Part of the roof at Hemingray's blown off

COMING UP.

Water in White River

Con­tinues to Raise.

OVER TWO FEET HIGHER

Than it Was at Any Time

During the Previous Rains.

THE ELM ST. BRIDGE

In Great Danger and May be

Washed Down Stream.

TEN INCHES OF WATER

In the Boiler Rooms at the Wa­ter

Works Pumping Station.

And if the Rain Continues Muncie

Will be Without Fire Protection —

Walnut Grove Changed Into

a Lake — Effects of

Yesterday's Storm.

A continuation of last week’s rain and electrical storm arrived yesterday morning about 3 o’clock and gradually became more severe until after 7 o'clock, but the rain did not cease falling until about 11 o’clock.

From 3 until 11 o'clock yesterday morning four inches of rain fell in this city and as a result White river is on another rampage. There are but few places along the river where the banks are not overflowed, and the water is dealing destruction, on every side. There is not near the amount of debris going down streams, the banks having been cleared by the water last week, but there is about three feet more water in the river this morning than there was at any time Saturday or Sunday. Many places that were not touched by water then are now inundated.

Yesterday at noon it was discovered that the water was washing the dirt from beneath the north abutment of the Elm street bridge, and a number of workmen were placed to work and sev­eral loads of heavy rocks were dumped around the abutment, and it was thought that all would be safe, but at midnight the rush of water around the abutment had washed away a great amount of the stone, and it is feared that if the water raised much more the elegant $20,000 bridge will go down stream.

A News reporter made a tour along the river for quite a distance this morn­ing at 2 o’clock and discovered that the water was backing in on the ground between Elm and Walnut street and it is probable that in a few hours all of the houses along North Elm street and on that low portion will be surrounded with water. The lands on the west side of Walnut street are also being inundat­ed. The land between the river and the Almeda barns are covered with water and such is the case with all the bottom lands near Jackson street bridge. Westside park is a lake. The merry-go'round, engine and other stuff on the park grounds are half covered by water.

Last night the water in the river raised about six inches per hour and it is continuing to raise at that rate this morning at 2:30 o’clock. At midnight the water was two feet higher than it was at any time last week. A record is always kept of the depth of the water in the river at the Wysor & Hibbitts mill and last night an examination proved that the water at 3 o’clock lacked just six feet of being as deep as it was 11 years ago when the high water mark was recorded, but since that time the dams have been taken out of the river around this city which would make a difference of several feet.

A message from the waterworks pump­ing station this morning at 2:30 o’clock states that the water was 10 inches deep in their boiler rooms and that it was rapidily [sic] rapidly raising. The engineer stated that it would he necessary for the water to raise 3 feet more before they would be required to shut down. The pumps are well protected with a brick wall but should the water raise 3 more feet the fires under the boiler would be extinguished and then Muncie would be with out fire protection. It is not very probable that this will occur although it is not thought that the water will quit raising before this afternoon, at the rains have been extensive all over the country and all of the outlets are filled and more time will be required for the water to get away. Henry Wysor, who has kept records of the high waters for years, says that after a second heavy rain the water does not quit rising in the river until 30 hours after the rain ceases

LATER.

At 3 o'clock this morning the levy broke between the Fort Wayne railroad and the Elm street bridges and the water is filling up Walnut Grove rapidly.

IN THE COUNTRY.

Word was received last night to the effect that all of the small streams over the county are overflowing and that great damage is being done to the crops. The damage is especially great along Buck creek south of the city. After the creek was dredged the thousands of acres of land along the stream was placed in condition and now it is covered with corn which is being de­stroyed by the rushing waters. It was thought that the creek would be deep enough to prevent an overflow but the recent rains have been too great and now the farmers are suffering great. The loss on account of the rains in Delaware county will be very extensive and it is improbable to estimate it.

That Terrible Crash.

There was a steady downpour of rain yesterday morning until after 5 o'clock when the wind commenced to blow a perfect gale. In the midst of the wind storm there was a blinding flash of lightning followed by a deafening crash of thunder that made three-fourths of Muncie's population jump from their beds. Glass in numerous residences was broken by the shock. The lightning that caused this struck a large oak tree near the West Jackson street bridge and it was torn into splinters.

EFFECTS OF THE WIND.

The factory buildings of the Hemingray Glass company suffered the most from the winds. A portion of the ventilator was blown from the flint house and almost all the roof was taken from the stock building and the blacksmith shop was blown down. A portion of the roof on the building occupied by the tank furnace was also blown off. Messrs. Hemingray say their loss is about $500.

PLAYED WITH A CLOCK.

