New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-20
1T WAS 4 "LINE STORM"
OVER FIVE AND A QUARTER INCHES OF
RAIN FELL IN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS.

LARS FLooDED-DAMPNEss ALL OVER THE
ATLANTIC COAST AND DAMAGE CAUSED
IN THE COTTON BELT-cooL
AND FAIR TO-DAY
There was a great downpour of rain upon the
city yesterday. 1t had been raining at intervals
through the previous night When the morning
came it in for a steady and persistent storm.
The rain came down all day without intermis-
sion. and seemed as If the record for September
rainfall was being broken At o'clock last night
AIS inches Of rain had fallen in twelve hours.
The record for twenty-four hours is 529 inches
Since the Weather Bureau has been established
there have been only two September transforms
which have exceeded in the amount of water let
down from the clouds the storm OF yesterday. on
September % and %. 1882 the record for twenty
four hours was 6l7 inches. and in 1890. on Sep
tember 16 and II, 5S2 inches fell; therefore the
storm which ended last night was the third high
est in extent OF rainfalls record
The clouds hung low and heavy all day, and
the wind blowing from the east swept the rain
under umbrellas and almost through the protec-
ton of mackintoshes. The rain was general all
over the eastern coast from Maine 10 Florida,
and extended as far west the Ohio Valley.
though IN the western sections OF the country
east OF the Mississippi the rain did not fall with
the violence with which IT did along the Atlandc
seaboard
1t Is feared that great damage has been done
70 the cotton crop in the southern States. The
cotton at this season Of the year is in the bos.
and it Is the worst season OF the year FOR rain
storm to take place in the cotton belt. AT
Charleston. : c.. yesterday three inches Of rain
fell, and that would indicate that the fall had
been heavy in the Sea Island district In the
western section Of the cotton belt the rain was
not 50 heavy. but all that portion Of the belt
lying along the coast must have suffered badly.
and 1t is expected that the damage resulting from
the rain TO the cotton crop will amount TO hun
dreds Of thousands Of dollars. All over Georgia
reports Indicated a rainfall which made 1t almost
certain that the cotton plantations in that State
had been damaged to great extent.
The storm Of yesterday was what is usually
the forerunner Of autumn frOsts and the indica-
tion of a change in season. As the figures
given show. II Is four years since such Sep
tcmber rain came over the city. The showers
OF the early morning washed the streets more
clean than they have been in many day, II
not in many year. and therefore did good
= which would have been left undone by the
rr,t Cleaning Department The citizens of
%cw-York. however. who were wet through and
through by the Niln could hardly appreciate the
benefits Of the storm. for they were made ex
coeingy uncomfortable and had visions OF
rheumatism and pneumonia rising up before
them. Il has been the habit Of late years TO
deny the truth Of the existence Of a yearly
equinoctia! storm; nevertheless the line storm
generally makes It's appearance about the time
1t is looked for and II 1t does not always take
place at the exact time when the sun. having
reached the trOpic Of Cancer begins 10 go back
ward like crab it gets around a little before
or little after that time, and there Is always
cline storm"
The heat yesterday was not excessive, but
with the humidity Of the atmosphere II was
quite sufficient. About daybreak the mercury
in Perrys thermometer stood AT 10 degrees. and
at noon at IL degrees. 1t then gradually fell;
and as night came down upon the ran-drenched
city the coolness increased and the clouds In the
sky began TO break up and drift away. BY
o'clock the rain had entirely ceased. and in the
heavens now and then a star could be seen
peering through the rfted clouds. The air be-
came pure and lost nearly all Of its humidity
The lights on the Brooklyn Bridge and on the
vessels anchored on the dark waters Of the har-
bor showed bright and clear through the night
ana up and down the rain washed streets the
lamps CLEANED with unusual brilliancy. The
Weather Bureau had prophesied that the
weather would be clearing in the latter part OF
the day and the prophecy came true. For to-
day Mr.. Dunns local forecast gives promise or
generally fair and slightly cooler weather, with
casterly winds
OF the coast dense fOgs were reported lowering
over the North Atlantic. In the city along the
water front considerable damage was done by
the foods which poured down the streets. These
conditions particularly noticeable In the
lower streets OF the west size Barclay, Nesey
and Fulton sts. inundated in places. and
the markets ana restaurants IN the lower poT-
tons OF these streets were rendered at times use
less for business purposes. Everetts restau-
rant. which extends through from Barclay 70
Vesey ST. was example Of this. The building
is one which was put up before the street had
its present grade level. and the floor OF the res
taurant is therefore about foot below the side
walk. stream poured INTO the Nesey-st. door
OF the restaurant. and In the forenoon the place
had been rendered practically useless as res
taurant and looked more like a swimming bath.
Eyey cellar in the neighborhood was more or
less flooded. The sewers in the lower part OF the
city unable 10 carry off all the water which
fell and consequently pools collected here and
there all over the lower portions Of town and
pedestrians were obliged to wade through them
or else make long detOurs.
When the news Of the rains in the South were
received here yesterday the cotton market rose
rapidly but fell again TO point lower than
before. The reports received by the Weather
Bureau last night Of rain in the South showed
that the average rainfall for the cotton district
around Charleston. :. G was Al Of an inch. For
the wilmington district II was l20 inches. and
for the Savannah district LA inches. Yesterday
morning the wires connecting with the United
Press signal station at Sandy Hook broke down
and the telegraph operator there attributed II to
the fact that thousands Of sparrows in their rain
drenched feathers crowded the wires from pole
10 pole.
THIRTY-SIX HOURS RAIN IN NEW-JERSEY.
somerville. ~ J.. Sept I9-Tt has rained heavily
throughout the northern part OF New-Jersey for the
last thlrty-sx hours. and all Of the streams and
lowlands are filled TO overiowing The Central
Railroad OF ew-Jersey has sent a force of men TO
a point on the main line of the road near Valley
Station, to repair damages TO the road which has
been weakened by the heavy rain.
THE DROUTH BROKEN ALONG THE HUDSON.
Kingston, ~ Y. Sept. 10 (SpeciaD.-The rain.
which set in last night and continued all day
with increasing force. has effectually ended the
drouth along the Hudson II Is raining heavily
night and the streams which were almost dry in
many cases filling up again.