The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-14
NOW COMES FLOOD
.o,uI,R DISASTER ON HEELS OF
JACKSONVILLE FIRE.
WATERS OF A cLoUDBURST
ooD STREETS, RESIDENCES AND
BUSINESS HOUSES.

main THAT Had Been Failing Inter-
,i+trntly Became Yesterday Morn
.ug so Heavy as to Cause Dam
o.,.. Estimated at 500, OOO-Water
T.. same Cases Reached the Level
81 Eirst-Story WindONs-In Tween
.,-four Hours the Rainfall Was
S4I Inches.
Jacksonville, Fla, May 1S.-The rain
ubicb had been falling intermittent
Nv all day yesterday and all last night,
@ssumed this morning about daybreak
almost the proportions of a cloudburst,
and when citizens prepared to leave
IN, their places of business many of
,bsno found their homes completely
surrounded by water.
Rut these were not the unfortunates.
Many were driven from their resi-
dences or forced to go to upper stories
bv the water that in some cases reach
ID the level of the first-story windows.
In all as much as one square mile of
the town was under water.
Fullv half a mile of Bay street, the
nrjnciltaI thoroughfare of the city, was
nnder water, and much damage was
done to stocks of goods. On this street
a mule hitched to a wagon got beyond
its depth and was drowned, and the
driver. attempting to cut it from the
vehicle. nearly lost his life.
skiffs. and later in the day naph-
tbas launch, were plying on Bay street,
removing people from their submerged
homes.
Two Feet Deep in the Depot.
The water was too feet deep in the
waiting room of the Union Depot, and
every railroad track entering the city
was under water. One train each over
the Florida East Coast Line and the
Atlantic Coast Line came into jack
sonville in the morning, and one each
over these two roads and the Seaboard.
one East Coast train departed at
night.
The damage to the roalroads in and
near the city is considerable, but 1t is
believed that it will be repaired by
morning. and that trains will make
their regular schedules tomorrow
The rain in its intensity seemed TO De
local and the railroads are not dam
AGED except in or near the city
The citv is in total darkness to-
night. The water was foot deep III
the electric light power house ana
stopped the dynamos. The damage "
the electric light plant, which belongs
IN the city. is estimated at $5,OOO. 1t
Will take probably 100000 to put the
streets and bridges in repair.
Railroads Were Hit Hard
The railroads suffered losses prob
ably amounting to $lOO,OO0 :,
The losses of individuals cannot DE
accurately estimated. ,,o
Many bridges in the county We're were;
washed away. The total loss VIII
probably not be less than $4OO,OOO.
In addition to this, it is feared that
Bridge street viaduct, which cost $zoV'-
coo. has been made dangerous by llie
food. The water of McCoy's creek was
all dav rushing under it in broad
and rapid stream, and it is feared
that the supports of the bridge nave
been so weakened that it Will De uh-
safe However, it was soon 10 nave
been replaced by a new one. Ropes
We're stretched across the Viaduct 10
keep the crowd off. Whether 1t was
weakened seriously can only be deter
mined after the waters subside.
Houses Were Overturned.
Five houses were overturned or de-
molished near the banks of Hogan
creek in the negro part of the town.
They were all small. The foundations
of many others in the same LOCALITY
We're undermined and they were rem
dered uninhabitable. A number OF ne
gro families were rendered homeless:
The flood was caused by the heavy
downpour in Jacksonville and few
miles to the north and west. Three
small creeks flow into the river from
the northwest in the limits of Jackson
vile, but they spread over a great
portion of the city.
The total rainfall for the twenty
four hours ending at a. M, amounted
10 ) Al inches.