The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-21
Continuation of the Galveston
Storm Carries 81 Inches to
Valley In "a Hours
FLOOD WATERS COVER
FIFTEEN SQUARE MILES
Locomotive Fires Extinguished
and Trains Inundated roll
ley Traffic Ends-Rain Con-
tinues

st. Louis, Aug. 20.--A rain which
began early last night and continued
steadily today has flooded all st.
Louis, st. Louis County, and the man
ufacturing district across the river IN
Illinois. The rainfall was the heavi-
est in the history of st. Louis. more
than 81 inches falling between
o'clock last night and o'clock to-
night The previous high record was
sos inches in 1898.
Thousands of commuters were ma
rooned In st. Louis tonight. as all
Communication train service and all
suburban electric car service was dis
continued early in the day. The First
Regiment Armory and the Coliseum
were thrown open as sleeping places
for them. Cots and food were pro-
vided by the city.
Water inundated a section OF the
city and county covering fifteen square
miles, ranging from one to twenty feet
in depth.
Quenches Engine Fires.
The water rose so rapidly this
morning that 1t quenched Ares I'm
the engines OF trains and then
poured into the coaches. Pnssen-
gers were forced to sit on the
hacks Of the seats until rescued
by flreznen and policemen In row.
boats.
1t Is estimated that 10000 per-
sons, mostly commuters, were un-
able 20 get to work this morning.
In some cases rowboats were re-
sorted 10 by those whose duties
necc4sitatcd them getting down
town. Many trying 10 wade
through the deep waters were
swept from their feet and forced
20 swim to safety.
Twenty-Five persons suffering from
exposure to the rain we're taken to ths
city hospital by firemen, who rescued
Atty persons, mostly children, from
houses on the banks OF the river. AL
though ten persons have been re-
ported as drowned. the police are in
clined to believe they are safe in
places where they are unable to es-
Ia blish communication with the fam
lilies.
Street Cars Stopped.
Fashionable Berlin Avenue. an ex-
elusive West End thoroughfare, has
been converted into swift flowing
! river. All families are marooned on
the second floors OF their homes. Street
car communication with the district
Is cut of.
Forest Park Is entirely under water.
Its fish hatcheries on which thousands
OF dollars were spent, are ruined.
Every rowboat and motor truck IN
the city has been requisitioned by the
police, who are carrying on their res
cue work with the aid of lanterns.
Mayor Kiel personally took charge
of the rescue work. calling out all po-
licemen and firemen to assist him.
Details were sent to slightly flooded
sections Of the city. ordering residents
to fee before the water got deeper.
Tail OF Galveston Flood.
The police estimated the water dam
age would be millions
United States District Weather
Forecaster Hayes issued a statement
saying the storm was a continuation
of the Galveston hurricane, and the
rain would not cease until early to-
morrow. The storm would continue
to the northwest, he said.
Special flood warnings have been
issued for the Mississippi River be-
tween Grafton and Chester, Ills. An
other warning predicts high winds In
the lake region.