Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-28
SOUTH DELUGED BY RAIN
Rivers Overflow Their Banks and Much
Damage is Done.
NEARLY FIVE INCHES FALL SOME PLACES
Trains Are Annulled and Electric
wire Communication is Entirely
shut on in Many of the
Largest cities.

ATLANTA, Feb. 27.-The southeastern
gulf states were deluged by rain last night
and today. The precipitation was very
heavy and at Columbus, Ca, a bridge wac
swept ava this evening. The rainfall
there was almost a c~loudburst. the Chatta-
hoochie river rising at the rate OF two feet
an hour. Several wasbouts were reported
on a number Of roads and trains out Of
Columbus were annuIIed There has been
no loss Of life.
The Columbus bridge broke in two about
200 feet from the Georgia shore and went
sweeping down stream at q frIshttul pace.
Just four and q half blocks below is the other
bridge which crosses to Giard, Ala, and
1t also would have been carried away had
not the fall over the Eagle and Phoenix
dam demolished the boating bridge before
it reached Il. The electric light and tele-
phone wires running over to Phoenix City
and Giard went across the bridge and they
were snapped like threads.
City without water.
The water pipes which supplied the city
water were also in this bridge and were
broken and carried away leaving the city
without water for q time. The water COM
pany has an old submerged main across
the river and this was placed in commission
tonight, saving the city from . water
famine.
The rain has been falling in torrents all
day. No trains, except the Central of
Georgia from Macon, have reached Column
bus since noon. A washout near Scale,
Ala, holds the Mobile & Giard passenger
train, due this morning, and the depart
ing train on that road was annulled.
There are several washouts on the sea-
board air line between here and Albany.
Ca, which stops traf1c, on that line. Sew
eral washouts are reported on the Southern
between here and Shiloh. There IL a large
washout on the Southern railway in Coium-
bus city limits. All trains since this morn
ing have been annulled and there Is little
hope Of any tomorrow.
Birmingham il DeluEed.
Tonight the Associated Press wire is the
only one in operation toward the north.
After an Intermittent rain Of twenty days
Birmingham was deluged early this morn
ing. The rain flooded the streets and many
awnings and street signs were torn away.
Flooded tracks were interfering seriously
with street railway traf1c and tonight the
rainfall had not ceased. All streams we're
swollen and rapidly rising.
The total rainfall in Montgomery. Ala.
up to Z p. m. was 4.50 inches and a heavy
d%ownpour is reported in other points Of
Alabama.
The barometer recorded 1928, the lowest
reading on record in that city. The ex-
cessive rainfall has caused a rapid rise in
the Coosa and Alabama rivers. The d.
rector OF the weather bureau has issued
warnings for points below wetumpka and
advised that stock be removed from lands
subject to overflow at a thirty-fve-f foot
STAGE. al .
At West Point, Ga, the merchants are
busy tonight removing goods from stores
to places OF safety.
In Atlanta raih fell in torrents all day.
The rainfall UP to s o'clock was 1856, The
barometer was the lowest ever recorded.
The weather bureau tonight sent food
warnings to all points in Alabama and
Georgia, reached by the Chattahoochie and
Alabama rivers.
In the southwestern section OF this state
the rain and windstorm almost attained the
proportions of a tornado and It is feared
considerable damage resulted. In Americas
trees and fences were blown down by the
gale.
In Savannah, Ga, a terrible sea is run
ming tonight and the wind is blowing fifty
miles an hour.
At Tampa, Fla, hurricane signals are
out and the wind is blowing thirty-fouf
miles an hour, with increasing speed. All
boats are close in port and a severe
storm is raging from the gulf. Martins
was struck by a hurricane and scores Of
houses damaged. There was a cloudburst
in Tampa and the town was flooded.
s-usquehanna Is Falling.
LANCASTER, Pa, Feb. 27-After having
risen fifteen feet and breaking the high
water record of 1899 during the Johnstown
food, the Susquehanna began to fall and to-
night is Ave feet lower at Columbia than
1t was al this hour last night. The feeling
Of alarm has passed and 1t is believed the
worst lie over.
NEW YORK, Feb. 27.-The foods which
prevail In Long Island. due to the quicl
melting Of the snow. are responsible FOL
the loss Of at least one life. Philip Stein
hauser, a Hicksville farmer, was fount
drowned in a hollow through which tn
water poured. The body was tangled II
fallen telephone wires.
storm I'm Northwest.
DULUTH. Feb. 2T.-A week OF warm, un
seasonable weather that has prevailed a