The San Francisco call., 1905-02-04
Bolt Sets Fire to a
Church in North
Pasadena.
ClOudbufSt On Mount Lowe
Carries Away Part Of
the Tavern.
Long Stretches Of Track Washed Out
in San BernardinO County and
Traffic Is Stopped.

Los ANGELES, Feb. s.1southern
California is tonight more thoroughly
soaked with moisture than it has been
for several years and there is more
water in the river courses than has
been seen for eighteen years, accord
ing TO the statements of old residents.
Tonight, at frequent intervals, there
are heavy showers, with flashes of
lightning. an unusual feature of rain
storms in this section.
While the Government Weather Bu-
resu reports about an inch and half
OF rain within the last twenty-four
hours, the precipitation in many places
has been double and possibly three
times that amount. No great damage
has yet been reported except to street
work under way and to excavations for
new buildings. Telephone communica-
tion with outside towns shows consid-
cradle disarrangement and there is
some damage to the rOadbeds of the
interurban electric lines. On the sum-
nit of Mount Lowe last night there
was a oeluge of water somewhat in
the nature of a cloudburst and the
food rushed down against the Alpine
Tavern, carrying away part Of the
kitchen
small section Of the Southern Pacific
tracks this morning. causing some de-
lay 10 traffic. It was soon repaired,
however, and trains resuned running.
At Pasadena this afternoon there was
the heaviest downDour known there
for years and many cellars in the busi-
ness section were flooded. During the
height of the storm the North Pasa-
dena Methodist Church was struck by
lightning and was burned to the
ground.
The general rainfall in this section
OF the State is welcomed by everybody.
With 9.34 inches UP to o'clock to-
day and the storm still on there is
every prospect that Southern Califor-
MIA viii receive. the normal rainfall of
Is inches for the season, which it has
not mad in the past four years.
SAN BERNARDINO. Feb. 3. To
days storm assumed the proportions
Of clOudburst in the mountain dis
tricts Of this vicinity. doing great dam
age, especially to the Southern Pacific
Railroad in the vicinity of Ell Casco,
In the San Timoteo Canyon and above
Beaumont and Banning. 1t is under
stood tonight that several miles of
track in that section are gone. This is
the same piece Of track that has been
washed out twice in the last few
months. In the San Timoteo Canyon
the food is reported to be worse than
the one last summer. when much stock
was drowned and great damage done
10 ranches; but details of a definite
nature cannot be obtained tonight No
overland trains have moved east of
here on the Southern Pacific to-day,
and IL was stated tonight that none
were likely TO move for at least twenty
four hours, possibly longer. The Red
lands branch of the Southern Pacific
has been washed out at RedIands juno
non so that no trains have reached
that city to-day.
The Santa Fe in this Immediate vi
clnity has suffered no serious trouble
though there have been a number of
minor washouts that have caused brief
delay 70 trains. The Temecula branch
IS entirely tied up, while train service
is interfered with on the Hemet
branch
There were several cloudbursts in the
mountains in this vicinity. which caus-
ed the streams 10 swell. Tonight
great volumes of water are coming
DOWN Santa Ana River and IytIe
Greek. the roar Of the water being
plainly heard half a mile away The
streams are the highest in years. Con-
siderable damage has been done on the
ranches by washing, and crops win
be considerably damaged.
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 3.-There have
been several showers this evening and
indications are for a stormy night Re
ports from the country show that at
many places the rainfall was much
heavier than in the city, and that. as
a result, ali the reservoirs are filing
rapidly That the downpour in the
mountains was tremendous is evil
oenced by the fact that the San Diego
River, which for so many years has
not been visible above the sands in
Mission Valley, now shows a broad
stream flowing toward False Bay.