The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-06-26

A score Of instances might be cited, If
space permitted, where rain in excess
of four inches fell in the Sec
ton of North Carolina during the past
20 years., and the records of COMPARE
lively few stations are available.
1t Ia be concluded then that a fall
Of 5 inches was not sufficient TO cause
the disaster in South Carolina. but it is
more han probable hat a cludburst
of much violence occurred on the slopes
of the Blue Ridge where the Pacolet
and Tiger rivers rise. This is indicated
not only by the great torrent Of water,
but by the suddenness of the rise of
the rivers, which was, perhaps, the
most destructive feature of the Hood.
The c~loudburStS or waterSpouts, are
distinctly local. Indeed it could not
be otherwise. If all h moisture that
the air could contain at a temperature
OF 6O degrees We're condensed it would
produce less than 2 inches Of preciplta-
ton. To produce the enormous down.
pours of c~loudbursts it is necessary
that such of the surrounding region
be drawn on for moisture, and the tor
rents, therefore, fell owe a limited
area. The atu of this remarkable
phenomenon may be understood by a
few instances OF which there is au-
thentic record.
August 18th, 1876, at Fort Scully,
Oak, the heaviest rainfall ever known
occurred; and on the opposite side Of
the river Missouri) the water drawn
from a canon was reported to have
moved out in a solid bank three feet
deep and 200 feet wide. August 31st,
1876, on Chalk creek. Utah, five miles
from COalville, a cloudburSt was re-
ported, n a bank of water between
three and four feet high came down
the stream, destroying dams, etc. No
vember 18th, 1877, at Red Bluff, Cal,
after a severe thunderstorm, attended
by hail a waterSpout was observed.
The stream of water was distinctly
visible. and continued for about Is
minutes, when it gradually disappear
ed This occurred in an open country,
n caused a stream of water 10 20 Is
feet deep in a ravine where water is
unknown except in very heavy rains.
June 18th, 1899, on Beaver creek, 50
miles south of Deadwood. Doak, there
was a cloudburst, which,, without a
gradual rise of water, in a few minutes
covered the country and drowned II
persons. On June 23d, 1SS4,a ~cloudburst
occurred near Jefferson, Mont causing
a body of water S feet deep to rush
down on the town. Three persons were
drowned. On June Sth, 1885, q cloud
burst broke above Pason de Cuarenta.
Mexico, practically destroying the
y IIoIS loNI1 IIIu uIo" III III l1icll
10 persons, out of $40 inhabitants.
Near Wickenburg, AriZ., a c~loudburst
caused the Hussayampa river from
being perfectly dry at sunset, August
6th, 1881, to be a stream q mile wide at
II p. m. and from , to Is feet deep; in
Is hours the river was again dry.
The S~uddenneSS of the rise, especially
in the Pacolet river. seems Conclusive
evidence that something more than a
very hetvy ain caused the disaster:
and the narrownesS Of the stream and
the fact that from the foot Of the
mountains the Pacolet river has a fall
of 500 feet in about 50 miles were ad-
ditiOnal helps to overwhelming rain
along its course.
The general weather conditions Oh
the night of the lood favored severe
local disturbances in the piedmont
section. The barometer was low over
northern Georgia and east Tennessee
which caused warm, moist southeast
winds to flow over The CarOlin1S
against the Blue Ridge slopes, bringing
the heavy general rains over these
states, with here and there local dis
turbances in the form of thundeIstorms
and the fatal cloudburst over the head
waters of the South Carolina rivers.