Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-10
Water Falls at the Rate Of Two Inches Per
Hour.
CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE ABOUT THE CITY
GOD Pavement Washed Out ON the
His Streets and Another Sec
ton of Lagoon wall
Gives Way.

'1Na - EBAA'a AZ ]
sometimes in bucketstul, sometimes in tor
rents and sometimes in sheets.
City Engineer Rosewater estimated that
during the heaviest OF the storm the water
came down at the rate of one inch in thirty
hve minutes.
At $3.50 O'Clock the sun came out and 1t J
booked as though the storm might pass over |
10 let the crowds enjoy the open air concert
OF the United States Marine band at the ex-
position, but later In the afternoon it raiued
again. At $3.50 the weather officer reported
that .9S Of an inch OF rain had fallen in
thirty-fve minutes. Between noon and $40
o'clock the fall amounted to Isl inches and
the chances for more unsettled weather
and additional showers were pronounced
to be very good at that hour.
Speaking of the water the forecast officer
remarked that since March l, this year, there
mad been 80 OF an inch of water in excess
OF the amount that is regarded as normal.
Last year, 1897, there was a deficiency of
l54 inches. Since March i the precipita-
non has been 11.49 inches, exclusive OF the
heavy fall of yesterday. When the total
fall for the last twenty-four hours shall
be added in it will be found that Omaha
has taken quite a good deal of water since
March /.
Damage About the City.
There was considerable damage done by
the severe rainfall of yesterday afternoon. |
The most extensive was that to the east
ern section of the lagoon at the exposition
grounds. Several sewers were badly over
run, and the cutters throughout the city
were unable to carry off the water as fast
as it came down during the heaviest part
of the storm. As a result all the street
crossings became impossible for a time.
The heavy rain between 2 and 3 o'clock
was accompanied by sharp lightning and
heavy peals of thunder. During the time
most electric lights were doubtful. telephone
and telegraph communication was inter-
rupted and the street cars came TO a stand
still. The street car service was inter
runted for about ten minutes, the power
being cut off. The bridge cars got across
the river all right, but could not get by
Ninth and Douglas for quite a while, that
being where the big cars slip their trolleys
onto the Omaha circuit wires. Instead of
waiting for the power to be turned on and
then making the circuit Of Douglas, Four
teenth and Twelfth streets, the bridge cars
unloaded their passengers from Council
Bluffs at Ninth and Douglas streets in the
drenching rain. and proceeded to run back
to Council Bluffs, while the passengers were
left to seek shelter as best they could.
Saved by the Sewers.
Residents of the north and northwestern
portions of the city only suffered little from
the effects of the storm, owing to the fact
thai the sewers were in good condition and
carried the water off as rapidly as it fell.
In former years when a heavy rainfall oc-
CURED all of that section of the city in the
vicinity of Thirtieth and Spaulding streets
was flooded and sidewalks were washed
away. Since then a large sewer has been
constructed and now the water from the
bluff runs down the side streets and finds
its way into this sewer before it can
spread out over the level land. Yesterday
some of the houses were surrounded with
water and many cellars were filled. This
was about the extent of the damage. With
the exception of the washing out of a few
yards of the rotten block pavement on
Spauiding street, just east of Twenty ninth.
Out on the north bottoms beyond the eX-
position grounds the whole country was COW
cred with water to a depth of six inches.
AS soon as the rain subsidized tie side bitches
opening into the main ditch along Sherman
avenue were opened and in a few moments,
with the exception of the mud, there was
nothing to indicate that the rain was any
thing more than a gentle shower. so quickly
had the water disappeore.l from the surface
of the ground.
The people living along the west shore of
Cut-On lake were given something of a
scare. The water poured in upon them from
the bluff and for A time they thought that
a waterspout had burst. They prepared 10
move to higher land, but before they had
made any great h~eadway. she rain ceased
and they felt at ease again. They sufelo cd
no damage. aside from having their cellar:
filled with water
That portion of the city in the vicinity
of Twenty-fourth street and Patrick avenue
had the usual experience, though they did
not suffer as much as usual. Several Flock
OF land on the east SIDE Of Twenty fourth
street were flooded - the depth Of a foot
but as soon as the rain stopped falling. III,
water receded and in the course of a nhoul
the trouble was oger. though there wa'
mud nearly knee deep.
Paving Washed Ont.
The inrushing waters caused considerable
Inconvenience TO the residents of the small
frame dwellings that mark the lowlands il
the south and east portions Of the city. II
some OF the dwellings the families were
compelled to abandon their ground tiool
rooms and seek refuge in the upper floors.
While the storm was at its height abou
$50 O'Clock the floors OF some of thes'
dwellings resembled a wreck dotted oceaI
during a storm. Wash tubs, chairs, tables
and other impedimenta toated about in Will
confusion.
some oil the CeilafS Ol puiluluBs III H
down town districts of the city were hoode'
to the depth of an inch or so.
The squad room at police headquarter
was partially under water for a time. TIL
damage sustained. however, was nominal
The wooden pavements in every section
of the city suffered to some extent, espe
cially on billy streets, as did also the woodel
sidewalks in outlying portions of the city.
The long hill on Jackson, from Sixteenth
and Thirteenth streets, is dotted thiekl
with paving blocks washed down from con
verging streets. At many OF the street cor
ners the manholes We're unable to accom-
modate the heavy flow of water and the
were undermined. Farnam, Harvey and al
The hIlly streets resembled cataraets and a
times when the storm was at its height
looked as though the curbs could hardl
contain the big volumes of water.
On these streets street car traffic wa
abandoned for nearly a half hour. the car
being unable to gain any headway again:
the volume of on brushing water.