The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-14
RAIN FELL BY THE TON.
A HALF BILLION POUND DELUGE
ON SAVANNAH.

Works in a Week-A Sea Deep
Enough TO Float n Fleet of ships.
Water Power That Would Drive
All the Machinery in Savannah.
The Heat IL Let Loose.
The amount OF rain. in weight. that
falls during an average shower. II COM
puted, would he startling TO most people.
In such a rain as that OF yesterday af-
ter noon it IS almost incredible
The weight Of rain which fell in less
than an hour inside the city limits was
more than a quarter OF a million tons
These figures are almost incomprehensible.
when applied to such a thing as rainfall,
or, in fact. anything.
The weather bureau observations last
night showed that the rainfall from to
o'clock was a fraction over "a inches,
or to be exact 2.2s inches.
gallon OF water weighs ten pounds
II poured out on the ground an inch deep
it would cover an area Of two square
feet To cover an acre an inch deep, pro,
viding' of course, all of the water re-
manned on the surface. would require 49,
80 gallons. and for a square mile, in
round numbers, 100000 gallons.
At the temperature of 80 degrees at which
the weight Of water is computed the
weight of a square mile of sea an inch
deep would be approximately 60,000 tons.
II all the rain which fell in Savannah yes
terday had remained on the surface il
would have formed depth of 229 inches.
In the two square miles within the city
limits there would have been sea con-
tanning 54,0O0960 gallons and weighing
Zl4.SOO tons, sufficient to crush almost any
thing under II, and more water than is
pumped by the water works in a week
II the rain which fell on the roof Of the
Morning News building had remained
there, the building would have sustained
an extra weight of forty-fve tons.
The water power developed by such an
amount of rain water falling from thes
roof of buildings throughout the city, II
harnessed, would be sufficient TO drive all
the machinery in Savannah for a long
time.
A fact not often thought of. and which
is difficult to realize. is the amount of heat
liberated in the atmosphere in condensing
the vapor necessary TO produce an average
shower. In the condensation for a single
gallon OF rain enough heat is given out
to melt seventy-fve pounds Of ice, or to
make forty-fiVe pounds of iron white hot
implies an evolution of heat sufficient to
melt layer of ice spread over an area
OF a square mile to a thickness of eight
inches. In such a rain as that of yesterday
enough caloric was turned loose to have
melted small glacier.
Savannah had the severest thunder
shower yesterday afternoon It has had in
a long time In less than an hour over
"a inches of rain fell. In fifteen minutes,
from sos O'clock until $40 o clock, the fall
was Ia inches. The streets were flooded
and were washed in places so that travel
was blocked. The lightning was severe.
In the business portions of the city the
flashes were incessant and the thunder
followed the flashes without any appar-
ent intervening of time.
During the storm lightning struck the
new machine shop of John Rourke g. Son,
at East Broad and Bay streets. The bolt
first struck the flagstaff and wound
around 1t, splintering it as IT came down;
then entered the cupola 1t ripped oft
the eastern side and entered the building
below. passing down an iron stay-rod,
and, after dividing, went in opposite di-
rections, seeking the ground. Two of the
Immense wooden pillars, which support
the building on the inside. were ripped
In such manner that new ones will have
to be put in. There was no serious dam
Several workmen were in the BUILDING
at the time, but only one was affected by
the shock. He was a colored man carry
ing load of brick, and was stunned for
a moment. The men say that the whole
building was apparently in blaze at the
time. and it was a wonder that 1t did not
take fire.
The damage will be repaired at once.
The building has not yet been completed.
and no machinery was in It, Mr., Rourke
said last night that he had recently or
dered persistent lightning rod man out
Of his foundry, because he had concluded
that there was no virtue in rods but il
is safe 10 state that the lightning rod man
VIII be more cordially received if he should
call again.
Along the river 1t seemed as IL the light
ming was more vivid than anywhere else.
and throughout the city the clouds darted
flashed out streaks of lightning inces-
sanity.
Amy Reed (colored). on Mr.. Ralph FL
liott's Grove Point plantation, was struck
and killed. The girl was about 16 wears
old, and was walking on a ricefield hank in
company with a girl when she was killed.
Her companion was knocked down. but
not hurt in any way. No marks of any
kind were found on the body of the girl
killed.
The rain deluged the streets and side
HoAhS- ne StWtIS were unaDle TO carry
or the water and they burst in half a
dozen places. On Cemetery street. near
Gwinnett, the worst break occurred. The
ground caved in, and the drainage stoned
and the street was quickly under water.
The electric railway cars were unable to
cross, and travel was delayed for an
hour, until the break could be repaired.
The park was a regular lake, and the
water remained standing in ponds most
of the night.
Wherever there was an incline in the
streets the roadways were washed. The
sidewalks, in places, were overlooked and
pedestrians had to wade or take to the
cars.
A few more choice compliments were
bestowed on a portion of the board of
county commissioners during the storm
The flashes of lightning played around
the court house like a brilliant fireworks
display, while the terrible thunderclaps
that followed frequently frightened some
clerk or court house official clear out of
his chair. Some of them sought refuge
in a room that is lined with non-conduct-
ing material, while others sat in silence
and awaited the next thunder peal hop
ing it would be the last.
Some of them thought the hufIdiuq