Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-06
RUINED BY A STORM.
.,,rsr OF YESTERDAY EVENING
vnr.r<Ep GREAT DAMAGE.
yrcB MERCHANDISE SWEPT AWAY.
WAS n sudden and Furious RAIN
fou. Accompanied by Thunder ana
,,ahtntnr-Nnny Easements Flood
5-other Injury Reported.


,,..-,o~s was visited last night by one
.,... most sudden and heavy rains thaI
,.- ON here and its attendant results
most disastrous. frcshets beihs
..l along the line Of shockoe creek
49,. ,t Madison and Main streets. when
. ~,ecd property to the extent Of about
ODD .ra,
Manchester the streets in several
.,...s were flooded. and at the corner Of
,..r..sath and Hull streets the SIDE
...rt. were NJ one time covered Win
,tart 8 feet Of water
,-,n.b'v the greatest damage done oy
,,. vain was along the borders Of shockoe
.-..t which was forced out Of its banks
49,. .,.. rater from which submerged the
-,.-r streets for blocks around.
D. I-rrNin. Main. and Cary streets be-
.-... Fifteenth and Seventeenth almost
...-e store was invaded by muddy water
.+5-s The proprietors or their clerks hSu
..... -1 move their goods to safe places,
,,f .,erv cellar anywhere IN the N'Oii'''s
b. .t. crock was filled. The streets were
.... submerged. and In some places W."
.- LOO the depth Of feet covered 'nein'
A DELUGE OF RAIN.
Rain began falling yesterday afternoon
,to.o.l but from that time unul
-.. .,.lo.k Do only shoWered at Intervals
A.. ,ra laet-uamed hour, however. a per
t.t aaluce occurred. and water ieh IN
...b torrents that many believed LOT
.r.rent that q Cloucburst had occur. ca.
rlls shower lasted over an hour ana III
-r.l time several inches OF water h"u
'.rer and when the torrent had aO"'e'
-ro.koe creek began 10 swell.
>--t,r. ,,as sent 10 the merchants along
r'. h1r8crs OF the creek as rapidly as
,...rfs bgt ir many instances the water
,....h rose very fast. beat the mesSei-
--. and Id am incredibly short time lhe
.r..-r district between Grace street -uN
f.s river and Fifteenth and seventeenth
.l..ts was UNDER water.
r. crock flowed across Franklin street
r..r DE swifiness OF mountain stream
...I rasead on through the stores or the
....f side Of the street. sweeping goods
End through the rear doors as though
....g were only straWs. The water nIst
Ia its apuearauCe on Main street. put
moment after 10 came upon frahNiln
and reached the street through the nooIs
NJ fhe deserted store formerly occupleu
.v George B. Davis. which sits immedl-
...rv over the creek. 10 was al one time
thought that this store would be swept
away. so great was the force or the loI-
rent. As IL was. the floor OF the grouhu
Story was washed away, and the water
thereby gained access 10 the s'Ieo"
which il soon covered.
DAMAGE IN THE MARKET.
The First Market and Seventeenth
street. were invaded with water quite
suddenly. and the fierce stream swept
through them and carried along with
the current al kinds Of merchandise. IN
the vegetable market. which ON a Satui-
CAV night is always crowded. great de-
VISITATION was wrought Many of the
huckstere had their produce spread out
on TIE pavement in front Of their carts
or stalls. and ere they could gather IL
30 all was swept away.
While much injury was done on Main
aud Cary streets, the most damage was
probably done on Franklin street, as
here the merchants had absolutely no
notice Of the approaching freshet, ana
were caught with their wares all spread
o.t .n o. manner 10 invite custom. Con-
siderable damage was done along the
borders OF the dock. too, as all the
houses along there are wholesale estab-
l,hments. and contained in great mea-
sure perishable goods
The volume Of water which flowed
down across the streets ell entered the
dock and caused that body of water TO
Use beyond its banks In consequence
tte various warehouses along the water
way were entered by the muddy liquid,
and thousands OF dollars worth Of goods
were lanaged.
At the same time all of this was hap
Itu.uc along the creek the water was
rushing u torrents down Madison street
from Franklin. and down the hills on
Main street. and uniting at the intersec- |
zion OF Nain and Madison streets, where |
are located many residences. The Gull |
ytrts located az that point proved al |
together insufficient TO carry of the great !
volume Of water, and in very short |
time the street was submerged. The |
water rose rapidly, and cellars all around |
the ne.rhborhool were filled. In many |
co., the houses the water entered on the |
aror loor and carpets and furniture |
e ruined IL was only a short time |
'7-e the water had subsidized. but much |
mage had been done. and an impromptu |
ila s-meetng Of the residents was held |
el The corner and some very uncOm- |
) men,ary things were said about our |
l,y Fathers.
EFFECTS OF THE LIGHTNING.
Tre last shower Of the evening which |
caused the greater amount Of damage |
Na. aro0mpauied by many startling |
tu.ug flashes. and several buildings |
il alI about the city were more or less
fee4 by the bolts. The car-sheds Of |
90. Richmond Railway and Electric Com
y 40 Twenty and + streets,
Wre struck three times in a very brief |
space oi time. ana the men on duty there |
We're forced 70 flee from the building 10 |
save themselves from death by electrocu- |
lion. no one was hurt. except man /
named Craig who was slightly scOrched.
A Tree Iu Capitol Square was almost de-
mo..sael by lightning.
The new car tracks recently laid in |
J a.imoanJ wero washed out and nu-
m.Io.a houses on Church Hi wee
flooded.
on all the s'reet-car lines traffic was |
Interrupted. and The Main and Franklin
rect cars were tied up for an hour or
more. The slperntendents Of the two
aes were on hand. however. and just as
Don as 30 was possible 70 do 50 travel
A" as resumed.
once or twice before IN the history Of
acamond has Shockoe creek overlooked
.' banks I'M such a manner as was the
re yesterday. This was on the after
noon o. July 2. 1Ss9. when il rose as Il
4 last night. Immediately after a hard
rain ana caught the merchants IN the
valley unawares. The creek flows
through arched culverts after 10 reaches
rankin street and these culverts are
nsufiicient 10 carry of the immense |
.l.lue u water which flows into the |
.-eek after such a rain as fell last night.
Ihe merchants whose stores were In
AIDED by the water took their losses |