Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-08-24
WAR GARDENS
SUFFER In STORM
Streets Covered With Mud
Crops Washed Ouut by
Torrential Rain

The heaviest rRinstorm in several
years passed over Steelton and High
splre yesterday afternoon and early
last evening causing thousands Of
dollars in damage TO businessmen in
the former town while the damage in
Highsplre was confined principaIIy to
destruction OF the crops raised on
many OF the war gardens
Whlle the heavy rain did not cause
Mulch damage at the big plant OF the
Bethlehem steel Company, work was
particularly at the No. L blast furnace,
Which was banked several hours wnen
the furnace pit filled with water, and
some of the low-built shops of the
bridge and construction department
where the floors were covered with
ten to twelve inches of water.
majority of the night turn force
at The steel plant were several hours
late, caused by a block of street car
service. This stoppage came when
dirt from the unpaved hill streets of
the borough was washed across the
Front ana Second street car tracks
III such quantities that the cars were
unable to proceed. At one time
thirteen trolley cars were strung out
on the Front street line, all i'll the
lennSth ut one square.
The most trouble in Front street
was caused by Booser's run which
early In the evening began disgorg-
ing everything movable that came
within reach OF the water Hundreds
OF tons of slate and mud came down
TINS run and covered Front street
TO depth Of three feet at the deep
est part. As soon as the water sub
sided, Street Commissioner Meshey
mad a force of men and several teams
on the Job opening. the street to car
ana Vehlcular tranic.
Sewers Cave In
Big sewer caYeins were caused at
River alley and Swatara street and
between Mohn and Good streets in
street hole was caused near the res
fdence of H. S. Messenger. whose
vile had stepped across the spot.
Where the surface fell, two minutes
before the water ate the ground
The canal did not hold the water
sent INTO 1t from the surface drain
below Mohn street on the steel
works side. Much damage was
caused to stock stored in the cellars
OF businessplaces along the eastern
Cham oers streets, cellars of places
on the opposite side of Front street
were Iilled with water.
special officers were stationed
near a water hole in Front street
near Booser's run last night to di-
rect traffic to Second street. Just at
the outskirts of the borough in
south Cameron street, Spring creek
shot torrents of muddy water out
through a driveway in Cameron's S
lawn starting about an hour after
'HS heaviest rainfall ceased.
The rain brought disappointment
10 hundreds of children in all parts
OF the borough when a POSTPONE
ment Of Romper Day exercises was
IorSeo' fairgrounds Supervisor
Irwin viii to-day announce arrange
ments Tor holding the exercises.
Many Cellars Flooded
AT Highsplre, Birds run overflow
| by o'clock last evening the section
lying between Paxton and Ann
| streets, and from Penn to Second
streets, was covered with water rang
1Hns from two to three feet in depth.
Nearly all the cellars in Penn and
Broad streets We're filled almost to
tne floor joists and a large quantity
OF eatables and canned fruit were
oausn9 Cd Ed1, IN the flood and destroyed
Inc war gardens which were the
PRIDE OF their owners suffered most.
In IL, some son cases the top soil was COM
and all with it, leaving nothing bnt
ths rocky ground underneath.
7 me run which flows through the
hunRIe hrnneI estate and Cumbler estate
splre, was higher than at any time
%lthln the memory of the Oldest in
habitant. This was caused by the
opeaklng on tk OF the Etnoyer dam, located
mills several miles north of the bnr.
ough; When this volume of water
raced down on Highspire the banks
were wSre not not deep enough to hold it and
Jury street, the latter was submerS.
ed to depth of three feet. biockins
all traffic that way.
Fires were drawn from tho +,,.
steam boilers used in operating tht
Hlshspire mills. just in time to avoiG
an explosion and by the time tht
Hreman got out of the boiierroon
tnYa tne water had flowed into the fire.