The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-11
The HEAVENS. OPENED.
And tho Water That Dropped Tested
the New Main Street
Pavement.
Contractor Palmer Says He n
Fully Satisfied With His
Work.
The street omMisAlOnc VIII Find Plenty
Of Work Patching UP Holes Here
and There.

The hard rain which fell about $3.50
o'clock yesterday afternoon, came down
Nhs different 0ulOhes leading into Main
stfsst in the proportions Of good sized
creeks. On tho finished part Of Main street
the new wooden pavement shed the water
toward the sides 30 rapidly that tho cutters
refused to carry II of, and il ran onto tho
sidewalks in places and thence into the
cellars. Who're the wooden blocks had
been laid but the top dressing Of gravel not
yst applied. tho water soaksd into tho
foundation I'M gave the pavement a apongy
spring. A great deal Of this part Of the
pavement will doubtless have to be rslaid.
Below whore tho paving 10 going on and
whore the street has been plowed up pre-
paratory TO laying the foundation, the
water formed in pools. There ia no doubt
but that the storm, in addition to causing
stoppage Of work. will occasion some de-
lay and annoyance TO the contractors for
tho paving.
1.-THE severe storms Of the nast fsw days
have severely tried and tested the new pave
tractor Palmer. yesterday. From Cutler
to Wood streets the pavement 10 finished.
The pavement shows MP in excellent CON
dition in all respects. The drainage Of the
pavement 10 good and the flow of water to
the cutters and into the catch basins 10 al
most perfection. there being no pools or
puddles anywhere visible. the water run
ming of es fast ~ falling. This 10 due to
the excellent engineering Of the city n
Rineer and his assistants in charge. Down
toward the unfinished portion Of the pave
ment, where tho blocks had not been
graveled up. the pavement. was loosened up
some, and . few yards will have to be re-
laid. However. for the severity Of the
storm and the heavy fall Of rain, the work
has como through in excellent shape and
whole work has been done in the most
thorough I'M n the severe strain to
which the pavement has been put, demon
stratcs all that has been claimed for il.
that there has not been done anywhere in
the country a better piece Of work. The
trenches have suffered more than anything
else, which was due more particularly to
the careless manner in which the back ALL |
ing Of the trenches Was done, especially
those OF the water works company, which
are seldom flooded"
Street Commissioner stubbs was kent
busy all day looking after breaks and keep
ing the storm sewers open. There are a
number Of holes in the streets all over
town which should be marked, as horses
are liable to step in them and break their
laQC.
Considerable damage WAS done in the
basement of a two-story brick dwelling on
Ming hill owned BY Pete Conner. The
water came down the hill with such force
40 TO break the glass in the basement win
dows and poured in for some little time.
Up to 10 O'Clock last night LAT inches of
rain had fallen. The barometer is still
falling. and II il probable the rain will
continue to-day. So far there has been no
reports Of washouts delaying trains. bat az
the rain is general throughout the state,
&Nn% HI n kn Ia A. Ia IA - 90
heaviest rainfall in the vicinity since last
October, and will probably aggregate over
two inches before seven O'Clock this
morning.