The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-06-06

SHOWING That the Storm Was pbo-
nomcnel and scmethInE That CesId
Not he Guarded 1sainsf.
Court resumed at $50 o'clock yester.
day afternoon after the noon reoees,
and immediately proceeded with the
case Of Hession, Vi. the City.
jesse Lane. who was on the stand
when the recess was taken, was recall
cd, and cross.examined by Mr.. Bird.
David Wooiman testified that he had
been employed by the Street and
Sewer Commission, and that when he
examined the sewer after the storm, he
found that the mouth waH blocked up.
Carroll p. II. Bassett was called az
an expert. He was asked II in design
Ing o sewer system provision was ever
made to carry OF such rainfall as oc-
CURED on the date named. He replied
that he never knew OF such q pro.
vision. He had examined the area
drained by this sewer. In regard to
the record be said he could not tell
what the maximum rate OF rainfall
was. Ii two-thirds OF the fall occurred
within twenty minutes as stated 1t
would represent maximum fall Of
seven inches an hour. He had no hest
tation In stating that In June, 1899,
eAtto oOtAa NV Lkfo Dftu 81 mucu
water as there was at the storm OF
1891, on which suit was brought. The
plaintiff had attempted to show differ
emily.
In Providence. r. l., where rainfalls
were published for period OF forty
years, only three falls exceeded two
inches per hour. Afall exceeding two
inches per hour Is considered an extra
ordinary fall. Falls OF ten inches
havo been recorded. but only lasted
about six minutes. A rainfall at the
rate OF sevon inches per hour for TWEEN
~ minutes has even been recorded In
books
From calculations made Mr.. Bassett
said he knew OF no sewer constructed
up to 1884. when this sewer was built,
which was made so large us this one
was constructed. 10 accommodate
such rainfall as was spoken OF Front
street would have to DO turned into a
canal. Cross-examlned by Mr.. Bird,
Mr.. Bassett said sewers were intended
to carry off ordinary rninfalls. The
sewer would easily vent one inch an
hour
The witness was cross-examlned at
length by Mr.. Bird. but he failed to
affect his direct testimony In any ma.
terial way.
Charles b. Dawson testified that in
July. 1891. he drove an ice wagon. On
the morning of July 90 he left the
office at 10 O'Clock and drove to the
foot OF Poplar street, and then started
to serve his route. When he got to Pop.
lar street it rained so hard that he left
the wagon and stood under an awning
about ton minutes He then drove
back to Pusey X Jones', and by that
time 1t was raining harder than he had
ever seen lt rain before. The water
was about foot deep and the down,
fall lasted about twenty minutes. He
afterwards found that several cellars
on Poplar street were flooded, seven or
eight inches deep.
James p. Nolan testified that In 1891
he lived on West Third street near
Madison street. He left his home to
go TO work about 10 O'Clock OF the
night OF July rs. 1t rained of and on
all night. but the heaviest was about 4
O'Clock In the morning. 1t poured rain
ut that time for about 20 minutes and
ne scarcely knew how to describe the
storm, as he had never seen one like
1t.
Daniel r, Dallas was called and
stated that he drives an ice wagon. On
the morning OF july 30. he left his
home about o'clock. II was raining
but not hard. The hard rain came
about 4 O'Clock, and for twenty or
Twenty-Five minutes IL rained harder
than he had ever seen it rain before or
since.
Sergeant George Black also testified
TO the severity of the storm, and sald
that 1t was the severest he ever saw.
Inc cutters in his district In the
seventh ward were amply sufficient to
carry away all the water that fell dur
ing the night, until about 4 o'clock in
the morning, whom there was q regu-
lar cloudburst.
George NJ. Yates testified that DUR
ing the heavy rain at O'Clock In the
morning OF July 20 he was standing
under an awning at Eighth and Mar.
ket streeta. 1t was the hardest rain he
ever saw.
Onlcer Maloney. Horny b. Wallace,
onicer Lyons and Joseph p, Taylor
each testified to tho severity OF the
storm.
j. NJ. Whitford testified that he ia
manager OF the Every Evening, and
the custodian OF the files OF the paper,
ne WIS about to present the lilies for
July 1891. when objection was made
ana his testimony was ruled out.
AT DO o'clock court took n recess
until IL O'Clock this morning.