The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1939-03-16

avenue ana 10Oueu the stIcels VII
each side making them impossible.
Cherry street was open in late after
noon, but it was nearly midnight be-
fore College avenue was again free
of water. Railroad officials were
fearful for several hours that the
Nickel Plate bride over the Big Riley
might not hold, but the water SUBJ
sided before any damage was done.
Altho water was flowing over jeff
erson street, it found outlet into the
large quarry of the Central Ohio
Light & Power Co. and the street was
open to auto traffic. On North Main
street, however, between Riley creek
bridge and the A. c. & Y. tracks the
water was up to the running boards
of automobiles and many of them
were stalled attempting to make the
crossing. The Stager truck was busy
thruout the morning rescuing ma
rooned cars and pushing other autos
| thru.
Water from Marsh Run seeped into
the basement floor of the Central Ohio
Light and Power Co. generating
plant, but quick action on the part of
employees prevented damage to cleo
trically operated equipment. Early in
the morning pump was borrowed
from the municipal plant, and when
it was taken back to assist to COM
bat water in the flooded basement OF
the municipal building, hurried trip
was made to Findlay in sixteen min
utes to obtain another pump for use
by the Central Ohio.
The flood caused some unexpected
repercussions-fo instance two OF
the three local plants engaged in
grinding of livestock feed for farm
ers were not in operation the first
of the week due to the fact that
their water-soaked motors were un-
dergoing repairs. Farmers with
trucks and trailers loaded with feed
lined the roadway near the one
plant in operation, Monday and Tues
day, taking their turns ala barber
shop.
Home is still home-even though
one is about to be flooded out. So
thinks Mrs. Mary Mann, aged resi-
dent who lives alone at Riley and
Spring streets, near the junction of
Big and Little Riley creeks. When
the water surrounding her home con-
tinued to rise, Sunday morning, Mrs.
| Mann, despite her protestation, was
| taken to the home of her son, Gil
bert Mann, at North Jackson and
Elm streets. The water, however,
did not get into her house, being at
the peak of the flood about two
inches from the floor.
1t wasn't exactly Paul Revere's
ride, but they say the trip to Find
| lay and return made by Central
Ohio Light and Power employe, Sun
day morning scorched the pavement.
The plant suddenly found itself con-
| fronted with an emergency when
water coming into the basement of
the big generating plant on the
county line near March run threaten
ed to halt operations by flooring
| some of the large motors essential
to the plants operation. A dash
to the companys plant in Findlay
and return in about half-hour with
an electric pump narrowly ayerted
a shutdown.
Contrary to the general opinion,
Philip Hilty claims that the flood
stage down creek was higher than
in 1913. Hilty says that high
water mark which he made on the
barn at the College farm at that
time was under two inches of water
Sunday.
| Damage estimated at several thous-
ands of dollars was sustained by the
Schumacher Stone quarry at Pan
dora. Water from Riley creek over
flowed the dixie and filled the quarry
which had been kept dry during the
winter. A large steam shovel in the
pit was covered by water. A tree
floating downstream struck the
pump-house near the dixie and
knocked building and pumps into the
quarry. Some stocks of sand piled
nearby were also swept away. 1t is
estimated that a month will be re-
quired to get the quarry in condi-
ton for operation.