Evening journal., 1919-07-22
WHITE CLAY CREEK
GOES ON RAMPAGE
Hundreds Of Acres Between
Christiana and Newark
Are Under Water
MANY AUTOS HELD
UP AT STANTON
Special 10 The Evening Journal

special 10 1ne Evening JOURNAL
NEWARK, July 22.-White Clay Greek
overfowed both banks, covering hun
dreds Of acres OF land, some OF II
planted in corn and produce. between
Christiana and Newark. yesterday af-
ternoon and last night The stream has
not been so high for years, some OF the
older residents say. The heavy rain
yesterday morning, following the down.
pours Of the past few days, came at a
time when the tide was coming in.
BY noon, at many places the water
was over the top Of the banks. Inch by
inch and foot by foot, II continued to
rise and by early afternoon 1t was a
raging torrent. Last night the water
was up to a point where II was thought
II would interfere with the operation Of
the mills along the stream at Newark.
but early this morning IL went down
with the tide and unless there is an
other heavy downfall today. the danger
Is ayerted At one time late Yesterday
afternoon, at the dam west Of the paper
mill bridge, in Newark, which ordi-
narily has a fall Of about IS feet, there
was a fall OF not more than two feet.
which gives an idea OF how the stream
was swollen.
Many Of the county roads in the Vi
cinity Of Newark, were under several
feet Of water yesterday afternoon and
last night and were practically impas-
sable. A funeral party that passed
through Newark about noon, on its way
10 Elkton, bad a peculiar experience.
The stream, Just before getting TO Elk
/. ton. had overfowed the banks and the
road was several feet under water The
big hearse managed TO get through, but
the remainder Of the funeral party de-
cided II was TO unsafe to attempt and
returned to Newark where they re
mained all afternoon.
In the vicinity Of Stanton II was prac-
tically a flood The banks Of White Clay
creek had overflowed TO a distance OF
several hundred yards on each side and
II was next 10 impossible to tell where I
the bed OF the stream was located. The /
water was three or four feet deep under /
the railroad bridge at Stanton.
4 large number Of automobiles were /
held up at this point for some hours
roads in the vicinity leading 10 VIII
mngton. were equally as bad
A large truck patch on the north OF
the railroad. at Stanton. which COM
muters often comment on and admire,
suffered much damage This truck
patch Is worked by Italian laborers,
who work on the railroad Late yes
terday Afternoon all that was visible Of
the truck patch was the tassles on the
top Of the corn stalks.
East Of Stanton there were many
acres Of ground in corn and produce
that was under several feet OF waterf
Much OF this water was still there
today and Il will take some days before
II all soaks In the ground.
Dean Harry Hayward, head OF the
agricultural department OF Delaware
College, says the reported damage to
the wheat crops standing in the fields
by the wet spell, has not been exag- A.,
gerated Il will amount TO many thou {
sands Of dollars.
At many points along the railroad
wheat can be seen sprouting TO top OF
The shocks. In many fields it has grown
10 height Of from six inches to a foot. ,
Few farmers have threshed in this {
section. l
Dean Hayward states that while corn I
has thrived during the wet spell, It Z
would be nothing short OF a calamity !
should a hard blow come at any time r
low. The ground Is so soft around the Z
stalks that 10 would take very little TO
opple il over and a strong wind would :
evel It 10 the ground. causing almost
total loss to the crop.
The college authorities say that fruit
las not been damaged to any extent to
late. but II the wet weather continues,
here will no doubt be a material dam.
lge by rot.