The Savannah morning news., 1904-07-23
HEAVY RAINFALL
AND HIGH WIND
NEARLY AN INCH OF RAIN
FELL IN SAVANNAH YESTERDAY
AFTERNOON IN SHORT WHILE.

Wind Rendered Umbrellas Practf-
caIly Useless - WhfrIed Falling
Rain Against Faces of Pedestrians
and Turned Many Umbrellas In
side Out - Vivid Lightning and
Heavy Thunder Accompanied
Storm - Save Blowing Down of
Fruit, no Great Damage Was
Done.
Shortly after o'clock yesterday aft
ernoon it began raining and before it
ceased the instruments at the Weather
Bureau had recorded a downpour of
~ of an inch. Coupled with the rain of
the night, this made the total for the
day .92 of an inch.
The first inkling that there was to
be something doing in the rain line
came with light shower that passed
over the city about o'clock. 1t did
not last long and there was little rain
that fell, but it served to put Savan-
nahians on notice of possible trouble,
and there was a rush for umbrellas.
This shower had scarcely passed
over when preparations for a second
became evident in the west. High
clouds began massing and within a
short time the skies were overcast. A
strong wind, bowling along at a merry
rate promised additional interest
when the rain began, and it made good.
Wind Made Spray of Rain.
Shortly after O'Clock the rain be-
gan. 1t did not begin with a few
drops and then gradually increase it's
strength, but rather it came with a
rush and seemingly ell at once. 1t
appeared as though great sheets of
water were falling, and the wind rush
ed this down the streets and under
the umbrellas of those who had sought
this meager protection.
Umbrellas were useless and there
was hurried scramble for safety.
The doorWays of the stores were block
ed with shelter-seekers and yet there
was little to be gained by this course.
The strong wind hurled the falling
rain into the doorways, and down the
streets in sweeping sheets, and there
was no way to avoid it. Within a
few minutes after the rain began the
streets We're running with rivulets.
Kept Up Steadily.
AAC 0OWllEOuI COnllluGu SIGdulIV.
Cabs rushed hither and thither, and as
they turned the corners there were
splashes and slips and small waves
dashed over sidewalks. Those cabs
that had been in the districts beyond
the Qaved streets rolled back into the
city covered with great splotches of
mud, eloquent testimony of what was
doing in that. section.
The wind was blowing merrily and
this addod To he
Hats sailed out into the streets, and
umbrellas did stunts that would have
done credit to a professional contor-
ZIONIST. The rain was whirled up I'M
der the umbrellas that stayed right
side out, and was dashed in fine spray
against the faces of the pedestrians.
Every one rushed for shelter. The
ladies hurried into the stores and the
merchants were truly thankful for the
rain. The men. wet on the outside,
hurried to those places where the lights
were brought and the minions immac-
ulately arrayed, and proceeded to get
wet on the inside. For an hour it was
miserable weather and all manner of
maledictions were called down on the
weather man.
Shortly after o'clock the skies
cleared and the night was pretty,
though somewhat hazy.
But Little Damage Done.
Despite the fact that the rain was
accompanied by a high west wind and
binding flashes of lightning, as far as
could be learned there was little or
no damage done. No places were
struck by lightning, though telephone
wires were temporarily out of COM
mission in many sections.
The greatest damage was done by the
wind. Those property holders who
tas,ww hsnv Ad11. -
carefully and priding themselves on
the promises of heavy yield, watched
the green fruit and ripe go falling to
the ground. The wind made no dis
elimination in fruits, and all felt
it's effects. The limbs of some of
the trees were broken off and fell with
a crash.
The principal beneficial effects of
the rain were the lowering of the tenn
perature and the thorough cleaning of
the streets, together with the eff
feet on the greenery and the farms.