The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-03-05
GREAT SOUTHERN STORM.
Alabama and Georgia Flooded
Thursday---Serious Results at
Columbus.

AClanGa, "a, rep. Zt.-4H0 SOu9u-
eastern Gulf States were deluged by
rain last night and today. The pre-
cipitation was very heavy and at Co
lumbus, Ca, bridge was swept away
at 5 O'Clock this evening. The rainfall
there was almost a cloudburst, the
Chattahoochee rising at the rate OF
two feet an hour. Several washouts
we're reported on a number of roads
and trains out of Columbus were an
nulled. There has been:no loss OF life.
The Columbus bridge broke in two
about hundred feet from the Geor-
gia shore and went sweeping down
stream at a frigthful pace, and Just
four and half BLOCKS below it is
the other bridge which crosses to
Girard, Ala, and it also would have
been carried away had not the fall over
the Eagle and Phenix dam demolished
the floating bridge before 1t reached
it. The electric lights and telephone
wires running over the Phenlx vSslty
and Girard went across on the badge
and they were snapped like threads.
The water pipes which supplied the
city with water we're also on this
bridge and they too were broken like
sticks and carried away, leaving the
city without water for time. The
water company has an old submerged
main across the river and this was
placed into commission tonight, say
ing the city froa waterr famine.
The rain had been falling IN torrents
all day. No trains except the Central
of Georgia from Macon have reached
Columbus since noon. A washout near
Scale, Ala. holds the Mobile and
Girard passenger train due this morn
ing and the departing train on that
road was annuled. There are several
washouts on the Seaboard Air Line
between here and Albany which stops
traffic on that line. Several washouts
are reported on the Southern between
here and Shiloh. There is a large
washout on the Southern IN Colum-
bus city limits. All trains since this
morning have been annulled and there
is little hope of any tomorrow. To-
night The Associated Press wire IS the
only one in operation toward the
north.
After an intermittent rain of 20
days Birmingham was deluged early
this morning. The rain flooded the
streets and many awnings and street
signs were torn away. Flooded tracks
are interfering seriously with street
railway traffic and tonight the rainfall
had not ceased. All streams are swol-
len and rapidly rising.
The total rainfall in Montgomery.
Ala. to I o. M, was 4.50 inches and
a heavy downpour is reported IN other
paIt of Alabama. The barometer re-
corded 1928, the lowest reading on
record in that city.
The excessive rainfall has caused
rapid rise in the Coosa and Alabama
rivers. The director of the weather
bureau has issaep warnings for points
below Wetumpka and advised that
stock be removed from lands subject
to overflow at a 35 foot stage.
st West Point, Ga, the merchants
are busy tonight removing goods
from stores to places of safety. The
unprecedented rainfall there has rem
dered the recent Improvements along
the river utterly useless. Fancy
prices are being paid for ali kinds Of
labor. A patrol for all night duty
along the river was established here
at 9 p. m.
In Atlanta rain fell in torrents all
day. The wind damaged ventilators in
the dome OF the capitol and blew in
several panes of glass. The water
damaged many Of the Offices and the
ooIastering fell in several of them.
The telegraph companies were seri-
ously handicapped by the rain and
lightning which was at times inces-
SAINT.
The rainfall up to 8 o'clock tonight
was 3.36. The barometer was the
lowest ever recorded. The Atlanta
weather bureau tonight sent out food
warnings to all points in Alabama and
Georgia reached by the Chattahoochee
and Alabama rivers.
In the southwestern section OF this
state rain and wind storm almost at
tained the proportions of cyclone and
it is feared considerable damage will
result. In Americas trees and fences
have been blown down by the gale.