Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-08
CITY SWEPT BY
FLOODS; GREAT
DAMAGE DONE
TRAFFIC TIED UP; BRIDGES
WASHED AWAY
WATER PoURs OVER SIDEWALKS
RUNNING A FOOT DEEP
Women Carried Across the Streets by
Volunteers in Rubber Boots, One
Man Packing Twenty
threc
RAINFALL RECORD

RAINFALL RECORD
Rainfall for ~ hours end
ing S O'Clock yesterday. 1.41 in.
Rainfall for this season to
date 1898 In.
Rainfall last season to this
date ...........'.. o'So III
Bridges washed away, street car
traffic tied up, downtown streets food
ed from curb to curb sidewalks block
AIDED from landslides at Elysian park
and First and Olive streets and streets
in the residence sections OF the city
made impossible from the heavy rain
that fell yesterday.
Yesterday was a strenuous one for
every person who ventured out of
doors. and those who were compelled
by duty to brave the elements were
soaked thoroughly. The street car
men. especially had a hard time of it.
While the rain was the heaviest the
rules for stopping at the regular cor
ners were suspended and the cars
were brought to a stop wherever it
was most convenient for the passen-
gers.
For almost two hours traffic on the
Garvanza- -Moneta avenue line was at
a standstill. On the south end of the
line the water in the streets was so
deep that it almost touched the lower
steps of the cars.
At the intersection of Alameda and
North Main streets the water Whirled
and rushed between the curbs and al
most covered the car steps as the
coaches splashed through the minia-
ture river On South Main street the
Of
Guilty with which traffic was not being
moved.
At Second and Broadway debris
came rushing down the cutters and
filled the street. The water was from
several inches to a foot and a half
deep in many places at the intersec-
tions. of the downtown streets, from
First to Seventh streets and from
Broadway to Los Angeles street. Rub
bers afforded no protection and boards
were used to enable pedestrians to
cross from the curbs.
Bank Caves In
The steady downpour loosened a
huge bank of earth and rock at First
and Olive streets, and with a roar that
could be heard several blocks, tons of
the material fell and blocked the gut
ters. 1t proved an obstacle for only a
short time, for the swiftly running
streams from the hill above soon
washed it along, and soon there was
no evidence of the blockade.
The sidewalk at Elysian park was
covered to depth of several feet when
a quantity of dirt and stones fell
Some of the larger rocks rolled on the
car tracks and had to be removed to
allow the cars to proceed.
The southern section of the city suf-
fered most. On Hooper. San Pedro
Maple and Grand avenues the streets
presented a solid sheet of water. In
a number of places the sidewalks were
submerged to a depth of three and
four inches. In some places the water
was foot deep on the walks.
Carries Twenty-three
On South Bigueroa street the water
was so swift that temporary bridges
were of no use, and volunteers carried
across the pedestrians who were so
unfortunate as not to be equipped with
high boots. One man carried twenty
three women from one side of the
wide street to the other. Then he de-
cided it was more work than play and
gave up the task to another.
The rain, which continued all Satur-
day night and up to almost O'Clock
yesterday evening", was more the ma
ture of Scotch mist until 1 o'clock
yesterday afternoon. 1t then became
heavier, and at 1886 o'clock it was
pouring down in torrents and in three
minutes 10 inches fell. 1t continued
to fall in sheets until $40 o'clock when
it checked up and settled down to a
steady downpour. Shortly after 5
o'clock it stopped for a short time only
to begin again. However, the skies
grew lighter and just before o'clock
the sun shone for a few minutes. Then
it set with a crimson glow and the
rain suddenly stopped. /
At o'clock the stars were shining
brightly. To those not versed in
weather lore this would be taken as
an indication of fair day today, but
the pitiless weather man says it will
rain again today and the winds will
be brisk.
Saturday southeast storm warnings
were displayed at the ports along the
Southern California coast, by orders
from the weather bureau.
Yesterday southwest storm signals
were displayed at San Pedro and Re-
dondo.
According to weather bureau statis-
ties the precipitation for the season to
date has been exceeded only three
times during the last thirty years. In
188384 the total precipitation was 1424
inches, the rainfall of 1886 was 1913
inches, and during the season of 1SS9-9O
the high mark was reached, 81. SO
inches falling.
The force of the rain yesterday after
noon beat the accumulated mud loose
from the paved streets and when the
water had subsided from the down
town streets the asphalt looked as
though it had been scrubbed
Boat or Boots
The water was slower in running off
in the outlying districts, and in many
places it was absolutely impossible to
cross from one curb to another without
boat or extremely high boots.
Several amusing incidents occurred
while the rain was the heaviest One
man, wearing rubber boots, essayed to
carry woman, fair and fat, across the
street on South Grand avenue He
picked UP his burden and stepped into
the water, and while the crowd was
looking on, made his way to the oppo-
site curb, his face wreathed in smiles. |
Suddenly he slipped and he and his
burden struck the water with a splash |
that wet several standing ten feet
GCOutinued on Page Three)