The Washington times., 1906-07-23
RAIN DOWNPOUR
BEAT THE RECORD
Baltimore DrenChed by
Heaviest Deluge in Thir-
ty-five Years.
STORMS MEET OVER CITY
More Than Six Inches of Water Falls
in Ten Hours, Doing Great
Damage.

BALTIMORE, July 23-This city was
visited yesterday afternoon and last
night by the heaviest rainfall the city
has experienced in the thirty-fve years
since the establishment here Of the
United States Weather Bureau. In a lit
tie over six hours. between Isl O'Clock,
when the rain began. until 8 o'clock last
night, 366 inches had fallen. an almost
unprecedented amount for that length
OF time. The terriic dOwnp0ur late last
night added greatly 70 the total pass
ing the 6-ineh mark. The highest previ'
Gus record for twenty-four hours was
September "A and Is 1903, when 5-tS
inches fell.
The storm was accompanied by thund-
er and lightning. which struck several
places ia Baltimore and vicinity, and the
electrical display was particularly spec
tacular.
Another curious fact about the wealth
er's freakish conduct is that in the
space of a single hour-from ! until p
o'clock-the temperature dropped exact
~ 20 degrees, which in itself is account
ed a remarkable thing by the weather
nan.
Damage Up in Thousands.
Thousands of dollars damage was
done by water, which fell 50 fast that
in many instances the sewers could not
carry it on Holiday street. from Hinen
street almost 20 Lexington street and
Harrison street. from Lexington street
TO Fayette street, were the principal
sections affected by the flood.
In places along Holiday street the
water rose 10 a height OF fully four feet
by 3l5 o'clock. and along Harrison
street. in front Of the establishments Of
merchants and secondhand dealers. il
reached the height Of at least three feet.
Fhc general impression Of most persons
was that Two storms, moving in different
directions, had met here, and that this
accounted for the heavy downpour, but
such was not the case. There was but
one storm. and this, with varying de-
grees OF Intensity, continued throughout
the afternoon and night
Lightning Struck Often.
The lightning display was most vivid
and brilliant, and the figures described
IN fire upon the clouds were strange
and wild. In one instance the lightning
seemed TO describe almost a perfect
circle. while jagged sheets and forks Of
lightning were TO be seen. Many points
IN and about the city We're struck.
Among them were:
FlagpOle Detrick & Harvey's ma
chine shop. Preston street. near Green
mount avenue
Small spire. Mount Vernon Place
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Flagpole, electrical department. Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad. Eutaw and
Ostend streets.
Wires on north side Of Monument
street. setting fire 10 all telegraph
poles from Washington street 10 Pat
terson Park avenue.
Feed box. Western Union pole. Wal
brook Station.
Trees in various parts of the city.
StockhoUse. Fred Bauernschmidt's
brewery. l1l4 Hinen street
When the rain began 10 descend there
was a mad rush in almost every part
of the city for street cars. Those who
were spending the heated hours OF the
day in park Jared worst They packed
and jammed the street cars available
10 their utmost capacity. and many
were obliged 10 stand for several min
utes in the ran waiting for the next
cars, while others sought friendly shell
ter in neighboring houses.
Many BaltimorAans. with the hospi-
tality characteristic Of the city, opened
their homes 10 those who sought shell
ter in the vestbules of their houses.
and in not a few instances those who
were stormbound were invited 20 share
the Sunday dinner with persons who
were utter strangers 10 them.
Caught in Druid Park
Upward OF 1900 persons were at Druid
Hill Park when the storm broke. and
most Of these hurried 10 the exits. only
10 wait Ike drowned rats until cars
were available to take them 70 their
homes. The same was true Of other
parks as we'll as OF the river resorts,
although most Of the latter were able to
afford temporary shelter in the paviI-
ions.
Hundreds of white summer dresses
were drenched beyond the point Of rec
ogntion. and many a best Sunday suit
received a bad wetting. Despite the
downpour and the general uncOmfort-
ahleness of the situation, the general
disposition wherever persons were
gathered together seemed TO be to
make the best OF a bad matter
The street car, telephone and tele-
graph companies suffered considera bly,
although in most cases Information as
10 possible losses and reported damages
was given very reluctantly