Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-09-02
CL0UDBURST IN CLEVELAND
Ohio Town Has Great Flood That Costs
About a Million Dollars.
streets Washed Away aud Houses
Undermined People Rescued
In Small Boats.

Cleveland, o., Sept l.-With the
breaking of dawn this morning the citi-
zens of Cleveland awoke to look upon
scene of devastation and destruction
caused by raging flood. While the
entire cit,' was more or less affected,
the grea volume of raging water
vented its anger over miles Of the east
ern portion Of the city and caused an
amount of damage estimated at $1,000
O00
The overflow was caused by heavy
rain that commenced to fall shortly
after o'clock. turning into perfect
cloudburst between the hours Of and
5, and then continued with great force
until nearly 10 o'clock. The storm, ac-
cording to the weather officials, was the
heaviest that has swept over Cleveland
since the establishment Of the govern
ment bureau In this city, over forty
years ago. There was no loss OF life.
The waters spread over an area In the
eastern part Of the city nearly eight
miles long and a mile and a half WIDE
This extended from Woodlands Hill
avenue to East Cleveland and back TO
East Madison avenue.
Great volumes of water poured over
from Doan and Giddngs brooks down
quincy street, swamped Vienna street.
rushed over Cedar avenue. back over
East Prospect street rushed like a mill
race down Lincoln avenue to Euclid
avenue and then on TO Glen Park place,
where houses were undermined as
though built OF straw, and large dam
age done to streets and property.
over a large share OF this exclusive
residence territory the water rushed
with terrific force, varying In depth
from one to six feet. Culverts, trestles
and bridges were torn down, and for
hours nothing seemed capable Of stem
ming the tide.
Hundreds of residents were impris-
oned in their beautiful homes like
stranded islanders and were almost
panc-stricken, expecting TO be called
upon TO wade out into the. swirllng wa
tiers at almost any minute, Danger
signals were flashed about the city as
speedily as the disabled telephone sys-
tenn would allow, and the work Of res
cue commenced.
Rowboats proceeded back and forth,
assisting whole families from perilous
positions. but these boats proved in
adequate, and II was soon found neees-
sary TO go TO the extraordinary precau-
ton OF calling on the life-saying crew
from the river distance Of seven
miles. The lIfeboats were quickly load
ed on wagons and hurried TO the scene
Of destruction.
The torrent surged with great force
for hours In Deering street, from Fair
mount 10 the Boulevard. over q. dozen
families were penned In with water five
and six feet deep surrounding their
homes. At this point the life-saving
crew worked yaliantly, and, assisted by
squads Of firemen and policemen, final
~ succeeded In landing the terror
stricken people In places OF safety. The
fear was greatly enhanced by the mo-
mentary expectation that the great
Shaker Heights dam would break loose.
Shortly before noon the torrent un
der1nined a score OF graves IN the st.
Joseph cemetery. nj the corner Of Ma
olson and Woodland, and the bodies
were soon being tossed about In the
water. Fully a dozen OF the corpses
were washed into the cutters and had
not been recovered late tonight
The food went over the banks OF the
Doane brook along the Boulevard and
caused damage that will take months
10 repair. Great Jagged holes were
torn In the beautiful driveway, Coz.
don and Wake parks, on the east slda.
and Brookside park on the south side.
where the water also did great damage
as Il leaped over the banks Of Bis
creek, sustained 100000 damage
Through Chenille the overflow was
very destructive. Many houses were
swamped. culverts torn out and severai
STREETS turned into quagmlres. The
loss IN the village Is also estimated at
800, 900.
The street railways VIII suffer heavy
loss. extending In varying directions
over every portion Of the city. and at
several points viii have 10 rebuild
tracks.
The train service on all the roads
was blocked from two 20 six hours by
The storm and food. Every road enter
ing the city was handicapped by sand
and clrt. which was swept over the