The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-19
THE EQUINOCTIAL.
AN ENORMOUS RAIN FALL, FLOODING
THE CITY AND THREATENING AN
EXTENSIVE OVERFLOW.


EXTENSIVE OVERFLOW.
Administrator Cavanac saves the city
from Another DeIuse.
Il has been some years since New Orleans was
visited with such q long continued and severe
equinoctial storm. From Monday afternoon at
half past O'Clock torrents of rain have been de-
scending upon us, and gusty, strong wind from
the eastward. Tuesday morning found the city
Venice, the most central being Hooded and sew
eral well known spots but seldom covered before
completely under water. As breakfast time APP
preached il became matter Of no little concern
with the business men as to how they should get
down town, and as
THE oMtNeus SKIES
gave no promise of closing their water gstes
many gave MP aud settled down for day at
home. The treaeherous submerged street cross
ings met their usual quota OF unfortunate ones,
who launched out ON the gutter tide, whilst cor.
nsr sheds were gafrisoned with the usual battal-
ion OF those waiting for the shower to let mp.
The rain did not seem to come down in drops, but
rather in solid volumes, and 80 rapid was the &C.
cumlaton in the rear canals they became full be-
fore night, giving ~
THE DRA1NtNasafAuH1NEs
all they could do to carry oheh6hgt vi keep the
flood from being very extended. Frd $3.50 p. m.
Monday up to ii b m. yesterday 1scording to
the standard at the signal office, B 100 inches
fell.
Galvez canal, ss well as all ths~ottiers. was
bank full. and those who lived in the rear Of the
city felt, and the feeling has not passed away,
that If this thing goes on The Hood Of 1876 will
come again.
Bavoti 81. John was within four inches OF Its
banks top during the Afternoon, apd the strong
st-soutbeasterlylwind blowing will hot serve to
lower IL. "a 4 ~
The New canal was alec full and fising. Just
road for some distance On the Lake there has
been complete suspension OF navigation, no vea-
sci venturing out.
THE WIND NEVER VARIED
during the day or night more than two or three
points Of the compass, but it's velocity increased
during Monday afternoon until by o'clock Tues
day morning IL reached twenty-six miles an hour
and last evening ran mp to thirty.twos These
| easterly winds are more dreaded than, perhaps,
any other along the lake coast for they invariably
| create heavy swell and drive the Cuffs waters
| into the narrowing limits about the Rigolets.
creating great rise in the tide.
THE EFFECTS OF THE STORM
were NOT MANY, THAT Is 81 AhF rs trees
| broken signs were concerned. A school-house
| fence and one or two signs suceumbed, and in
many localities branches we're broken from trees
| but the wind was not nearly so much grumbled
| al as the gloomy rain. falling hour after hour.
CAyE.tN
on the levee in front OF the Atlantic Press in the
| Third District. was reported early Yesterday
| morning. and DEMOCRAT reporter visited the
| spot. A landslide some sixty feet in length and
about seven in width and eighteen in thickness
| had commenced its descent into the river. The
curbstones lining the square block pavement OF
Water street had some OF them already nearly
| disappeared, and from the present outlook 1t is
| not improbable that portion of the street will
| follow tonight. This cave is at that weak spot
about which there has been go much discussion
OF late, and for the PREPARATION OF which several
plans have been suggested. It needs now only
the casual glance OF the most superficial eye to
| perceive that il is most dangerous point, and
| that unless wing dams or some other preventive
measure be taken, there will in 3 very short time
| be no street left,
DOWN THE COAST.
Notwithstanding the high wind there has been
nothing like any accident on the river. Last
evening the steamer Isabel arrived up from the
Quarantine Station, and'her captain reports that
he heard of no houses unroofed and buildings
damaged. The cane and rice were flattehed
necessarily be more or less affected thereby. The
damage to the rice will be considerable, but with
good weather the cane will not be SO badly off.
Up THE RIVER.
So far az heard from the gale was not near go
violent. vet the little steamer st. Francis, plying
| betweed this city and Westwego had not arrived
| "a usual last evening, the heavy swell of the
river probably keeping her at the bank The
! ferryboats got tossing about during the after
noon, much to the discontinue Of those crossing,
| but they made their regular trips notwithstand-
| ing this.
AT IL o'oLooK AT NIGHT
the floodgates Of heaven were still open, and her
| relentless tears were shed upon US with una
| bated fury, The wind shifted little to the
north and its keenness was felt by the way
farers. At that hour the entire rear portion OF
the city up to Galvez street was under wster the
different draining canals being completely over
| flowed and having gotten the best of the drain
| ing machines, which were working with full
| speed.
The reports received at police headquarters
| from the New Lake End was to the effect that
| from Browns pavilion 10 the railroad depot the
| New Basin had overlooked it's banks and sub
merged the surrounding lands to the depth OF
| three feet; that the kitchen OF Browns pavilion
had been swept away, and that MIR. Brown was
moving the effects OF his house to the railroad
depot, and flying there himself with his family
| for security
The dredgeboat that was tied up in the New
Basin at the New Lake End, broke loose from
| her moorings and started down the canal,
forced by the wind with such rapidity that the
bridge. keeper at the Lake was forced to turn the
bridge and allow her to go by for fear that she
would wreck the bridge. At last accounts she
was nearing the bridge at the Halfway House.
and fears were entertained that she would col
| Tide with and damage schooner that was an.
| chored ahead of her.
| THE THREATENED OVERFLOW AvERTED
last night was due to the vigilance of Admin
istrator Cavanac and to him alone. The continu
GUS torrents that had been pouring down all The