David Dixon, a well known farmer who resides four miles from the city on the Bethel pike, was in the city yesterday and reported one of the pranks played by lightning at his home. A large chimney built on the outside of his house as an outlet to a large fire­place, was struck by lightning at an early hour, but was not torn down. The house was filled with smoke, and the sleeping occupants were almost suffo­cated before they could get out. It was thought that the house was on fire, but such was not the case. The peculiar part of the affair was that a clock that was sitting on the fireplace inside received the full benefit of the lightning and was almost completely demolished. The wheels were scattered over the room, and a jeweler will have a nice time repairing it.

THE FAMILY SHOCKED.

During the hardest of the storm light­ning struck the home of Simon Humfeldt on North Madison street. The roof and one side of the house were slightly damaged, and the timbers in the attic were fired, but were extinguished before the blaze gained a headway. Members of his family were shocked but not seriously injured.

SLIGHTLY DAMAGED.

The engine house of the Bartlett Cooperage works at the end of East Adams street was struck and the roof loosened. The roof was neatly laid to one side of the building but nothing else in or about the room was damaged. John Goodwin, the Night watchman, was in the room and was slightly shocked.

STRUCK A STREET CAR.

At 8 o’clock yesterday morning a bolt of lightning was conveyed into a Riverside street car when it was near the Whitely Malleable Casting works. Among the few passengers on the car was Charles Bard, who was sitting in the front part of the car, and he was severely shocked but not seriously injured.

WIND AT YORKTOWN.

Joseph Paulin and William Rifell, who reside in the same house one mile south of Yorktown, had quite an experience with the wind and rain yesterday morning. Mr. Paulin was awakened by a window glass being blown in upon him and he jumped up and awoke Mr. Rifell. At that instant the windows and door in the front of their house was blown in and the window glass in other parts of the house was broken allowing the rain to damage considerable of their household goods. A large tree was also blown against the front of their house. Soon after the storm they stepped out of the house and were attacked by a large mad dog. After quite a struggle the animal was killed.

ANOTHER RESIDENCE STRUCK.

The home of John Wirt, residing at the corner of Harriett street and Thompson avenue, was struck by lightning at 4:30 o’clock yesterday morning. The east gable of the house was slightly damaged. No one was injured, but Will Crawford who lives in the house, was slightly shocked.

IGNITED GAS.

A gas station about one-fourth of a mile north of Judge Koons' residence on the Wheeling pike, was struck by lightning at 5 o'clock yesterday morning. The gas was ignited but the flames were extinguished before any great damage was done. The lightning also lit some escaping gas near Judge Koons' gate but no loss resulted.

OATS AND RYE RUINED.

Never before in years has there been such a heavy growth in oats as there was this year and the farmers were jubilant over the prospects of a large yield, but the heavy rains has knocked them out. The ground has been so soft that it has been impossible for them to get into the fields with a binder. They thought that they could cut the crops by hand but reports are now that the continued rain has spoiled the crops and that only a portion will be worth cutting. The rye crop has also been damaged

HOUSE BLOWN DOWN.

Thomas Wilson, the painter, had a house in course of erection on Jackson street on Westside. The frame work was all up but now it is down. The wind did it.

NOTES

A mark on the Wysor- Hibbits mill shows the highest point reached by the water. It is believed that this mark was drowned last night.

It is believed that the record was broken last night as to the depth of the water. Years ago Harry Wysor, Will Patterson, Lon Neely, Lee Wachtell, Carl Robinson and other boys enjoyed going in swimming in Walnut grove which is filled with pretty residences but the dams in the river caused the great overflow.

At midnight the water was at the door of the engine room in the pumping house at the water works. The big en­gines are 10 feet below this point but the water cannot get to them unless it rises nearly three feet farther and this is improbable as the overflow would check it. Consequently Muncie's water supply is safe beyond all probable danger.

Henry Marsh was having just as much fun as any boy yesterday. Mr. Marsh has a boat. He loaded it in a wagon hauled it to Elm street dumpted, it in the river and with a party of three friends enjoyed the ride to Westside park. The boat was loaded into the wagon hauled back to Elm street and another ride was enjoyed to the High street bridge.

A great amount of damage has been done all over Delaware county. Oats by the thousands of bushels have been destroyed because they could not be harvested and millions of bushels of po­tatoes have already decayed in the wet ground. Much hay and many shocks of wheat have been flooded and spoiled. The corn is too far advanced to be injured in the ear, but the fodder will be spoiled.

Drs. Poland and Cecil returning from the country south of the city last night about 12 o'clock report that they had much difficulty locating the road for a distance on each side of Duck Creek because of the overflow. The creek is out of her banks flooding a great amount of territory. This means great damage as the farmers are now utilizing all the land to both banks of the creek since she was dredged. The water is very close to the floor m the Pulp mill.