Evening journal., 1891-07-29
LAST EDITION
SWEPT BYA RAIN STORM
Thousands of Dollars Worth
of Property Destroyed.
WmMINGTONs GREATEST FLOOD


toms Post once struck By Lightning
and Burned.
At4 80 o'clock this morning, one of
the most violent rain storms that has
visited Wilmington for years burst upon
the city, and before it was over, thous-
ands of dollars worth of damage was
done. Banks were broken, sewers
bursted, cutters stopped up and over
flowed AMI water rushed everywhere.
The rain began in light shower shortly
before midnight, and this continued
until the severe electric storm began.
During the storm $3.50 inches OF water
fell
This is the largest amount Of rainfall
that has ever been collected in 50 short
time.
Southwest Wilmington Deluged.
The Sewer between Second and Third
streets and Madison and Monroe became
full to OVERLOOKING and was burst by the
force of the water. Water-closets
attached to the houses of Anthony
Smith, Elizabeth Brown, H. McGin-
ley and T. F. Anderson were
swept away and laid in a pro.
miscuous heap against Monroe street.
This stopped the water, which quickly
swelled until it flowed over the fences of
the back yards and filed the first stories
OF those houses with water.
The occupants were nearly all asleep and
entirely unconscious of the sea of water
which flowed beneath them, When some
of them attempted to come down stairs
they were driven back and had to make
their exit through the second story front
I'M IN ha utr ~ N
Anderson were swept out and the re-
msinder ruined. All the articles of fur
niture in the parlors and dining-room
were spoiled. The tenants are engaged
this morning in cleaning out their houses.
Large crowds visited the scene early in
the morning, the water had abated but
the stencil from the water closets was
odious
Considerable damage was dene to sewers
and pavements on Lancaster avenue. The
water rushed down with great force, tore
up the pavement, overt owed the sewer
and swept all ingredients with which it
came in contact as far as Monroe street,
where the mud was piled in ridges, pre-
venting street car traffic and compelling
pedestrians on the payements to
wade through mud up to the ankles A
number of workmen were early at work
clearing the street car track to enable
traffic to be resumed
The coal yard of Patrick Magarity at
Maryland avenue and Monroe street was
flooded by the overhowing Of the sewer
and damage to the amount of $500 done
to the property. The yard is still filed
with water, and the small boy is enjoy
iyacy hiraaalf hu aailinnr thronnrh il on logs
Of timber. The cellar of the Black Horse
tavern, conducted by w q. Cole, Is also
flooded with water whiskey and vinegar
barrels are floating about. The spigots
were torn from the barrels and their
contents allowed to escape. Mr. Cole
estlrstes his loss at 5000 The cause of
the overflow was the inability Of the
sewer to carry off the superhuous water
At Monroe street and Maryland avenue
two sewers unite, one a 12-foot. the
other an Sfoot sewer. Their combined
contents enter into a 14-foot sewer
this is 200 small to carry it all away
Happy Valley" ParIors Filled.
A great hollow to the south of Front
street between Monroe aud Adams
streets is occupied by frame houses in
which several families of colored people
reside The place is known as the
Happy Valley though none of the in !
"
water flowed from Front street into the
hollow. There was no means of stopping
the food and so it accumulated until it
filed up all the houses and this morning
articles of furniture could be seen float.
ing about. The children were wading
about in water up TO their throats, catch.
ing at the articles which foated past
them.
Blumenthals morocco factory was also
flooded. The cellar and lower story was
filed with water which extinguished
the fires and rendered it impossible to get
the engines in working order to day. A
number Of the employees had to return
home, while others were retained to
assist in cleaning out the wster. The
superintendent thinks that serious dam
age has been done to skins. A fence
around the property of M T. CONWAY. at
the foot of Chestnut street, was swept
away by the storm.
"Not Even a Sparrow FaIleth,r Sc.
The boys on lower Shpley str Ct
amused themselves by picking up dead
English sparrows in large numbers. Il is
supposed that the sparrows had built In
some drain or other exposed place and
were drowned by the rush Of water.
In Different Parts OF Town.
The house and store Of John D. Kuriz
at Fourth and Poplar streets was flooded
and -four and other groceries damaged to
the extent OF $780, The last freshtt
which occurred also flooded the house OF
Mr.. Kurtz and did him considerable
damage
The foundations of bridge at Thir-
teenth and Liberia streets have
been dug out by the storm aud por-
tions swept away The bridge remains
standing, but traffic had TO be suspended
on account of the danger.
At Delaware avenue and Tatnall street
the intersection Of two sewers is swept
away, leaving large cavity dangerous
for horses. similar break is also at
Thirteenth aud Washington streets.
French Street Railway washout.
The French street railway which was
nearing completion is washed out. All
the Belgian blocks from rlird to Front
will have to be torn up and relaid, as will
also portion of those between Third and
Fourth Davis and Brother, the con
tractors, estimate the loss at not more
than $50, and have already begun thu
work Of repairing the damage. The sand
is washed away all along the line.
The contractors claim that the
damage was caused by private
parties putting small bridges acr oss the
gutter on French street, thereby throw
ing the vast volume of water into the
middle Of the street. directly upon the
new tracks In addition to this, lars
piles OF macadam were piled up on the
east side The bridges prevented the