The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-15
RAIN STORM WREAKS DAMAGE \
 TO MONTGOMERY PROPERTY

change on the Commerce street side. the storm sewer gave away and tho tremendous volume of water broke through the wall Of the pool-room. The water from this break rushed with such force as to break on the two Inch pipe from the city main, by which the hotel Is supplied with water. and the water from the main added to the vol- ume of water already pouring Into the room.
 In less time than 1t takes to tell the story. the pool-room. barber shop and lavatories were flooded to. "a depth of four and half feet Occupants of the pooi-rom barely had time to reach the steps before the water was knee deep. The manager of the pool.room stopped at his cash register for q second and had to wade out in the water to the
 The occupants of the barber shop when they saw the water coming. commenced moving their chairs up the steps into the main lobby or the hotel. The chairs were nevertheless considerably damaged. The handsome pool and billiard tables were picked up by the flood and massed at the door leading to the lavatories. The tables are completely ruined, the mud and sand being an inch or more all over them.
 The linen room was completely fill- ed with water as was the wine eel lar and cigar store-room Empty flasks and other bottles were floating in the general debris In the pool-roorn and barber shop.
 The city water works department was .teiephoned and man was sent to the hotel to cut off the water coming from the main in the. street and work was started to repair the broken feed pipesto the hotel. Laborsrs were also and mud brought In by the water
 Hotel Loss May he s5,000.
 The damage was roughly estimated between s5.000 and s7.00o. The pool room. 1t was thought. might be repair ed for $1.000, though doubt was ex- pressed if the tables would ever be as good as before. The tables were of the finest make, All the linen of the hotel was damaged, though to what extent is not known. The barber shop chairs were moved to place of safety, but the other fixtures are q complete loss. The chairs were somewhat damaged in getting them np stairs.
 The stock in the wine cellar was valued at about $fs2o0. Just what damage Twas done In this room could not be learned last night. As the sand and water had to be removed be- fore the room could be entered. The stock in the cigar storeroom was a complete loss. The stock in this room was roughly estimated at $2.000 The machinery for running the elevator was In the basement and the elevators are out of commission until the water can be pumped away and the damage repaired.
 The hotel company carried insurance in case of fire. but was not insured against flood.
 Other cellars on Dexter avenue and ftsen arro ere flAAAAA thA damage could not be estimated.
 Weather Bureau Report.
 According to the weather bureau, which took readings shortly after the rain. 225 inches of water fell during she thirty minutes the rain lasted. TheI doygnpour started at 6:55 o'clock and was over at 7:25 o'clock.
 The bureau also reported showers yesterday morning and early yester- day afternoon. making the total pre- cipitation for the day arr inches of rain.
 It was believed that the unusually heavy rain Is indicative of fair speit although the weather bureau did notI vouch for this. The belief came from the theory of many that Aownpour. after several days of damp weather, generally means the continuation of the rainy weather and the setting in of fairer weather.
 1t is believed that the heavy rains of the past few days have materially injured crops. The bureau. however. gives out no information regarding the crops as 1t is strictly forbidden by the Agricultural Department. Heavy rains have also fallen above Montgom- cry and it is thought the river at Mont gomery will rise but not eufflcient at present to warrant the issuance of freshet warnings by the weather bu- reau.
 The weather Department did not re- gard last nights downpour as alarm ing. The rain was termed excessive" 1t being a daily occurrence that equally as heavy or heavier rains fall at some points in the South.
 The maximum temperature for yes- terday was ST, the lowest 73 and the average SO.