The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-08-06
Heavy Rainfall.

CHICAGO, Aug. 3-The great rain
stopped at midnight. The total rain
fall in the preceding twelve hours was
5 So inches, an inch more than the ac-
iuaI rainfall during the month of August
in either OF the last three years, and the
greatest fall within the time specified
on record. The fall was SO great and
rapid that the sewers were unable to
carry OH the volume of water The
damage to Easements Is heavy. Early
In the afternoon Easements and cellars
more than ten feet in depth soon con-
tanned between two and three feet of
water. Numberless families were forced
to leave the Easements in which they re-.
sided and seek temporary lodging in
apartments above the level streets. Of
the residence streets Huron was con-
spicuous In this respect. the tenants of
many basement dwellings being COM
PEELED TO leave their homes. The base
ments and cellars throughout the por.
ton of the South Side where the whole.
sale houses are situated were filed to a
depth of several feet. The loss through
mate damage could be made.
The water from sewers and cutters
flooded the Palmer House basement last
night putting out the fires under the
boilers of the engine by which the elect
rio lights were run. The lights had to
be dispensed with. The management OF
house is TemOdeling the rear Office of the
hotel and had entirely removed the sky
light which rooted the room, and rain
descended uninterrupedtly into that por-
ten of the basement throughout the day
and night. In the New Opera house
block the same agency extIDgnished the
fires in the elevators, engines, boiler, and
compelled the stoppage of the elevators.
All newly improved streets are reported
to be In g bad condition where the sew
ers have been put in. The ground has
sunk about three feet rendering the streets
dangerous. Fall street, near Lake, but
recently paved sank several feet The
Randolph street railroad track is badly
washed out near Ann street. All that
portion of the city west of Ashland av-
enue and south of Twelfth street is Gov
cred with water to a depth of over two
feet. This Is due to the fact that this
portion of the city is about four feet
lower than more improved portions.
LATER.
The fire last night was the most de-
structiye that ever occurred in this city.
An hour after II broke out IN the eight
story glucose factory, the flames extend
ed for hall mile along the South slue
of the Esplanade. Scores of vessels of
all kinds were mOored at the docks, and
all were destroyed. Henry Wort, pri-
VRte Waterman, is known to have per-
ished In the flames. The most exciting
scenes were on the crafts at the docks.
The crews were cut off by the
fire from the docks, and as the
vessels caught Gre they were forced to
Jump into the water and SWIM for theirs
lives. So radidly did the fire spread that
the small boats were consumed before
they could be launched aud the sailors
in the wat, T had TO depend On their own
strength until tugs from the outside
could pick them up, as it was many of
them were badly scorched and 1t is fear
ed some fatally. The exact loss or insur-
auce cannot yet be given but the
loss is estimated at over million
dollars.