORM HEAVIEST
IN CAPE HISTORY
Most Spectacular Display Of
Lightning-Third Of Years
Rainfall.

the city early yesterday morning for
four hours was the most terrific and
most spectacular display of lightning
ever recorded in the history of the
lefty, some Of the oldest residents SAID
yesterday. The rainfall accompanying
the storm, according to the Govern
ment gauge, was 4.72 inches, more
than one-third of the usual rainfall O.
the entire year.
For four hours, beginning shortly
after midnight, the sky was illumi-
mated by the bright flashes of light
ming, lasting at times for several sec
onds. The storm reached its climax
about 5 o'clock when the rain began
to pour down in streams. In short
time the streets We're converted into
torrents, and many cellars along the
lower streets Of the city were filled
with water.
Despite the heavy lightning no DAM
age was reported. About 2 o'clock
nearly all the lights in the residences
of the West End were extinguisheI
when the lightning struck a pole o.
Louisiana avenue, near the home Of
T. ]. Haddock. Nearly everybody liv-
ing in that vicinity was under the i'm
preston that his home had been struck
and general investigation to ascer-
tain the damage was made by the resi-
dents who had been awakened by the
thunder and lightning.
A pool of water nearly ten feet deep
accumulated on William street, near
the West End grocery. A COW belong
ing to G.. w. Setback, owner of the
store, had been tied out on a vacant
lot, where the water was several feet
deep. In a short time the water rose
so high that the COW stood in the water
up to her back.
The animal had been chained and,
therefore, could not free itself. After
a strenuous effort Mr.. Schack's son
swan through the pool for nearly half
a block to unite the COW and let the
animal wade through the water to
safety.
Broadway and other inclining
streets Of the city resembled swift
mountain streams, the water running
several inches deep toward the river.
The sidewalk near the intersection of
Main and Broadway was inundated.
Several unpaved streets in the West
End were completely washed out.
The force of the torrential down.
pour was so strong in the county that
number of roads were washed out.
No bridges were damaged, according
to the reports of the various road in
spectOrs of the county. The dirt roads
were so thoroughly soaked that it was
almost impossible to drive over the
highways yesterday.
Owing to the washouts along the
Frisco lines in the southern section of
Cape County and the northern part of
Scott County, all trains coming from
the south were late yesterday. The
Gulf and Charlottesville trains were
delayed several hours. The flood along
the tracks near Thebes bridge made it
necessary to detour the Gulf trains
over the main line between Brooks
Junction and the Cape.
Drainage workers living south OF
the city were driven from their tents
by the flood in the early morning
hours. Many were forced to leave
their tents and drive their horses and
cows to higher places. The Rock
Levee road was under water for sew
eral miles distance south Of the city.
and traffic on that highway was al
most impossible.
The unusual duration of the storm
was remarkable. The fact that the
storm was not accompanied by wind
was also an unusual feature of The
most extraordinary display of th&ele-
ments in the history Of the city. 1t is
something unusual to see an electrical
storm rage for more than half an hour,
but the longer the lightning continued
yesterday morning, the fiercer the
crashes of lightning seemed.
Matt Morrison, goosebone weather
prophet, said yesterday afternoon lie
was awakened by the storm about 2
o'clock. The spectacular display of
lightning, he said, was such an en-
!ioyment that he sat in rocking-chair
and fell asleep. He said yesterday
mornings rain was the indication Of
the rapid approach of fall rains and
the early arrival of winter.