The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-05-01

SHoFHy atteF Hpe O'CLOCK !aSt evening
the heaviest storm set in which has
been experienced in Wheeling or this
part OF the Ohio Valley for several
years, and it is doubtful if even in the
terrific cloud bursts OF 'SS which caused
SO much damage to property and the
loss OF go many lives were as heavy,
though they lasted much longer and a
greater volume OF water fell.
The rain fall yesterday was 60 hun
dredths Of an inch in fifteen minutes,
which is something of a phenomenal
character. Itbegan to fall about half past
five and continued necessarily until
about quarter to six. After that
lighter showers fell all evening. The
main storm was also preceded by al
most constant rain for several hours.
The big storm was heralded by n
cloud which blackened the sky about 8
o'clock, making the day as dark as
| night Seldom is II darker ut SO early
an hour. Many people feared cyclone,
and the heavy rain was accompanied by
very high wind for few minutes, but
no damage was done in the city.
HOUSE BLOWN DOWN,
The gale OF wind and rain was heav-
! Ter at Benwood and in the lower por-
ton OF the city than it was up town.
Around the Forty-eighth street barns
OF the Wheeling Railway Company, on
the South Side, big lake OF water was
formed, seriously impeding traffic on the
line for al hour or two. At the new
power station one armature was burned
out, which weakened the current on the
line considerable. Only q complete
system OF insulation saved the general
burning up Of all the generators
At Benwood the wind was very heavy
about $3.50 in the evening. There was
only one instance OF heavy damage, but
this was more than enough. On Main
street in the business part OF the town
Becker & Zimmerman, the furniture
dealers, have had erected what was
probably the largest business building
in the town, three stories, and over
hundred feet long. The building was
in an unfinished state, but the firm in
tended moving PARTON OF their stock
into it this morning. Tho window
frames were in, hut no glass, and the
heavy winds found an easy entrance
into every portion Of the building. Two
men who were in it at the time heard
the ominous cracking above and got
out on the street Just as the huge frame
structure collapsed and fell over on the
upper side, complete wreck. 1t was
fortunate it fell in that direction, as on
the lower SIDE Immediately adjoining is
located an old frame one-story residence
in which were several people at the
time. All would have persisted or been
badly injured had the mammoth frame
fallen to the south.
Tho loss will foot up into the thous-
ands, and will, it is said, fall on the
contractor, Harry Garrison, OF Bellaire.
TIE CITY FLOODED.
The rain was for time mingled with
hail, but there were only enough OF the
icy stones to be perceptible, and so hard
did the rain drops fall that they made
almost the sound OF hail,
Every street leading down from tho
hill was quickly flooded, so that at every
intersection OF two streets there were
miniature lakes, and the streets them
selves were converted into rivers.
Twelfth, Market, Fourteenth, Sixteenth
and other streets were flooded from
curb to curb for quite distance, while
at some places the water even covered
the sidewalks. At Pollock's mill the
flood washed the walls. AT Frank Stau-
toms book store the water ran clear
through the gutter in the alley and
swept the sidewalk, entering several
cellars below that corner, and flooded
them in n very nasty way.
At Main and Twelfth and Market and
Twelfth streets, ut Fourteenth and
Market and Fourteenth and Main, and
at other similar points, great heaps OF
earth, gravel and stones were lett, and
in some places even on the sidewalks
little sandbars were deposited.
In front OF the new Peabody building,
on Market street, tho gutter was
damned up by pile Of sand and other
building materials. Tho water coming
against this in rapid torrent washed
the stuff out upon the street. burying
the street car track in q series OF piles
OF sand, wood, stone and all sorts
of dirt, elIectually blockading the
railway and stopping number
OF cars until the dirt could be shoveled
oil, which consumed some time.
A BREWERY FLOODED.
Perhaps the most serious damage in
tho city was at the Smith Brewing Com.
pany's ale brewery, on tho east side OF
Market street. above Ninth. Tho rain.
fall seemed to DO heaviest on the hill.
top back of there, us is usually tho fact
when The hills are raked by a low cloud.
Tho flood came oil the hill in sheet OF
yellow water several inches doop. In
Alloy @, Just back OF the brewery, Is n
depression in which the mud and debris
collected, forming regular dam, be.
hind which the water gathered in con.
siderable volume, IL then ran down
into the grounds back Of tho brewery,
where the rear walls served as dam,
forming Il lake In few minutes. Fin
nlly the water gathered such weight
that II burst the large door and flooded
tho whole place In little time.
The cellars were filled and the water
entered the vaults. The exact loss
could not DO estimated last evening,
but II must prove considerable.
Tho front door was opened, when the
yellow lido came pouring out two feet
deep, and half an hour later II was still
running from the door three or four
inches deep, and tho floor was covered
with yellow, sticky mud, small stones
and bits Of wood and various sorts Of
dirt, washed from tho hillside above