The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-06-23
THE FLOOD.

The Heaviest Rain Ever Seen in Ra.
pides Parish.
It Continues Fifty Hours Without
Cessation.
"Old Red" Rises Is Feet / go Inches.
CHEAT DAMAGE TO CROPS, BRIDGES,
ETC, ETC.
By long odds the heaviest and most
incessant rain which ever fell in Alex
andria and Rapides Parish was the de-
lnge, (for we can give it no more ap-
propriate nancy which visited us last
week, commencing at noon on Mon
day and continuing until the follow
ing Wednesday at 2 o'clock p. NJ
Even the recollections of eye Oldest
inhabitant" will not bear him out in
saying that he had seen the like be-
fore. Some called it water spout
from above, others said tho food gates
had been thrown wide open, whilst q
few argued that it was one of the
showers that had been read Of, and
had been sent to man as q curse for
his many sins. With all these theo-
ries and beliefs it was, of course, hard
to arrive at an universal opinion of
the populace on this scatery subject.
From the time Of start to the finish
the rain came in torrents, and was at
times accompanied with heavy wind,
and the two together did great damage.
The rainfall, as reported by the Gov
eminent observer here, Mr.. L. G. Giffe,
was as follows-and We ask those who
wish to have reliable documents on
the subject, and who desire to refer to
them in future, to cut this table from
the DEMOCRAT: From Monday, June
18th, at IL o'clock M, until Wednes-
day, June 10th, at 2 o'clock p. M, the
actual rainfall was 20 G0-10O inches.
The heaviest fall during the time was
from Tuesday at l o'clock p. IN. until
Wednesday at l o'clock p. m, which
measured 22 27-10O inches. The du-
ration of the rain was fifty hours, and
the rainfall during the time the great
est on record.
Of course from the falling of so
much water the river was necessarily
bound to come up, and it did so in car
nest, and at one time our people feared
that it would come over it's banks, it
only lacking at 8 o'clock p. IN. We'd
nesday eight and half feet of run
ming over the top of the levee ilnmedi-
ately in front of the Court House, point
at which the Government gauge is To-
Gated, and rising as rapidly as it was
they had just reasons for fear. At the
above hour, however, the rain having
ceased, the river came to a stand, and
relieved our anxiety. The river rose
from Monday at IL o'clock M. until
Wednesday at o'clock p. m, per-
iod of fifty-one hours, rs feet II inches.
The greatest rise was from Tuesday at
5 o'clock p. m. until Wednesday at
G:30 o'clock a. m., during which time
it rose IA feet.
The river only lacked l foot II in
chcs of being as high as it was last
year, on tho 10Th and Goth Of May.
The gauge reading on Wednesday be-
fore the river commenced falling was
2S.75; the highest point reached last
year was 5000.
From the rainfall, not the river, all
that portion of Alexandria from Sec
ond street to the Texas and Pacific
Railroad track and from Madison
street to the Morgan Railroad track,
and below that track as far as the eve
could reach, was entirely submerged.
Early Wednesday morning several
families beyond Fifth street were COM
PEELED to move out of their houses, the
water having reached the floors it be-
came not only dangerous but impossi-
BILE to remain in them. Among the
movers we noticed-Mr. w. j. Cruik-
shank's family, who sought the high
lands of Pineville; Mrs. Emily Archi-
nard and Mrs. NJ. L. Ransdell, who
found safe refuge at the residence Of
Hon. Robert P. Hunter, on Front
street; Mrs. - Barrett; Mr.. Jos. D.