The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-09-07
STORM SWEPT.
The Greatest Rainfall Ever Known in
San Antonio.
Houses Flooded, and Cattle and Cotton
Carried Away.
Telegraph Lines Down, Trains Delayed,
and Other Effects of Equal
I'm pOrtanCc.

A greater quantity Of rain fell in San Anto-
MO yesterday than ever before in the same
length of time. Sergt. T. J. kenan, Of the
U. S. army signal corps, stated this morning
that the amount was six inches and filth
Early in the morning dense clouds hung over
the city and obscured the sun. A breeze be-
gan blowing from the southeast and continued
some time, increasing steadily in velocity until
a few minutes past clock, when a lull came,
and the clouds massed derkly. At a quarter
to a drizzliog rain fell and necessarily unit
10 O'Clock. Then for half an hour mud be-
spattered pedestrians had respite. The SKI
seemed to be clearing for a while but sool
took on its former sable hue. AT half-past &c
a heavy rain fell last for few minutes. Thel
there was mono,ouous drizzle about which
men swore and women murmured little com
plants. The streets were by this time full OF
mud and the sidewalks presented a panorama.
of shining rubber coats and dripping umbrellas
At o'clock there was pause just long
enough for the fast-diner to gulp down hi
dinner and the slow-diner to take the second
course before, at I:4S Jupiter Fluvius star,e'
to work again. From that time on until Il
O'Clock in the night the rain fell in torrents
A. evening approached severe thunder storm
was observed 81 WHY moving toward the city
1t seemed once to be almost upon the town,
then the wind changed slightly and away il
was whisked, rapidly now, some miles to tn
northward. The streets were ,all flooded
and the cutters assumed immense proportions
On the Alamo plaza a miniature muddy lake
was formed and on the other plazas pools o:
water were knee-deep. In Navarro and ST
Mary's street the water was several inche
deep aid the mud some inches deeper. A
h past and at 9 o'clock water was rush
ing down st. Mary's street with great velocity
A dog which attempted to cross the bridge wa,
swept away. Its master a newspape
man, narrowly escaped a similar fate
carriages were Of course in great demand and
the spirits of the Jehus rose in a ratio cores
ponding inversely with the iall of the rain TIL
STREET cars were all crowded, Some of then
were occupied an hour or more by persons
waiting for the storm to cease. Amusements
were forgotten and all who could fastened
homeward. Down town many of the house:
were surrounded by water and the interior O.
few romewhat dampened by rain percolatin;
through the ROOFS and descending the chimneys.
In the suburbs many fowls were lost. This
morning Chihuahua is sea of mud
A few cellars were ovcrfowed. Into the on.
under the Office of the Texas Wool the waite
poured steadily till ii had attained depth OF
foot or more. 1t occasioned slight damage
to some III machinery. At the stock yards men
were busly engaged In looking after sheep
and swine All their Ell ,rls were required to
prevent loss by drowning. Several bales OF
cotton wa-e washed into the San Antonio rive,
and some miles away. Two horses were sur
rounded by water n the yard lack OF DR.. E.
3. Rankin's house, near the Vance hotel, or
St. Marys street. At 9 O'Clock, when their
position was discovered by their owner
DIR. Rankin, it was difficult to reach them
One was saved but the other, a fine animal Of
considerable value, was drowned. At day
light it was lying in the water, dead, and held
in place by halter tied to tree. A: the
corner Of Evergreen street east of San Pedro
avenue large mound of sediment is apparent
to-day. 1t was washed there by the rain
For soma distance about i water stands near
ly foot deep. Tbs gfeatest damage was
along San Pedro creek. The creek rose until
its surface was above the bridges and swept
away vast Quantities of garden produce and
implements. Horses and cattle were drowned
Their owners IN some instances made no et.
forts to save them. In the Mexican and the
Polish settlements the floors of many dwellings,
were flooded and in a few the roofs were in
sufficient for protection. AT the gas works the
water caused considerable Inconvenience
and complaint was this morning made
that a dam in 'helr vicinity eausEd
tho drainage OF the sreets into
the yards Of adjacent houses. Elsewhere,
especially in the suburbs, the water fell from
the higher streets into the yards of residences.
In consequence the city authorities have been
requested by many persons to adopt measures
looking to the teli ef Of thS pe,sons whose
property has been damaged. In some of the
city offices, too, the water made itself appar
ent. At the Court House it passed through the
ceing and wet some Of the records and al
police headquarters it inundated the lower de-
pertinent. Some of thu stures in he vieiriiy
received damage, but in nj, case damage Of
serious character As the storm extended
over large territory it is believed that con-
siderable loss was done t" farms and on stock
ranches. All tie telegraph aires running
norttward, Of the military telegraph company
are reported LOua, .nd ,o-day sergt Kenan.
who has charge OF the station here, started
out gangs Of men to repair the dam
age The extent Of the breakape is
not yet known. The officers of the
Sunset railroad alleged IN answer to ;r,,uiris.
rhat no danlsse mad recr done on their line.
On the International and Grea, Northern rail
way injury was done in several places There
is one break about seven miles from here be-
tween here ami Austin, and some two miles
further on bridge was washed awav. 1t was
about Ieo yards long and constructed of oak
timber and iron with stone abutnents and