The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-06-13
OH Bu!letim
WONDERFUL RAINFALL.
n Deluve I'm Teunessee After MAJ
Days or Drsuth.


htmpuls <hFaiouNhDt VI
What waterfall! Think OF 5000 tons Of
pure rainwater pouring from the clouds on
Court Square all at 0nce--n0t exactly In
one pour, but all inside OF thirty.six hours.
That Is the quantity which fell between
daylight on Thursday and O'Clock yester.
day afternoon. IL was enough 10 load the
steamer Grand Republic. II all In bulk
and piled out on q bank. II would make o
solid sheet Of water niue inches deep and
with an area Of two acres, Court Square
answering just that amount, ard the rain.
fall being aud 100 Inc hes 1t was almost
ane-fourth of the total annual rainfall for
this part Of the country, the usual amount
being about 10 inches, and 1t was almost
unprecedented in extent and volume. A
whole volume. A whole month Of rain
during the wsttest period Of the past four
years did not aeeeed twelve inches, and
here We have nine inches In less than two
days. 1t Is enough 10 make any one stop
and wonder.
After light shower on Thursday the
black inky clouds gathered on Thursday
night aud sent down rather more copious
sprinkle. After midnight it fell In torrents,
3 dense, heavy cloud which overcast the
sky seemingly having broken loose all at
once. By O'Clock yesterday morning, ac-
cording to the Signal Service sergeants
measurement, the total fall Of waite meas
ured nearly four inches. II did not let up,
but kept pouring away until late hour OF
the day. The quantity Of iall between 6
g. III. and 4p.m yesterday was over five
inches. Alter thatIt ceased, and every
body was glad 10 see the Sun come out
bright again, Tor sOme timid people were
inclined to believe small lelpge WAS
about 10 come upon US.
During a part Of yesterday the water
poured down from above in such binding
sheets that the light Of day Was Obscured.
and stores and Offices in the city had to
light the gas. River men report that hui
man vision could not penetrate the rain
sheets fifty yards, and several approaching
steamers were compelled to run under |
slow bells, as il in dense fog. The shores |
could not be made out except when the |
lightning would fash and let its dim out.
lines be seen.
The coal feet moored ON the island |
above the city was in imminent danger of |
being swamped from the immense quantity
Of water that fell in the several bos,s and
bsrges. Extra hands were employed TO
pump them out, and with the aid OF the |
steam tugs, the rain water was kept down.
Fortunately there Was but lite wind |
Wolf river bOoms. Above the city 1t rose |
te ieet ia few hours, and the main river
in 'front.' Of the city rose twenty-five inches
during the twrnty-four hours ending at
O'Clock yesterday. A quantity OF aw.
OF, and several timber RATS were driven |
o 1t Of Woiri,e and sent drifting rapidly |
Iowa the river. MANY OF them will be lost.
Several people, some say five or six, |
were seen on the different scattering par
ticIes of RATS. They foated by the city
yelling Tor assistance. The steam tugs
working " keep the cJal feet clear were |
too busy to rescue them. As far as known |
NJ e were lost 1t is supposed several
put out from shore and brought them in at |
points below thu city.
Gayoso bayou, which flows meapder.
ingly through the city from south to north,
rose nearly twenty feet. 1t covered the
Monroe street and Beal street bridges, and |
came up within foot Of the Madison |
street bridge. Several small Out.houses |
and one o: two large frame structures that |
fringed its banks were swept away and |
wrecked. A Immense quantity OF debris |
torrent and swept into the Mississippi |
southwark toward the gulf. As far as
known no loss OF life occurred, and the
damage to property was not very extern
siye. Bayous and creeks in the vicinity
We're all flooded and out OF their banks, so
that crossing was impossible. People in
the country were unable to reach town
during the day. twas fine on the grow
ing crops, many of which were parched
and burning with thirst. Last night 1t
looked as If there might come another rain.
The rain commenced pouring again at
10 O'Clock last night, and up to 2 O'Clock
this morning two additional inches OF rain
must have fallen.