Evening star., 1912-07-15
DENVER IS FLOODED STORM TOLL HEAVY
Six Hundred Homeless and Thousands of Dollars Lost in
Deaths Are Rumored. Sundays Downpour.
RESULT OF CL0UDBURST FL GODS GENERAL IN CITY
High Wall Of Water Dnus Water Sweeps Into Homes Build
City From Cherry Creek ings and Over Streets. !.
SMALL DWELLINGS DESTROYED RAIL SERVICE DEMoRALIzED
Parties-Telegraph and Telephone
phone Wires
Thousands of Dollars Lost in
Sundays DoWnpour. i
FLOODS GENERAL IN CITY
Water Sweeps Into Homes, Build
ings and Over Streets.
RAIL SERVICE DEMoRALIzrD
Washouts Numerous and Telegraph
and Telephone Lines Suffer
Greatly.

With a rainfall OF two and one half
inches in half an hour and an elec-
trfcal storm such as does not frequently
visit Washington. the heat wave that has
hung over the city for several days was
broken shortly after o'clock last even
Ing. and damage was done in and about
the city that will amount to many thou
sands Of dollars
The storm was not accompanied by high
winds. and the injury to trees was. there
fore. compa ratively slight. The quantity
of water that fell. however. taxed the
sewers beyond their capacity and resulted
in the flooding Of streets. yards. cellars
and Easements. while lightning struck
and damaged many buildings about the
city.
The heavy rainfall also worked havoc
with the railroads and interurban lines
in the vicinity of Washington. The
Washington. Baltimore and Annapolis
electric line alone reported twenty-five
washouts on its system. while the Chesa.
peake Beach railroad service was delayed
to an extent that made IL necessary for
trains from the Beach to enter the city
over the tracks Of the Baltimore and
Ohio. as the electric lines tracks near
Benning were under several feet OF
Benning Station In a seething yellow tor
rent.
Eighteen cars. loaded with sleepy ex-
cursionists from the Beach got into the
who had spent the day at the resort
reached their homes about midnight.
Regular service was resumed this MORN
ing.
Storm Gives Warning.
rho .xor,,, uoyo a-c,o ,,,,rry~~ - IA.
approach, as heavy thunder rumbled and
brilliant displays Of lightning flashed
across the sullen masses OF clouds to the
northward Of the city for more than an
hour before the rain descended. The
clouds gradually banked higher and high
er. with apparently little or no wind be-
hind them. and about $50 O'Clock the
rain began to fall.
Along North Capitol street the torrents
seemed to do their worst. Cellars and
Easements were flooded. and the deluge
swept hundreds OF tons OF dirt over side
walks. into the cellars along the way.
and across the street car tracks.
Practically every basement on both
sides Of North Capitol street between q
and l streets had at least four feet OF
water in II when the rain suheided. AT
the government printing ONCE the water
entered the storage Easements In such
volumes as to ruin nearly SIS, 600 worth
of stock. In a tailor shop located on
the low ground on North Capitol street
just above New York avenue the food
water covered the entire ground floor
and reached above the tops Of the count
ers and tables. running several hundred
dollars worth OF stock.
Costly Paper Ruined.
A foot Of water stood in the basement
of the bureau Of engraving and printing
building. running costly paper worth from
$4,000 to $4,000. The bakery establish
ment at 1929 North Capitol street was
flooded to the depth of seven feet. the
water completely covering quantities Of
bakers supplies and barrels of -four and
sugar and putting the big ovens out Of
business. the water reaching almost to
the top Of the ovens.
Along Decatur street, from North Capt.
tol to 1st street northeast, nearly every
house was flooded and the damage to
amount to several hundred dollars.
In the northwest section of the city the
downpour worked more damage. An OBJ
structed sewer in the rear OF Stoneleigh
Court failed to carry or the flood water.
which rose in the basement of the big
apartment house until II gushed from the
street-level windows, the entire basement
being flooded to the depth OF about seven
feet. The services of engine company
No. l were required to pump the basement
free Of the water. and the damage infiict-
ed Is estimated at about $1,000.
Tobacco Is Ruined.
At the United Cigar Stores Co.'S branch
at 14th and streets northwest a leak
in the roof Of the storeroom at the rear
of the salesroom allowed the water to
pour In until the place was flooded to
the depth of a foot and half. and cigars
and tobacco worth about $20e0 were
ruined.
Along New Hampshire avenue. in the
block including Nos. 1927 to 1895. the
water poured into the Easements to with
In less than a foot OF the first floors. In
several OF the easements the water was
seven feet deep, and the houses were
badly damagd by the flood. Severa! base
ments on Rhode Island avenue. in the
5000 block, were flooded to the depth or
several feet. and foundation walls IN
many cases were badly damaged. Tho
rain seemed to be heaviest within a COM
paratively narrow zone in the northwest
and northeast sections. little damage be-
ing reported from the. southwest and
southeast parts of the city.
IN anu dUOut DIUOAldHu TIC IOO06 Pus
the street car lines out OF commission,
washed out sidewalks and roadways.
damaged lawns and gardens. flooded cei-
lars and worked damage estimated At
many thousands of dollars.
Delays in the City.
Within the city the lines OF the Cap
ital Traction Company suffered serious
delays by reason Of the rain. AT 10th
and U streets northwest the. water swept
in q tumblink flood down the 18th street
hill and washed tons of mud. sand. gravel
and small stones over the street car
tracks The debris covered u street from
curb to curb to the depth OF several
inches, and filled the slots Of the east
bound and west-bound tracks. There was
no service over this line from a few min
utes before o'clock last night until
about 1l:SO o'clock. also putting the
Chevy Chase line out Of commission. The
FIRE department finally was called on for
assistance In clearing the tracks, and No.
D engine company. from the y street en-.
gine house, between 18th and 18th streets.
helped to pump the siush from the slots.
In other parts of the city the water food
ed the slots and interrupted trafnc tenn
porarily, and several cases Of burn-outs
were reported to the power houses. the
food water short-circuiting the motors.
Phones Out Of Service.
During the storm the lightning put the
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