The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-05-15
STORM DID MUCH DAMAGE
Hardest Rainstorm in Six Years Wis
tied This Section Wednesday
Evening.
(From Thursdays Daily.)

llUOll lIOm U ClOCh uuO1l d1LCl Lulu.
night, coming, however at different
periods with greater intensity. The
first rain lasted, with very short
intermissions, from 5..to s O'Clock,
and in those three hour the precipi-
tation amounted to 1858 inches.
After an intern ission of nearly an
hour it rained Internationally and at
times with greater force than ever
until past the hour Of midnight,
during which time the precipitation
amounted to 90 inches, ..bringing
the total rainfall up to AGO inches.
The sewer system was wholly
inadequate to carry of the surface
water and naturally the Easements
along Main street soon got tneir
usual quota of water. Some Of the
stores we're protected from the water
backing up in the sewer, but the
adjoining Easements in several in
stances gave over a portion of its
supply. The water ranged from a
foot to three feet in many Of the
easements. At the Widmanu the
water rose to such a height in the
engine room that it put out the fires.
A large quantity of goods were dam
aged. which, however, cannot, be
estimated at this time.
A vast quantity of water LAID over
the business district. At one time
Main street for several blocks was
covered with water from o side
walk to the other, and in the block
north of Fourth street it was impas-
sible on the west side of the street.
Down in the vicinity OF First and
Second Avenues west and on Rowley
street the water stood about three
feet on level and filled all the base
ment of the residences in this section.
This flood is the hardest that has
visited this section since the cloud
burst or June, 1902. at that time
the deluge was much greater, was
confined to a smaller area and it all
cane in just a little over an hour
and took it much longer to run OIL.
By this morning all the water lying
on the surface on Main street and in
the other flooded sections had run
off, while in 1902 the water did not
disappear from the flooded districts
until nearly the noon hour.
Stone Bridge Swept Away.
The city OF Mitchell IS a very
heavy loser in The destruction of the
stone arched bridge across Dry Run
and connecting the south side with
the north side. Wednesday night
late it was noticed that the water
was rising high from the current
that was coming down from the
northwest through the run. This
a4orning the bridge was completely
swept away, together with the side
walk. The current must have been
exceptionally strong aud undermined
the bridge sufficiently as to drop it
into the swift moving stream. A
little farther down the stream the
sewer which vas recently con-
%structed across Dry Run over to the
Milwaukee's property was broken in
one place by the current. The water
main and the gas main running over
co the south side we're also broken,
and thus that part Of the city is dis.
connected on Sc .et, water and gas.
These repairs viii b., made at once
Persons living over there were forced
to 90 west to the Milwaukee pump
house and cross there to reach the
city.
Damage to Milwaukee Road.
The greatest amount Of damage
Gone was to the property of the Mil
waukee company a half mile wes|
of the city. At the point where
Dry Run goes under the small
bridge is where sne damage is the
worst. The piling under thu
bridges, over which the Jane:
River and the Iowa AMI Dakota
division lines cross to enter the city
was swept away by the strong cur
rent and the ties were hanging t,
the rails. From that point on TO
a distance of at least 500 feet tn
tracks have been swept fully tel
feet from che road bed, the low,
and Dakota tracks lying in tb'
ditch. Engineer Roth out at tn
pump house said that early thi
morning the water had fallen a
least four feet, and under thos
circumstances the water must hav
been verv high during the night
The rainfall northwest VAS as heav
as here to send down such a volum
of wafer as to cover so much groun'
: south of the Milwaukee tracks, a
= In places the stream was at least 30
, feet wide. An engine and caboose o
the Chamberlain line came In fror
: the west Wednesday evening durin
: the rainstorm but was unable t
cross, for at that time the track wa
covered with water. The crew wa