Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 163, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 July 1915 — MUCH DAMAGE DONE BY NIGHT STORM [ARTICLE]

MUCH DAMAGE DONE BY NIGHT STORM

Rainfall of Two and One-Fourth Inches Floods Cellars, Swamps Lands and Injures Crops. The rain storm which began about 10:30 Saturday night and lasting about three hours, kept many people who were uptown from going home. Many who were marooned on the streets were unable to reach home even after the rain had stopped because of the flooded streets and roads. Those who did go home were forced to wade part of the way. The houses were entirely surrounded and water stil Istands in large pools in many places. Those to suffer most ■were those who live in the east part of town, where the sewers are inadequate and where the old Makemself ditch backs up. •> Where the'streets have been freshly oiled the water backed up and filled basements with the oil. In some basements the oily water was four or five feet deep. Where the oil got on the grass it will probably die. The sewers near the center of the city have done good work and even Sunday morning little water was in the streets. The river is higher now than it has been for some time but is not out of its banks and not so high by four feet as it was ni the 1913 flood. This is probable due to the fact that the lower river has been recently dredged and the water can be carried away much faster. A number of young fellows found enjoyment in swimming Sunday and again today and diving from the top of the Washington street bridge. No very serious damage has been reported from any place but there is much crop damage. Many culverts and small bridges washed out in the country. In some places the water completely surrounded wheat shocks and inestimable damage will ensue. The onion fields in many instances are flooded. Lightning struck a 9ton rick of hay and set it on fire near the Indian School and it was destroyed.