Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-06
RAIN MAKES A RECORD.
Heaviest Downpour in Wash
ington in Years.
STORM KINGS FURY
SHOWN IN HEAVY CLOUDS, WITH
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING.
Streets for Time One Mass of Water
Much Damage Done in Vari-
Gus Sections.

dicted yesterday by Uncle Sans weather
factory came last evening in the shape al
most of cloudburst. The downpour was
the heaviest this city has experienced in
years. The fall of rain was preceded by
the overspreading of the skies by dark and
angry masses of heavy storm Clouds whic.
emitted vivid zig-zag flashes of lightning
at intervals. These were followed by the
heavy decorations of thunder.
Semi-darkness overspread the city, neces-
stating the lighting of gas lamps and
electric lights. The sight in the heavens
about $50 o'clock was an ominous one.
The wind died down to a calm as if reserv-
ing the force of the elements for the full
fury of the storm king The black clouds
churned angriy, their edges hanging in
ragged fringes
There was sudden movement in the
upper air current peal of thunder and
the deluge began. In one hOur-between
20 and $40 last night-nearly three inches
of rain on the level fell. Or to be accurate,
according to official figures, 29S.
This, said Prof. Henry of the weather
bureau to a Star reporter this afternoon,
lis the largest fall for the time we have
ever had"
The total rainfall from 720 o'clock last
evening to o'clock this afternoon was
nearly four inches $500
The outlook was this afternoon that the
rain will continue for about twenty-four
hours.
stated by The Star. was due to the high
humidity. The moisture laden air was
an ideal condition for a heavy rainfall,
but deluge such as was experienced was
not expected
The cutters ran riot with the rushing
waters, which also ran over, flooding the
rOadways, forming extensive lakes. The
city foliage bowed and quivered under
fn of trata
parts of the city trees went down. Bushes
and flowers in the parks and private
yards were beaten to the ground. Pave
ments were undermined. telephone wires
in some places broke from their faSten-
ings and swung to and fro
Damage at Terminal Station.
Damage was also done about the ter
minal improvements and large building
operations. Dirt from the recently grad
ed streets was washed down into houses,
and habitation there was made disagree
able. The damage was not limited to
residents in the vicinity. The contractors
will be required to spend much time and
money in remedying what the rush of
water did. The country roads were badly
washed, and the engineer department
will be required to send out men to repair
them.
Large quantities of dirt washed on the
tracks of the Chevy Chase street car line.
and covered with earth that it had to be
abandoned. The Capital Traction Company
managed 10 operate its cars on the other
track, although with the best it could do
there was considerable delay. At Newark
street and Connecticut avenue the dirt COW
cred the track to the depth of ten TO twelve
inches for twenty-five feet, and just above
Newark street. where newly graded street
enters the avenue, the dirt was piled up
foot deep for nearly seventy-five- feet.
Dai1
Both the Capital Traction Company and
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company had trouble. Down the 18th
street hill the water rushed by the
catch basins, which were unable to re-
ceive the torrents. Flooding the street
the water entered the street car conduits
and grounded the current. For nearly an
hour there was little movement of the
street cars. When the water ran out of
the conduitS the company was able to re-
sumo business.
In the Suburbs.
The Washington, Arlington and Falls
Church railroad and the new Old Dominion
Railroad Company were sufferers by last
nights storm. The ruin wrought on the
first-named road was most severe, and
made it necessary for passengers on all
trains to walk part Of the way into town
this morning. The most severe damage was
done to that portion of the road between
the Arlington junction and the Military
road. About midway between these two
points heavy grading has been done during
the past month for the purpose of connect
ing a new subdivision on the hills east of
Fort Myer with the Military road. cul-
vert was built over a small stream that
ran beside the electric tracks for about
a quarter of a mile, and the new road was
graded level with the tracks.
In former days the stream ran to the
right of what is now the railroad embank-
ment. The engineers who planned the road
diverted the stream to the left. It's old bed
ran directly across the line of the track
near the place where the Military road is
crossed. Last nights rain was so heavy
that the new culvert could not carry off
the water, which was backed up as far
back as the Military road. Seeking a new
outlet the stream turned to its old bed
and burst through the railroad embank-
ment. washing the earth from under the
along the aid bed until 1t passed the point
where the culvert has been made the
stream again burst through the bed of
the railroad tracks. carrying away the en-
bankment for about thirty feet. At both
places the tracks were left high in the air,
and the water rushed under them. When
the cars started to run this morning the
tracks were found swinging in the air.
East bound bars were run as far as the
Military road, at which point the paSSen-
gers were forced to disembark and walk
to point beyond the further waShout,
about five hundred yards, where another
line of cars took them into Rosslyn. At
Rosslyn the company suffered severely
also.
In an effort to broaden the station yards
the company filed in wide space beyond
the station where cars were stored. The
tracks were moved to the edge of the hill,
which was supported by heavy piling and
telegraph and trolley poles. Last nights
rain washed away the fill in two places and
also washed down the old level making two
holes that are at least fifty feet deep and
ten to fifteen feet wide. These holes did not
interfere with traffic, however.
AS far as can be learned the only place
the Old Dominion lost ground was on the
southern approach to the Aqueduct bridge,
which was made by filling last summer.
The fill at the bridge gave way during the
night making a hole about twenty feet
square. which extended to the rivers brink.
Moving Fallen Limbs.
The force of the parking commission was
kept busy today removing fallen limbs and
trees in several parts of the city.
A peculiar result of the heavy downpour
was to wash from their nests in the trees
thousands of young sparrows and cats that
ventured forth today had feast on the
drowned birds This will result in lessen