Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 19, Number 30, DeMotte, Jasper County, 24 June 1949 — Showers fall, Relieve Baked East Sectors [ARTICLE]

Showers fall, Relieve Baked East Sectors

New York and New Jersey Get First Rain In 23 Days, But Not Enough Some relief developed Wednesday • in the northeast’s June drought and heat wave. Styosyers fell in central northern and New York state. They moved on parched New Jersey. Temperatures were less extreme ift New England and New York after nearly a week of unbroken daytime peaks in the 90’s. Except for lowering temperatures, however tinder dry Massachusetts found no relief in sight. Forecasters saw no appreciable rainfall there or in Rhode Island and Connecticut for the next few days. Heavy rains fell in Maine Tuesday, and there were showers in New Hampshire and Vermont, relieving conditions somewhat in those states and lessening forest fire danger. Drought Ended The 23-day drought was declared ended in many New York state areas. However, hone dry areas remained in the extreme eastern and western portions of the state and in the metropolitan and Long Island areas.

In northern New York, rainfall ranged up to .68 of an inch Tuesday night and early Wednesday, bringing the five-day precipitation in that area to 1.58 inches, Netv Jersey which sweltered under a 98 degree high Tuesday, expected lower temperatures and a few scattered showers Wednesday night. But weather bureau and agriculture officals feared the showers wouldn’t be heavy enough to do much good. Crop Loss Heavy Willard 11. Allen, New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture, estimated the loss in farm crops at $lO,000,000. He said the state’s potato and blueberry crops are in critical shape. Camping and fishing in the state forests of Massachusetts was forbidden Wednesday as a fire percaution. A ban on smoking and outdoor campfires had been imposed earlier in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. The three-week drought in Massachusetts caused millions of dollars damage to hay, vegetable and tobacco crops. The long dry spell was creating a serious water shortage problem in many Massachusetts localities. Community reservoirs were getting low and many farmers reported their wells dry or running out. At Gasport, in western New York, residents turned to water impounded by a creek dam for their drinking supply. Filtration matthip ry was flown Jo Gasport from Providence, R, I,*_ to. .treat the pond water.