The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-05

Oho VI WV ScVcreSt rain storms that
has visited Roanoke in years swept over
tho city early yesterday morning. Rain
began falling tho night before and gradu-
ally increased in force until it seemed as
though tho very clouds had burst. Tho
water came down in perfect sheets and
a strong wind, which was blowing ali
the morning, added to tho discom torture
Of those who had to be out of doors.
by o'clock all the vacant lots in the
lower part Of the city were miniature
lakes and wherever lumber was piled in
these lots tho planlls were floating. On
the streets and sidewalks tho situa ton
was not much be tier. Jefferson street
and Salem avenue were almost impas-
sable during tho early morning hours, as
was also Commerce street at tho corner
of Salem avenue. Nelson street and
tho streets in the vicinity of tho Roam
oke and Southern depot were filled with
water, but it soon ran off.
Tho storckeepers on Salem avenue
suffered tho greatest Inconvenience
from tho storm. Their collars wcro
hlled with two or threo feet of water
and in some cases stock was damaged.
The cellars Of the buildings on Camp
bell near Jefferson were also flooded.
In the cellar Of tho Hotel Brunswick
there was stored a large quantity of
liquors, in barrels and cases, and about
5000 worth Of this was destroyed. The
water found its way into tho collar Of
tho Masonic Temple and tho old steam
fire engine was used to pump it out.
The biggest flood occurred on the
corner of Salem avenue and Commerce
StrOpt. (iniOu lpyypr than tho currOu,,J
ing streets the water naturally ran to
this point. Notwithstanding the i'm
mense amount OF water that fell, tho
natural water ways were able to carry
1T all OFF At no time during the day
was Trout run filled to it's utmost ca
pacity, and tho flood at Salon avenue,
and Commerce street was due entirely
to the inadequacy Of the sewers leading
to Trout run.
There arc two fourtccn-inch sewers
at this poiEt, one on each side Of Salem
avenue, which run down to the Trout
run whcre 1t crosses Salem avenue
about half way between Henry and
Commerce streets. These two small
sewers dre expected to carry oil all the
water which comes down from Campbell
and Commerce streets, the upper part of
Salem avenue and from the other side
Of the railroad track.
The mouths of one of these sewers is
clogged up with dirt and debris of all
kinds, leaving an aperture only about
five inches In diameter for tho water to
run into. Still under these adverse
circumstances tho water drained from
this corner almost as soon as it stopped
raining, and at 9 o'clock in tho after
noon tho water in Trout run was less
than foot deep.
n 10 remedy the evil of floods a fbic
place, it would only be necessary to
enlarge the sewers OH Salem avenue
and intercept the water on Campbell
street and carry into Trout run, and
also intercept it on the other side of
the railroad and carry it into Trout run
on the north side Of the tracks. 1t was
clearly demonstrated yesterday that
this run is fully capable of carrying off
all the storm water that will flow into it.
BY cnlarging these natural water
ways as proposed by the city engineer
there will be no need whatever for
building the expensive intcrceptor pro-
posed by MIR. Herring. 1t only needed
the big rain storm to conclusivcly prove
that tho interceptor is entirely nnneces-
Sary.
More evidence that underground cav
erns exist beneath this city was dis
covered yesterday. The Gas and Water
Com pany recently dug ditch near the
end OF West Campbell street. in which
to lay water main, and it was neces-
sary to blast through ledge of rocks.
When the water commenced running
down this ditch it was noticed that at a
certain place it disappeared into the
ground.
An examination revealed the fact
that there was cavity between tho
rocks almost large enough for man to
crawl through and into this hole the
water was pouring. No close examina-
ton has been made of the cavity and its
depth is unknown.
The storm also did considerable dam
age across the river. Some of the grad
ing on the Gas and Water Company's
tract was washed away. and near Mr.. j.
c. Rawn's house part Of tho street
macadam was damaged. Mr. Rawn has
had some scwcring put in near his
house and the rain washed lot of mud
into it and partially stopped it up.
Yesterday morning the river was four
feet high and it. rose two or three feet
moro during tho day.
The rise in the river washed out ono
post of the false work used in the con-
Struction of the belt line bridge in the
West End. 1t will not Interfere seri-
ously with the work, and, although the
loss of material is quite serious, the
only delay will be in replacing what
was lost.