Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-03
DAMAGE BY THE RAINS.
Cellars and Easements Overlooked and
Unpaved Streets Badly Washed.

The heavy rain Monday and yesterday did
considerable damage in this city in addition to
that heretofore reported. Along North Capt.
toll, /, X and Myrtle streets northeast the rain
destroyed hundreds of dollars worth Of prop
erty. Along North Capitol street, between I
and streets, the entire earth surface was
washed away, rendering the street almost i'm
passable. Along K street, between North
Capitol and 1st streets northeast, the dirt
street was badly washed. On this square the
carriageway is much higher than the sidewalk.
The sewers were not capacious enough to carry
OF the water, and the result was that the mud
and water backed up 80 much that the side
walks were flooded, and at one or two houses
tne brick walls about the areaways were
washed away, causing the muddy water to flow
'nrough the dining and kitchens.
MYRTLE STREET FLOODED.
On Myrtle street, where there is also dirt
roadway, the residents were also heavy losers.
The sewers are not sufficient in that ueighbor-
hood to carry of such a heavy fall of rain.
The dirt roadway was converted into paste. and
the mixture flooded dozens of houses, running
carpets, furniture, and household utensils.
The occupants OF the houses were obliged TO
leave their Easements and 60 to the upper
floors. For while tables, chairs, and other
smaller articles were afoat. When the water
subsidized mud several inches deep was left on
the floors. Since Monday everybody in that
nelghborhood has been housekeeping.
DAMAGE IN THE COUNTY.
Considerable damage was done in the county
where suburban villages are being laid out
Where the ground had been ploughed and
grass seed had not been sown there were some
heavy washouts, which will have to be filed at
considerable expense. Where grass seed had
been sown the washouts were not 30 bad.
Throughout the city, where sand and mortar
were piled in front Of buildings in course of
erection, the material washed away and filed
the sewers, and in several places small timbers
were carried away.
WHAT CAPTAIN LUsK SAYS ABOUT THE SEWERS.
The Commissioners for several days past
have been receiving complaints from persons
in all sections Of the city Of the bad sewerage
and requesting immediate relief Captain
Lusk, who has charge Of the sewerage system
of the city, speaking to STAR reporter to-day
said he was aware that in many sections Of the
city the sewerage was defective. This defect
he said, existed mainly in old sewers laid prior
to 1878, when the roots of trees had made
their way through joints and crevices, and
getting larger all the time, had almost entirely
closed these sewers There is q way to remedy
this evil, he said, and all sewers that were now
laid had concrete covering. He said he
hoped to replace all the old sewers with new
ones.
TROUBLE WITH THE TIDAL SEWERS.
When asked if the sewers we're not capable
OF disposing of large body of water he said
that the trouble was not there. but in the tidal
sewers where the tide rises and falls every
day, and heavy rains occurring when the tide is
high is pretty certain to food the low districts
In speaking Of the late food Capt. Lusk said
that 1t was due first to the unusual downpour
of rain when the tide was high. as far as the
low districts were concerned, but the backing
up OF the water in the high districts was due to
the large amount Of sand, gravel, and mud
which had been washed into the sewers from
unimproyed streets and closed them. No sew
ers have been reported as burst, and many of
them will be cleaned ont in q Cor do