Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-20

A DELUGE OF WATER.
A delure of water also poured into the
flooded section from Monroe street, and 80
swift was the current from this thorough
fare that bricks were torn from tne siue-
walks IN many places and swept yarus
away. The whole of Main street, from
Madison 10 several yards beyond Monroe,
was submerged so quickly that the resi-
dents in the neighborhood scarcely had
moment TO remove their property from the
cellars and easements, and the damage
caused by .he water will amount TO seyerai
hundreds of dollars, while the loss from
depreciation in property values VIII reacn
thousands.
The sewer on the southeast corner OF
Madison and Main street has long Deen
known to be inadequate TO carry on the
water from heavy rains, but last night ~
more than surpassed the apprehensions OF
those who live in the flooded section. 10
augment the difficulties of the situation
the culyerts on Monroe and Main ana
Monroe and Franklin also oyerfiowed ana
added their volume of turbld water 10 tne
rapidly-forming lake, which increased IN
dimension every minute. All the pass-
ments and cellars for over hundred yards
were flooded with water, which IN some
places reached depth of eight feet.
WILL BE FORCED TO MOVE
But little damage was done 10 property
on the north side OF Nam street, as the
houses here are considerably higher than
those opposite them. The south side, be-
ing considerably lower and composed pm,
cipally of made earth, Jared terribly, and
in some cases the residents OF the houses
will be forced to move Immediately. 8,
On the southeast corner OF Madison and
Main and extending eastward nearly TO the
middle of the square is the marb yard OF
] VI. Brown q Go. This establishment Is
perhaps the highest point OF the su1
merged district, but despite Its elevation
the water extended ten feet beyond its
limits, and was over eight inches deep.
Mr.. b. A. Fox, a young man who deals IN
fancy fowls, dogs, and birds, has an offioe IN
the house. He was first aroused TO reaiiza.
ton of the catastrophe by the howling OF
several puppies. which we're promptly res
cued. His chickens however. were not so
fortunate. and $50 worth OF blooded ban
tams were drowned. After he managed TO fix
up matters as best he could ne crossed to
the opposite side of the street and threw
one OF mis- dogs into the water to test IT'S
swimming powers. The canine was forced
to .wim nearly hundred feet before 1t
touched dry land.
The house of Mr. T.. l.. Rowe (No. 301),
which is opposite the marble-yard, but on
the same side of the street, fared terribly,
and on the pavement IN front OF the
building the water was eighteen inches
deep, while in the street, which is lower
than the sidewalk. the food reached g
depth or nearly three feet. Seven feet or
muddy water quickly accumulated IN the
cellar, and in the back yard the current
was so swift that the fence was torn down
and the earth torn away as if struck by q
whirlpool.
The house of Mr.. w. II. Lucy, next
door Jared even worse. as 1t is still lower,
and in the rear yard there was danger
ous-looking pool. The home OF MIR. h. A.
Birdsong met a similar fate, while the
basement of Mrs. q. G. Barnes was literally
deluged. Here the water reached depth
OF eight feet.
The cellar of No. 31S, which is a store
occupied 10y Mr.. b. +. Perry, was also
flooded. A number of things. such as
coal wood, and fish, were stored in IL, and
these were all ruined by the devastating
fluid.
Owing to their superior elevation the
houses Immediately west OF tho store ex-
perlenced but little damage.
At IL o'clock last night one would almost
have imagined that the house of Mr.. W.
j. Morrisett, No. 917J7, was situated in
Venice, for the building is several feet be-
low the sidewalk. and as q consequences the
place was almost swept away. The front
yard was covered with several feet OF
water, while great damage was done to the
house.
THE ONLY NoRTH-sIDE SUFFERER.
Perhaps the only house on the north side
of the street which suffered any damage
was that of MIR. G. II. Sack. No. 326 west
Main. This building is located near the
northeast corner of Main and Monroe. and
being somewhat lower than the sidewalk
it received large quantity of the water.
which flowed from Franklin to Main street.
The shoemaker shop of Nr. Sack. which is
situated directly on the corner of Monroe
and Main and next to his residence, did
not fare half so badly as it Is on higher
ground.
The immense bulk of water covering
the flooded district necessarily stopped
all the electric-cars. and for nearly an hour
the conveyances were driven upon each
side of the pool A large crowd was at
tracted to the scene. but even after the
water began falling walking was
wretched, as the sidewalks we're cover
ed for several inches with mud and
sand. The middle of the street after the
subsistence of the food presented the ap-
pearance OF frog-pond suddenly dried
up. and in many places the car-tracks were
hidden beneath nearly foot of accumu-
lated filth. Almost as soon as possible
force of hands was put to work by the
company and passage was made fer the
cars.
The residents of the submerged neigh
borhood say that the overflow commenced
a few minutes after the beginning of the
storm, and the pond reached its maximum
depth in less than half an hour. The
waters subsidized on the street almost as
soon as the rain was over, but fell very
little in the flooded cellars and Easements.
frame house, No. 1913 Chaffin street,
fell in about $50 o'clock last night. Its
collapse was caused by the overflow Of
resided in the building and his furniture
was badly damaged by the accident but no
one was hurt. The house was owned by
Mary Randall (colored).
ALONG sHocKoE CREEK.
There was tremendous rush of water
down the Shockoe-creek valley, and base
ments OF houses were flooded promiscu-
ously. A building which was being erected
at the corner of Seventeenth and Grace
street by Mr.. Dominica caved in under
the pressure of tho current in that vicinity.
The first story of the brick work had been
completed and the damage will be several
hundred dollars.
The cellar of the drugstore of Mr.. Viii
liam II. Scott. at the corner of Seven
teenth aud Franklin. was deluged, and
boxes and other articles foated around
like debris upon little sea. A great many
other Easements 10 this vicinity were
flooded. though no serious injury to pro-
perty is reported in this section except In
the cases given above.
Shockoe creek did not get out of ITS
banks. but was simply inadequate TO carry
the immense quantity6of water. At one
time the water as II ran down Seventeenth
street was fully foot deep. For half an
hour after the storm had passed Richmond
the skies in the east were frequently light
ed by the most vivid flashes of lightning,
while the rumbllng OF the distant thunder
was plainly audible for some time.
DAMAGE on NAn srRxxr.
Those keeping places of business along
Main strees near Seventeenth, who were
more or less damaged by reason of their
cellars being flooded with water. were: q.
Arrigi, fruit-deaier, at No. 1lSO: .. @.
Tbon, restaurant and saloon. corner Seven
tsenth and Msms the Atlantic and Pa
ci6o Tea Company A. Wernstoin. end
others Tho total injury 70 stoe1D and
~ ~ ~ u