Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-05-06
SERIOUS DAMAGE
FROM STORM IN
MANY SECTIONS

Enormous damage has been sus-
tanned by the farmers of Sumter coun-
ty as the result of the severe hail, wind
and rain storm which swept this sec
ton on Friday afternoon.
A total rainfall of IA inches was
recorded by Weather Observer Joe M.
Bryan, inches of this precipitation
occurring between the hours of 1874
p. m. and p. m.
| The storm centered about Americus,
circling the city and inflicting serious
damage over radius of from 5 to Z
miles, while the-outIaying districts of
the county were practically uninjured
by the storm.
At Plains there was practically no
hail whatever, although the rainfall
was considerable. The damage in that
portion of the county is small, al
though some injury was done crops be-
tween Plains and Americus.
In the 18th district of the county
the storm was not particularly severe,
and in the vicinity of Sumter there
was little damage. Residents of that
section report only moderate showers
during the afternoon and night.
At Gatewood the storm did much
damage, washing crops badly, while
the hail beat the growing corn and cot
ton to the ground. In the. vicinity of
Leslie, De Soto and Cobb the storm
damage was light, the entire extreme
southeastern section apparently es-
Gaping without serious injury.
The 2Sth district suffered heavily
from the deluge and the accompany
ing hail, which almost destroyed many
elds of young cfiorn and cotton. Gullies
were washed in hillside fields and
roads were badly damaged.
The storm swung around toward
Andersonville and worked much havoc
with crops in that section, the Aries
plantation sustaining severe damage,
while practically every farm in the
29th district was more or less injured.
The Friendship district was also
visited by the disturbance, although
toward Plains the damage was less
pronounced.
Wheat, oats, rye and similar crops
suffered severely from the hail, while
owners of peach orchards will also be
heavy losers on account of the storm.
In the city of Americus the deluge
caused much damage to gardens,
lawns and streets, the storm sewers
in many sections of the city proving
inadequate to handle the enormous
quantities of water that rushed down
the paved streets, bringing trash of all
descriptions which clogged the open
ings and prevented the free flow of
water.
At the corner of Lee and Church
streets water stood more than foot
in depth, while on Church street near
the residence of Lawson Stapleton
pedestrians were unable to pass along
the sidewalks for some time after the
heaviest rain fell Yesterday morning
the city's scavenger wagons were busy
removing load after load of mud and
silt washed down from Church street
.t2 the corner of Lee.
On College street between Barlow
and Elm avenue deep gullies were
washed and the telephone wires beaten
down into a tangle which caused de-
lay at the Seaboard crossing until the
wires had been elevated high enough
to permit the passage of trains.
On Prospect Heights and in East
Americus the storm did much damage
to the streets and private property
was injured severely, many gardens
being practically destroyed
The financial loss throughout the
county by reason of the storm can
hardly be estimated with any great
degree of accuracy, but we'll informed
planters place the damage at from
100000 to 100000. !