The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-12-23
4 Blu SPILL v} We THEIR
AUSTIN Is SUFFERING FROM A BAD
ROUND CERTAINLY FOR THE
PAST WEEK.
PlRftij SSASUt SLJPPY MUr
Life Endangered by Attempts to
Swim Across the Avenuc-The
Weather situation Almost
Hopeless.

Since last Wednesday night Austin has
suffered from one of Its worst spells OF
weather. 1t has been raining, raining,
raining until il seemed as though 1t was
impossible for the heavens to weep any
more. Monday there were some sight IN
dlcations of Gearing up. The Clouds
raised a trille from the heaving position
they have assumed during the past four
days even the sea of mud on the Avenue
looked a tribe drier than it has for days
past. The Nmas shoppers taking cheer
from the outlook, sailed forth to their
buying. Their JOY was of brief duration,
however. The weather man turned one
of the cold air cocks III the refrigerator
half open Monday afternoon and by
nightfall it was getting cold. During the
night the condition was not improved,
and yesterday morning the sullenly hang
ing clouds began to weep again. The
acres of mud OH the Avenue apparently
frightened up again as they saw chances
for further existence, and the Nmns
shoppers FASTENED back to their homes
ana ireSides, While the merchants mem
ta.y repeated the ten commandments
cross ways.
rattcr, patter, patter, fell the rain most
al the morning, and the afternoon too
for that matter. The streets which have
hardly been passable for II week grew
muddier still, and the disgust on every
body's face was very apparent. True the
day was not so cold after all. The
thermometer was not at zero, but some
cod feeted people thought it was. 1t was
Il raw day and many fe.t that it was
disagreeab.y cold, and therefore it might
just MS wei have been that way for they
felt chilly, ana the feeling is always the
worst part of the matter During the
afternoon the condition improved none
and darkness fell over the city with the
clouds hanging low and the temperature
falling. During the day, at intervals,
some fool hardy person would boldly
venture to cross the Avenue at some pace
where there was supposed to be a cross
ing. Many yentured II few feet out into
the sea of mud, hesitated a moment and
with fear on every line of their faces,
FASTENED back to the sidewalk and
struck boldly out for the other side of
the street Their attempted passage
was watched with interest. In one or
two cases they swan as far as the street
car tracks, hung onto the rails there n
few minutes and then weak and ex-
hausted, released their hold and sank
to rise no more. Late last evening
head was seen bobbing up and down in
the mud on the east side of the Avenue
and as bystanders fastened to give
helping hand and pulled the weary swim
mer out of the mud. he remarked as he
sank exhausted to the sidewalk that he
had started very foolish.y to cross the
street in the early morling hours and
while he had nearly drowned several
times he had managed by floating to
keep on the surface until assistance
came. While diligent search was made
after this for other wrecked pedestrians,
none were found along either curbstone,
and it is safe to say that the other
fatalities will not be discovered until the
mud dries up some, so that people can
venture with safety to investigate. In
the meantime, however, do not try to
cross the street without life preservers.