The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-07-31
ANOTHER FLOOD.

Wilmington Again Inundated-A Fif-
teen Minutes Pour Down of Rain
shIpley Kun Overflows Itseif-Dis-
heartened Tenants.
Fitful showers fell all day yesterday,
even when the sun shone, but 1t was
not until about 3.15 p. M, when the
15 minutes kept IL up as IL to show
what could be done In a short time
At o'clock, dark clouds gathered
around the southwestern horizon
like an army gathered for battle. The
thunder began to roar and sharp, for
ked zlgzig flashing of lightning darted
across the inky blackness. Every
body said there was going to be
great rain, hurricane, a cyclone,
cloudburst something out of the
usual course, and there was.
The citizens along Second and Mon
roe streets. who were flooded out less
than forty-eight hours before by the
mad capeis Of Shipley run, were fright
ened; they did not want to go through
another Hood experience 80 soon after
the first. They hastily fastened down
the windows, bolted and barred their
doors and many of them hunted safer
quarters.
Presently large drops of rain fell,
and the people ran for shelter. In
minute or two more, the clouds liter
ally parted and the raln came dashing
down in torrents. The very space
above the earth seemed to be but
sheet OF water, The cutters ran full
instantly, and tho Hood spread from
side to side. The way lemons. apples,
peaches, cantaloupes Potatoes and
other market stuifs flooded down King
street, 1t looked AZ If huckster stalls
had been emptied bodily into the
seething flood.
The lower streets In fifteen minutes
were under weter from six to twelve
inches deep, and the sheets around
the p, w. & b. depot were like mill
races. The railroad tracks from Tat
nall street In to Lombard were COM
pletely submerged and planks. ties,
gravel and brick were deposited on
tho F., W. & i. tracks stopping the
rnnning of trains for the time being.
The Hood tore up French street
where the Wilmington City Railway
Company Is laying track, fearfully.
The pavement in front of the Merritt
House was under two feet OF water. A
newsboy attempt ng to cross at this
point, stepped into holo and went in
up to his neck.
| He scrambled out, however, and af-
ter a gentleman had made good to him
the loss OF his papers, he went on his
way rejoicing.
Poplar street was again inundated
yesterday, tho inlets TO the sewers not
being sufficiently large to carry off
the water. The street bed from Sixth
street down was q literal sheet of
water, taking In the pavement on both
sides. The flood hal Geen so rapid in
its rise that tho people were alarmed
and gathered on the street corners, at
the doors and windows of their houses
wondering II they were to be driven
out or to the upper floors to get away
from the water.
The sewers and sewer lnlets at the
foot Of Poplar street appeared to be
| entirely useless, and q lake OF water
was rapidly formed around them that
covered the street bods and the rail-
road tracks from Front and Walnut
streets east to Lombard.
Iii front OF the bennington machine
works the water was from twelve to
eighteen inches deep and in front Of
| The Pusey and Jones Company's gate
at the foot OF Lombard street the wa
ter was two feet deep.
Eighth street at Shipley Run was
under water and banks OF sand were
piled on the electric street railway.
Cars reTf each way to the stream, OK
| changed passengers and ran back, and
when the winter ran off, conductors
and motor men had to get shovels and
clear the track for travel.
| AS was expected, the unfortunate
residents on Second street between
| Madison and Monroe and Monroe
above Second were flooded again for
the second time within thirty six hours
The iiooi was up within two feet of
where 1t reached tho day before and
some of the cellars were completely
| filled. Mrs. Sprague had two tubs
carried off and Mrs. Casey one and
they were not returned. The water
was only prevented from rising even
j higher than the day before by there be
Ing no diittwOod to choke up the sew.
er at Monroe street.
1t created feeling of sympathy this
morning to see the occupants OF the
houses in their muddy back yards fish.
ing among the debris for tieles they
had lost. The most Of tho people along
thi row are tenants who work days
work for Il living at low wages. They
have lost tho most of their furniture
and the best of il.
II took all they made before TO make
ends meet, and they have none now
with which To purchase new carpetlng.
and parlor furniture Fortunately fol
them their bedding was in tho secont
story and was saved, or they woult
have had no beds to sleep on
Tho first Hood undermined some OF
the walls OF tho building, so that TIA,
houses are practically ruined. III,
franz palIur vnlIa nf sn,nn ~ Than, I'm ~,