The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1946-06-20

from dawn to dark last week.
Farmers say it will be impossible
to get into the fields before next
week at the earliest and extensive
damag to farm crops is viewed as a
distinct possibility.
Temperature Drops
Following Sunday nights storm
which was accompanied by sultry
weather and high humidity with
temperatures near the 80 degree
mark which prevailed Monday, an
other storm late Tuesday, less
severe, was accompanied by decided
ly cooler weather with the ther-
mometer dropped to the upper fifties.
Sunday nights storm, the most
severe of the year Uttered Buttons
streets with debris and left in its
wake path of destruction and
damage including flash floods, fallen
trees and disrupted telephone and
electric service thruout the area.
First visible aftermath of the
storm which ragged for nearly two
hours early Monday morning were
| Bluffton streets Uttered with broken
branches, fallen trees and broken
telephone and electric lines.
Then shortly after Z a. m. the
Big Riley reached flood stage, spill
ing over its banks and rising rapid
ly to give the town its worst flood
in four years. In the country, low
lands were under water, and corn
fields especially will reflect the
damage represented by the flash
flood.
Nearly two inches of rain fell in
the early morning storm, accompan-
led by raging wind, rumbling
thunder and almost continuous
lightning.
Lines Down
| Notwithstanding crews of linemen
were busy all day Monday and Tues
day to complete emergency repairs
to telephone and electric lines. Most
of the street lights were off on the
west side of town for more than
day, and some residences were with
out electric service Monday morn
ing, as result of the storm.
Most critical aspect of disrupted
electric service was in a break in
the line to the AU tower, which
controls railway signal lights at the
intersection of the Nickel Plate and
A. c. and Y. railroads.
Power to the tower was cut off
at LAO a. m, and batteries kept for
emergency use were put into service
until light plant crews had completed
repairs to the line two hours later.
In the towns most serious flood in
four years, rampaging water of the
Big Riley completely covered Har-
mon field, isolated Plant No. 2 of
The Triplett Electrical Instrument
Co., raced across the expanse of
Schmidt's field and ran over running
| boards of automobiles to block traf-
fic on East College avenue and Cher
ry street.
Workers Isolated
1t was noon before the water be-
gan to fall, and Triplett Plant en-
| ployes who had gone to work before
the flood materialized had to be
evacuated by automobiles for the
noon lunch period.
Farmers will be out of their fields
for more than a week, because of the
rain-soaked ground. The storm came
at a particularly bad time from the
agricultural viewpoint, for haying
operations have been halted and soy
bean seeding will be delayed.
Fields with growing crops which
stood under water will show the re-
suit of the flash flood reduced yields,
and farm damage is reported quite
| extensive.
Harmon field activities for the
week have been generally cancelled
because of wet grounds, and two
scheduled night softball games have
been postponed.
The storms only favorable aspect
was bringing relief from a sultry
heat wave over the week end. Tenn
peratures in the upper eighties on
Sunday were in marked contrast to