Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-08-27
Sidewalks Are Practically Clear
And No Further Danger Of
Loss of Property.
GREAT FLOOD VISITED CITY
Warming Sent il Was Coming, People
Thought Would Have Time to
Get out but Didn't.

Atlanta, Ga. Aug 27.-Augusta to-
day was rapidly recovering from the
food conditions Of yesterday and last
night. The watcr ON the streets had
fallen until this afternoon the sidewalks
were practically clear and there was
no further danger OF loss to property.
Considering the fact that eight feet of
water ran through the main business
and residence streets of the city, that
telephone and telegraph communication
was stopped. that no train had been
within mile of Augusta for IS hours,
it is remarkable that there has not
been greater financial damage and loss
of lie
The Associated Press established
headquarters eight miles out of the
city while water was running through
the streets eight feet deep, preventing
the publication of Augusta newspapers
and destroying communication into the
city proper
At noon dispatches from Augusta
said that the water was falling at the
rate of an inch an hour and that the
streets would be clean by 6 o'clock this
evening. All danger is past throughout
the flood district
Augusta, Ga, Aug. y, via. Harrison
Vile, Ga,-Augusta yesterday was
visited by one OF the worst floods in its
history. The Savannah river began
rising rapidly early Tuesday contiuu-
ing throughout the day up to a late
hour last night Water from the river
and the canal surged down the city
until depth of from six to eight feet
had been reached in the territory
bounded by Fifteenth street to the ives;
TO the extreme eastern boundary Of the
city. So far as known three persons
have been drowned, but their identity
mad not been learned at AN early hour
this morning. Reports Of capsizine
boats In the swift current have been
received but not verified because o.
the utter chaos the city was thrown
I'm because of the sudden rise of the
water and resulting confusion.
FIRES.
Two fires were reported in the flooded
district Line stored in warehouses
coming I'm contact with the water was
said to have been the cause of eXplo-
sious which destroyed the warehouses
Of the Nixon wholesale grocery COM
panY's warehouse and the Nixon &
Danforth Cotton warehouse
This. however, cannot be confirmed.
Fire was i'm the direction of these two
concerns, and as neither fireman nor
anybody else could get close to them.
it is only by conjecture that the firm
names are given. The fires We're spec
tacular. added to the disaster already
rife, and the people were compelled
to stand idly by and watch the new
feature of destruction.
WARNED OF FLOOD
The local weather bureau issued a
Hood warning Tuesday morning, say
ing the river would reach "A height OF
between II and 81 feet Wednesday
evening, by which time II was predicted
the river would have reached its high
est point This prediction was ex-
ceeded by several feet the river hav-
ing reached between 40 and 40 feet the
dangerline being 80 feet.
Immediately upon learning the
weather bureaus warning, those liv-
ing nearest the river began moving
out for higher places, and by the time
the water reached their homes they
We're well on their way to the hills
There Is a great deal OF suffering
among the poorer classes Of whites
and the negroes who occupied houses
nearest the lowlands. When the river
began 10 rise, people could be seen
going through the streets with what
| little bedding and other articles they
could hurriedly gather up and handily
carry ON their backs, Women were
seen with their children in their arms.
making their way toward higher
places, while the men We're driving
| live stock.
Thousands Of people went TO bed
TUESDAY night with the thought that
they would wake up In time TO escape
from the Hood, but greatly to their
surprise they Hwoke to find them
selves surrounded by water ana cut
of from escape except by boat
RAPACIoUs CABMEN.
The cabmen and those possessed OF
boats were quick 10 see their oppor-
! tunity and at once began to charge eX-
orbitant prices for moving those UNI
| fortunate enough 10 be caught in
pcrilons positions.
Many people In attempting 10 wade
| or swim from their homes or from
places Of business in the flooded dis
| trict to places of vantage, lost their
footing and only saved themselves
/ from the rushing torrent by catching
| limbs Of trees or any thing else they
! could get mold Of
II H. reported that a number Of peo-
| pie were caught in these positions and
| when the boat men came near enough
| 10 be hailed they refused TO go TO
! the assistance of the unfortunate un-
| less they. were assured of getting paid
unreasonable fees. one man was seen
| In q tree. who WAS pouring forth pitt
| ful appeals for assistance and offering
$50 To anyone that would rescue him.
! The police department early cstab-
! lishod temporary headquarters at the
| health and drainage department office
! ON May avenue outside of the nigh wa
| ter district. The patrolmHu We're put
ON beats mp 10 the water line. They
| made few arrests, however
At the Western Union Telegraph Of
ice when the water began go rise many
| operators left the building Tor hoir
| homes Five remained, however and
| they were compelled ~ abandon the
| telegraph ONCE and seek safety bon the
| chamber NJ Commerce building where
wires are found stil intact aud they
| got into communication with tho At
| lanta Office about midnight No bust
moss WAS handled as there was mo-
| means ~ handling n. II Is not possible
| to give AN estimate on the final loss re-
| sulting from the Hood when u IN taxi
on into consideration that every bust
ness house. every bank and store was
| submerged In from four 10 eight or
! nine feet Of water ana nearly an the
residence portion, including the fash
! lunHble residence district ~ Green
| street with all It's churches, I'm from
three 10 six feet Of WAGER, II Will b. seen
! that the damage Is lncalculable. In
| Guiding last nights fires and the cessa p
! ton Of business, until the city shall
have recovered itself, aud also the
damage IN stocks OF goods OF all kinds,
| n Is thought that the loss viii 30 Well
| above tho halt million mark.