The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-14

8 month will run up among inc sS g United States Weather Observer ss w; F.. Lehman. when called by Ss
 ce ceaephohe me last night, promised a S3
 etear eteaaa day today; Mr Lehman 5. 3s 10 pretty day with dropping SS se temperature. The weather observer sS
 stated that he expected no cold ss 5s prognostication cooler weather eS 5s may be expected. eS
 
 throughout Alabama the flood crisis was reached yesterday afternoon when if became known that another days hard rain would cause overt1ows in half a. dozen sections, and distress everywhere.
 II the prediction of the weather bureau Is accurate. however, and today dawns 1alr and cooler, considering the grea t danger that threatened, it is generally admitted that everyone and every local ity has fared we'll
 Last night the Alabama river and the Coosa river from the point it enters Ala oama to Mobile, were tapping their banks with nervous, feverish swish In every muddy ripple there was a note of warn Ing, and the residents along the banN looked on with trepidation and trembled At Selma the great stream was flowing, in an angry torrent, and information from that point was to the effect that if the swollen stream continued to rise. all electric and gas lighting equipment would be put out of gear. By noon yesterday the Alabama was fifty-odd feet higher than the normal, and increased rapidly until nightfall. Preparations were made against a possible overflow into the sta tion of the Railroads. and fear was ex- pressed that as in 1886, water. would touch the old and stately Windsor building In Mobile the Tombigbee and Tensa VI entered the Mobile bay as one enormous river, covering a vast acreage The streams run almost parallel near the nome Of the gulls, and the little strips tnat divide were inundated yesterda V shortly after noon. A solid and broad sheet of water, flowing through the land. carrying with its fear threats and warn ing, and insulting fear and presentiment. attracted startled people throughout thp day. ef Along Warrior and Coosa.
 The Warrior river-easy to rise above the normal-angrily thundered around Tuscaloosa at night fall The swollen stream twas licking the gigantic trees that stand silently and stately along it's banks. The Coosa in the .neighborhood of Pell City, Cropwell and other Sr. Clair towns, presents a, magnificent ap- pearance. It's waters, swollen 40 feet above the normal, and stretching out on both sides as if some titan arm was en- deavoring to grasp the banks and carry them along, was silent and peaceful, and its waters startlingly clear.
 Not only were the rivers just at tha f point of doing serious and distressing damage when night fell but the innumer- able streams in Alabama were angrily boiling and flowing with remarka ble speed. Birmingham. to all practical pur- poses is an inland city. The Valley. Village and Five-mile creeks are over flowing, and the suburbs have been sub jected to considerable worry and distress.
 But if the worst has occurred the peo- pie of the state are oongratuating them selves. When the rain was checked short ly after the fall of darkness, no serious damage had been done. The lighting fla cilities of no city had been interfered with. No distress had been occasloned save the conjuring up of poignant fear. But should rain begin today and continue as it has for the last 16S hours-almos ost continuous-the rivers throughout the state will overflow, and the railroads will be rendered practically unable to carry on their traffic.
 Railroads Have Suffered
 Even as it is the railroads have been great sufferers. 1t has been practical impossibility during the entire week TO maintain schedule. This was due to the fact that certain sliding of the earth cer- tain overflow of the rails, certain wash outs, and an omnipresent danger that threatened caused delays or slow speed. But in railroad circles last night this ex- pression was general: If the worst has occurred we are lucky" No wrecks have been occasloned. No death has been in- ficted, no cargoes have been damaged seriously or lost. It is generally admitted that considering the great handicaps the railroads have done exceedingly well. The greatest sufferer among the rail roads was the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic This was the only line the trains of which were necessarily annulled. Friday, between Pelham and Talladega, a washout occurred, and it was impoS sible to operate. The trains from At lanta were checked at Talladega, and mail and passengers put aboard the Southern and the Louisville and Nash vile. There was no traffic yesterday on account of this trouble, the rain that fell continuously making it impossible to re- pair the damage. In case today is fair, however, crews will be on hand, and it Is thought that by Monday the Atlanta. Birmingham and Atlantic can resume it's regular schedule.
 Runs Into Pile of Earth.
 Yesterday morning at o'clock, the Sea- board passenger, en route to Atlanta, encountered gigantic pile of earth that