Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-13

drenched as a result Of Sundays ant
Mondays rains.
Los Angeles, as becomes a metropolis
got the largest share Of it and found
| the quantities from the heavens more
than it could comfortably assimilate.
| All California shared in the copiouS
rains.
In actual losses the result of the
downpour was not disastrous and as
the season advances counter gains
will doubtless be noticed.
In some parts of the state, however
the ranchers say enough"
The street department, sewer depart
ment, the electric trolley companies
and others who are subject to inter
ference by the elements in Los An
geles had the busiest Sunday and Mon
day in years in order to keep the
mains, sewers, streets and cars In
workable condition owing to the cloud
| burst.
The Los Angeles river was on Its
good behavior fortunately. The many
thousands of wagonloads of sand that
have been scooped out of it's bed in
the past year for building purposes
deepened the channel and narrowed
the possibilities for overflow.
The railroads, the power houses and
contractors who had foundation work
exposed were put to much expense to
guard against damages because of the
continuous rainfall.
Wind Was High
The wind was high all day.
On the beaches the storm damages
were greater
The most notable was the sinking of
the new clam shell dredger used in
government work. 1t will be raised,
hI1t hn nd Of iT,1o Wi
prove costly.
Pleasure piers along the coast have
suffered
Three hundred feet of the outer
breakwater at San Pedro went down
and with it much lumber and piling
A million feet of shingles went by
the board" with the Kerckhoff- Gunner
Lumber company's wharf.
The pleasure pier at Brighton, mile
east of San Pedro. is partially gone.
The pier at Terminal Island is
| threatened.
Car Service DemoraIlzed
The trolley car service in Los An
geIes, which is the best in the land.
was put to supreme test Monday to
meet the attacks of the elements.
The heavy downpour Sunday, fol-
lowed by spells of rain Monday, espe-
cially after dark, gave the crews and
the electricians as well as the track
gangs all they could do and more.
From all parts of the city and sub
urbs reports of wire trouble, washouts,
track submerging and other obstacles
came in by telephone. At places the
water rose so high in the right of way
for a time that it touched the motors
and deadened them.
Everybody worked overtime and all
the laborers that could be hired were
sent out on the construction and re-
pair service.
Fourth Street Spouter
Fourth and Flower streets had
spouter for hours last night.
Two sewer mains meet at the inter-
section of these streets in the hill dis
trict, and from an open manhole the
force of water sent stream two feet
in diameter fourteen feet high.
Tons of water came rushing through
the mains every minute and because of
the downfall and the continuous rains
they found an outlet through the mains
with a force and roar that attracted
thousands of spectators.
The mains have probably never had
a harder test than last night and the
da mage will be severe.
Cobble stones weighing many pounds
went up into the air and fell, forming
piles like in craters in q volcano.
The sight showed beyond dispute
the power of hydraulics and made
those who lived near glad that the
nearby streets offered at least partial
outlet for the wild volume of water
that rushed down the hill.
Eventually most of it made its way
east towards Broadway and Spring
street, where it was distributed to the
CONSERVATION of merchants and store
owners.
Pavements Submerged
Between S:15 and $3.50 last night the
business streets were flooded with the
water running through the thorough
fares at terrific speed.
On Main street, between First and
Eigth, there was nothing to be seen
of any pavement at all. Even the
sidewalks were out of sight for about
five minutes.
All the business places on Main street
were for a time in immediate danger
of suffering damage. At the corner
of Fourth and Main the bank was
submerged almost to the lower panel
of it's doors, as We're other buildings.
The danger was averted only by the
prompt recession of the water, which
started to disappear after
the rain ceased to beat so hard.
In front OF the Pacl1lc Electric oepot
the wires became loose and there was
a pretty sight of short duration from
the wires coming in contact. That
the cars temporarily. but it |
was not long before things were as
OF all the flooded streets In the |
city yesterday none presented more |
oceanic although muddy appearance |
than Broadway and Seventh, where |
for nearly two hours yesterday evening |
1t was impossible to distinguish either
car track or alphalt.
This corner is one of the low spots
in the downtown district, and for
years during hard storms such as that
the last two days has been
submerged temporarily.
AS usual one of the water mains on
Seventh street, just above Hill. gave
way and this volume caused a great
1eal OF delay in both street car and
foot traffic.
Boiler Room Scare
Near Hotel Alexandria there was
much excitement as the sidewalk Wasl