Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-10-09
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
Terrific Downpour in New York.

New York, Oct. 9.-The heaviest fall
of rain this city has experienced in years
has ragged for twenty-four hours. AT
nine o'clock this morning it showed no
signs of ceasing. There were frequent
showers during yesterday but with night
lall the rain fell in sheets and a north
east wind sent it swirling through the
streets. Up to eight o'clock this morn
ing 6. l3 inches of rain had fallen. The
greatest precipitation heretofore has
stood at SIP inches. Only necessary
business is being transacted out Of doors
and the streets look deserted. The
heavy rainfall caused almost a complete
cessation of suburban traffic and in some
instances trains were stopped or badly
delayed. Thousands of people were UNI
able to get to work today. The New
York Central and New Haven roads re-
ported that their train service was Writ
ualIy at a standstill becauseo of conditions
at Melrose where torrent Of water i've
to ten feet high swept through the
station. The Hackensack meadows were
flooded and all trunk lines proceeding in
to Jersey City were behind in their
schedules. In some places tracks
we're washed away. Desolation was
pictured everywhere this morning in
the eastern district of Brooklyn.
Five horses we're drowned this morning
in the streets of Williamsburg. Two wo-
men narrowly escaped drowning, while
ut a fire in Wallabout street the three
powerful horses pullinga truck company
narrowly escaped death. The animals
we're driven through the five feet OF
water in the street with their backs under
the water and only their heads visible
while the fremen stood up on top of the
ladders. The storm was at its height at
5 o'clock this morning when the pres
sure of water in the sewers caused many
of the manhole covers to be blown up and
the water rushed from the pipes like
geysers. Hundreds of families who were
imprisoned in their homes were unable
to obtain food. Some men rugged up
RATS and earned considerable money by
rowing up to the houses and either go
ing on errands for occupants, who low
cred them baskets on strings, or by row
ing the heads OF families from the flood
ed districts so that they could go to
work. The damage by today's storm
will not be less than 800, 900. 1t is
feared that the foundations of many
houses will be found to have been under
mined.
Peekskill Depot, n. Y, Oct. o.
Heavy rain fell necessarily in the Hud
son Valley all last night and this morn
ing. The river is greatly swollen, a:
the result of the numerous streams pour
ing into it. Travel on the New York
Central Railroad was greatly impedeC
this morning. There was a serious
wash-out at Croton. At Spuyten Duyv
the water is within foot of the Contra
tracks and is rising. At Ossining the
tracks for two hundred yards are sub
merged. Three inches Of water cover
them. All southbound express trains
are from two TO three hours late. No
in many years has the Hudson been sc
high. For three hundred feet at Mont
rose the Central tracks are covered with
two inches of water.
New Haven, Conn, Oct. 9.-Tht
storm which came out of the Lake region
struck here with full force last night
when the wind began to blow gale
Later rain accompanied the wind but
not in such quantities as in the western
part of the state. The rainfall here al
noon today was los inches since the
commencement of the precipitation las
night. The wind was as high as 81
miles an hour and is still blowing owe
30 miles. Very little damage is report
ed thus far from the storm.
Patterson, n. j., Oct. 9.-The rail-
fall of SO hours during which 11:1'
inches fell this city and suburbs are in
undated. Passaic river is as high as il
the flood of last spring and is steadil.
rising.