El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-07-01
MAS AGUA-MORE BOG
Another Very Heavy Rainfall.-Part
of the West Side Badly Flooded.

This has been record breaking
season for precipitat on. In two hours
yesterday morning, l 20 inches of rain
fell: and last night again 40 inches
fell, making > 10 inches rainfall for
twenty-siX hours. This beats all re-
cords since 1881 when IN July over q
inches fell in very short time. But
this was cloud burst, and came near
wiping out the small hamlet that ssrag-
gled over the present site Of Ell Paso.
Ia July OF 1880 there was another very
heavy rainfall-much like the one of
this year; but back Of that the records
are more or less misty. MeXicans say
that when this country has rain In
April, the summer is bound to be
wet one, and y. H. Holmes, who has
lots of experience in this part of the
world, says he has never known that
sign to fail.
Well, the raius descended and the
floods came Otro vez last night,
and more disaster came with it.
To begin with, on the west side
the flood probably did the most damage
in the first ward. There the water
had banked up forming a lake to the
north of the Southern Pacific track
from the rains the night before and
with last night's rain a lake was form
ed from Leou street to the S. z. cross
ing near the stock yards. This large
amount of water washed out the S. +.
track at the head of Durango street
and as there wasl outlet for the water
il formed d lake from Leon street to the
little aceQuia and the water was from
two to three feet deep. j. A. Smith 5
residence aud dairy was entirely under
water and on Durango street the water
reached from Sonora to the track.
The adobe houses between Durango
and Anthony streets were under water,
out had not fallen down by IL o clock
West of Anthony street to the little
acequia the water also flooded the
houses and this morning when parties
were getting out of bed they put their
feet in water and on investigation
some of them found a foot of water in
| their houses. Those living in adobe
houses hastily moved out and sought
fdry spots on which to put their furni-
ture.
One house, in which Shrout and Con-
trias lived was submerged a foot deep
aud the two families moved out. This
house will probably fall.
The Southern Pacific track was
washed out in two places at the head
of Anthony street, but the washOut was
repaired by 10 o'clock. The people
who were flooded in the first ward cut
the little acequia aukment and let
the water run into a hole north of the
Santa Fe round house. By this they
drew Off part of the water, but at
places it was so low that the water
would lot run Off.
The great trouble from water is that
the little acequia enbaokment does
not let the water run off and as long as
this barrier stands there will always
be floods from heavy rains in different
parts of town. The water from the
hills mostly runs down Oregon street,
but when it strikes the acequia en-
bankment there it stops and spreads out
forming large ponds of water that be-
come stagnant and causes sickness.
The sewer pumps were put to work
This morning as the sewer pipes were
unable to carry off the large amount OF
water without the assistance of the
pumps. The river also rose four or
i've inches which makes the running of
the pumps necessary.
The usual torrent came down Ore
gon street but was prevented from en-
tering the business quarter by the
dyke which B. Z. Majors had thrown
across the street imm- dIately above
the railroad track, SO that the water
was turEed west into the s. z. ditch
which was speedily loaded up with
saod. Other torrents came rushing
down the streets to the east OF Mesa
avenue, ard tore the roadways up
worse than ever. The water loaded
with mud ran all over the G. II. yards
as on the previous night, while flood
tore the ditch up on Franklin street,
with sea OF liquid mud. The round
house yard was paralyzer this mora
ing.
The water escaped iuto the already
Hooded flats to the south, aud the bay GU
there is considerably larger than on
The previous day. The water Is now
across Myrtle avenue in several places,
and Mr.. Reckharu is arranging to
have "a double declled jersey City fer
ry beat make periodic trips between
tis house and up town. Even A. II.
Holmes place is surrounded with
wa,er so that N writing his letters
now be heads the same, Island Home"
Engineer Wilcox residence to the east,
ana four or five residences beyond on
the north SIDE OF the road are islands IN
the bayou. The latter must be over half
a mile long by one quarter broad, can
be used for boating II nothing else. In
fact a series of boat races gut be
got up for the ga!Orlous fourth. The
water is nearly down to the road lead
ing up TO the bicycle track. The land
betw, en- the bayou and the mountain
was heavily washed, and the road back
OF the round house is what might b.
Cdlleu Il s. Bnt. Inc may OF went down
the road this morning, and told eX-
Alderman Kachler he would try to
provide for an outlet below so that all
this water might escape. Residents
on Myrtle avenue fervently hope that
he will find a way-very quick.
The south side of the town is as yes
tt rday, only more SO. The streets are
deeper under water, and in general
the boating privileges Of the town are
immensely increased. Van Patterns
corral is two feet under the briny''
and two adobe house fell by the way
side close by this morning.
The adjoining lots are good sized lakes.
and the same state of thing S
obtains pretty much al over ward 2.
G. G. 1Blacller Stacey's and other
houses in that neig hborhood are once
more islands. But then ward people
are becoming used to that sort of a
thing in fact would feel quite lost
amid any other kind of surroundings.
On either side IF the L. q L. track
there are lakes, and a number of
l.. j. Of