Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-11-02
OCTOBER RAINS MAKE TOTAL { OF
 12.62 INCHES Months Fall Three Times Great CT Than Last Year--Five
 Days Clear. FRIDAYS RAIN DOES
 BIG CROP DAMAGE Business Houses Lose Several Thou sand When Precipitation of Near ly Four Inches Causes Flood
 ing of City.

Ing Ci Nty.
 The heavy rainfall of Friday night was the culmination of a period of the heaviest rainfall which has come under the observation of the local weather observer. According to records kept by Roy Hammond, local weather observer, the total rainfall for the month of October was 1262, while the rainfall of Friday night, recorded at o'clock Saturday morn, ing, was 3.41. The almost unpreced- ented wet period of October of this year, in comparison with the rainfall of last year is shown in comparison of figures from the weather observer. In October 1918, the rainfall was 4.@9 the rainfall of October this year being about three times that of last year.
 Five Clear Days.
 The period in comparison, October of 1918, was about equally divided with fair and wet weather, while in October of this year, there have been but five clear days. The effects of the wet October weather on the cot i UOll SloDS GHlS ,FCai ileth DSSli iiooo harmful, and the rain last night did an unusually heavy damage. Much of the already damaged cotton was to the ground where it vii bd ruined The long period of warm wet wealth CT has caused cotton to rot and seed to sprout in the bolls and it is esti- mated by cotton men that the dam l. I1, I l,or. been from S100 to $50 bale.
 The price of good middling one and one quarter cotton Friday was 65 cents a pound, it was stated, and the same cotton which has been damaged by the weather was selling from 30 to 35 cents, while the price of shorter cotton had been ranging from 20 to 45 cents, according to the damage done by the weather.
 The damage from the rain was not confined to the cotton and other crops. however. The rain which fell in Pine Bluff between 9 and 10 o'clock Friday night did thousands of dollars worth of damage to stores on Main street between Third and Fourth avenues, while the damage to some of the city streets is as yet undetermined.
 Roof Falls In.
 Damage to the warehouse of the Southern Grocery company at Third and Pine streets alone was estimated at several thousand dollars, when : the rain which had collected on the roof caused it to break through. This caused break in pipe which is 2 part in the automatic fire extinguish- l CT system, and portion of the ware house was flooded.
 Portions of Olive street were found l collected in various parts of the city, l and on Third avenue, switch en- : zine and several flat cars were used 7 in removing blocks from the tracks . while trucks were employed to re- 5 move blocks washed to Main, Pine Chestnut, and other streets. At 3 o'clock. after the main arteries of the city had become clogged with frag- ments of pavement from Olive street and filled with water. and just as an other rain began, the fire depart- ment was called to Seventh and Geo. gia because of Give" electic ligh! wire which was threatening trees and number of houses. One man who attempted to extineuish blaze caus ed by live wire by throwing a pai of water on it, was slightly shocked while J. F. Williams, living neal Seventh and Georgia. who tried te pull down some electric light wires at his house which were emitting sparks, received a shock. The fire department reached the scene after much difficulty because of the water mud and other obstacles left in tho streets by the flood. The firemet worked more than an hour cuttins wires with the result that onl> slight damages were done to any 0 the houses in the neighborhood O. Seventh and Georgia.
 River Is Rising.
 The rain Friday night came at tn, the maximum temperature reache, night of GA degrees.
 A rapid rise in the Arkansas rive, was noted vested, and last night.
 The total rise in the river since - Friday night was IT feet The cres is expected about Monday. thoueh o' account of the ranidity of the rise, i d might come tonight, according t. r, Roy Hammond. observer. It is no thought that this rise will go owe the flood stape which is 25 feet. Tn rapid rise in the river here is due | the fact that Pine Bluff territory 70 the watershed. and heavy rains a is Little Rock, Fort Smith. and Darden ld elle Friday night. caused the river t IT swell ranidly. The rainfall at Littl n Rock Friday nioht was .82: at For