Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-07-09
j. PLUV ON A TEAR
Heavy Rainfall Saturday
Afternoon Floods the
City.
FOR AN HOUR THE RAIN FELL,
FLOODING SEWERS AND
STREETS.
City Court in Session, But Rain Pour
ed in and the Room Was Pool
of Water.
WORST DAMAGE WAS TO CROPS

His Majesty ]. Pluvius was a vis-
itor Saturday.
Pine Bluff people don't have to be
informed of this fact, for His Majesty
was largely in evidence But for the
benefit of newspaper readers outside
CT the city be it known that ]. Pluvius
was all over the city.
1t was about o'clock when Pluvius
announced his presence by heavy
artillery salute of several thousand
guns. The sun was instantly darken-
ed the heavens were covered with a
great thickness of cloud, and J. Plu-
yius began TO descend in mighty ter
rents. 1t was almost a cloudbnrst.
1t was the heaviest rainfall that has
visited Pine Bluff in many day. SO
the "cldest citizens" tell us.
Fer an hour the rain cont inued to
descend. flooding sewers and bitches
and creating a vast overflow that
swept street and avenue and alley
and lots. Sc great was the downpeur
that this overflow soon became tor
rents in many of the streets. some CT
which presented the unusual S3@cta-
Gle cf wator sweeping down in swirl
ing. saathine mass a foot deep In
less time than II takes to tell the
story of the great dOwnporr, the wat
er had swelled in lew places along
some of the business streets Of the
CITY to such height that it rose to
the hubs of vehicles standing beside
the curbing. Main street in partlc-
ular was raised to the dignity OF
small river soon after the rain cem-
menced.
A reporter fer the Graphic was out
at the ball game at the time OF the
commencement of the rain. but took
a car back to town as soon as 1t be-
came evident that the game could net
be concluded BY the time Fourth
avenue was reached on Main street
the latter was a roaring cataract. The
electric current was cut eff. and the
car came to stndstill at the Iron
Mountain railroad and was held there
until the rain checked up. Alcng the
curbing were vehicles standing in
water up to their hubs. Down the al
lev nearby came terrific roar ana
swish of the rushing water as 1t
sought a level toward the river. The
alley was too small to carry the vol
ume of water, and much OF 1t was
forced cut into Main, where the fall
was not so great, and there it contln-
ned to rise. until it threatened to
flood business houses and do damage
to the contents. Fortunately the RAIN
checked up for time. and permitted
the accommodating water to How away.
From reports from varicYs parts
Of the city conditions were similar 10
Main street. From Main street river
tho reporter went to State street creek
nv devious ways requiring walk OF
over fifteen blocks. The creek was
nm hut the water was clear and pref
ty. Fire Chief Shultz and his men
were all engaged in fishing when the
reporter got there. Barraque lake was
one of the prettiest scenes in the city.
High enough to keep out of the cur
rent from Main river the water was
unsoiled by the mud of that dirty
stream, and remained clear as crys-
tal. In front of the police headquar-
ters the reporter found small stream
flowing into the lake, and upon lnves-
tieation discovered that the water
came from the police headquarters
itself. He attempted to get inside the
building. but the rain beat him back,
and he contented himself by standing
on tn outside, under the open CLOUDS
and watching Chief of Police Stewart
JuGge Toney and the patrolmen Try
70 look pleasant The rain was pour
ing down through the roof o. m