The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-01
TWAS LIKE A CLOUD-BURST
Rainy Month of April Closed with a
DowDpour That Was Alarming.
in Sheets and Torrenis-But Lit
tie Damage Is Reported.

The early risers yesterday morning and
those who did not get to bed till late. wit
messed. at about O'Clock downpouriDg
of water that. If not one in fact. very much
resembled cloudb burst. At the hour
named it seemed as if the floodgates of the
heavens had been opened. aud the water
fell in torrents for fully an hour and
o half and streets were inundated. cellars
filed and the various small streams
In and around the city very quickly
became rivers. At about $50 o'clock there
was a short cessation of the rain, and then,
at about ESQ, there was another flood of
water turned loose from the heavens
equally as heavy as the first, which contin-
ued to pour down until about 9 o'clock.
when the sun succeeded in forcing q small
opening In the heavy clouds that had gath
cred. and by noon had them almost entire
~ dispersed.
At 10 o'clock Pogue's run was an angry.
turbulent flood and people living near it's
banks began to become alarmed. Between
10 and IL o'clock many calls came into the
police station requesting assistance, but
the patrolmen In the vicinity realized that
as long as no more rain fell there was no
danger of life loss. However. the run con-
tinued to rise rapidly and in the east part
of the city, where the grounds were
low. the situation looked exceeding
~ alarming and nervous folks SUI
fsred greatly. In the vicinity of
Davidson street and tho railroad tracks
the waters ragged iereely. and before IL
O'Clock every cellar in that section was
oYertiOwing Yards were knee-deep IN
water, and one residence on Davidson
street seemed in danger of inundation.
The W ater reached the top step of the front
door of another home. where O woman in
the family was seriously i'll. 1t was feared
that the water would reach higher
mark aud the patient was sent IN the
patrol wagon to friends on Oriental street.
AT the Market-street bridge the situation
for time looked alarming, and buS for
the caution of the police. u bad accident
would probably have resulted through the
carelessness of the hundreds of people who
tbrohged the banks and insisted on stand
Ing on the structure. For two hours Ii was
expected that the bridge would be swept
away, ana q police guard was necessary TO
keep tho people Oft IL.
On Fletcher avenue the damage to cell
lers and yards was great on account OF an
inferior job OF engineering at the time the
street was paved last year The State
ditch was also booming. but the water did
not reach q sufficient height to cause any
great Inconvenience. The river began to
rise r8pluly yesterday evening. anu l2es
night had reached high-water mark. By
noon the run showed perceptIble fall, and
during the evening the water receded sew
eral feet, to the intense relief of those occu-
plying homes near its banks.
The extensive fall of rain had the effect
of stirring mp tue usually placid surface OF
Pleasant run. aud at several points the
channel overflowed. One of the abutmen Is
of the Ohve-street bridge was washed out
and the fOotbridge at Shelby street was
carried of. The new bridge. under con-
strnction at this point. was also seriously
damaged.