El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-08-24
IS
STREET WASHER
East End Is Deluged With
Torrents, Tying Up Traf-
fic; Rain Continues.

Following the rain that was a veri-
table cloudburst on the east slopes
Of Mount Franklin Friday evening at
s o'clock, water again began falling
at 1880 Saturday morning all over
the city and heavy clouds Indicated
a day Of steady precipitation. Streets
were running streams in a few min
utes. Predictions received by r. "
Shaver, weather observer. were that
it would be a day and night Of show
ers-
The weather mans gage showed
only ten huudredths Of an inch Of
rainfall Friday evening. but that was
on the top Of the p. p. s W building.
There must have been at least an inch
in the east side and IL fell within
an hour, accompanied by lightning.
Power and light wires were relieved
Of current by the electric company
for a time.
Cattlemen are encoura ged by Satur-
day mornings report that there had
been more than two inches rain in
the vicinity Of Abilene. Texas. None
was reported at Roswell, Amarillo. or
Phoenix by the weather bureau.
Much Erosion Noted.
As a result Of the downpour. sec
lions Of Highland Park. Manhattan
Heights. Altura Park and Government
Hill resembled reproductions Of what
the earth must have looked like after
the glacial period. Within a few min
utes. the rain waters began to pour
down the canyons and arroyos on the
mountain, carrying with them rocks
and boulders IN great quantities.
Streets were ciogged. Easements
were flooded and In more than one in
stance fine lawns were washed ava y
Damage TO houses themselves was in
consequential. however.
Fear Elm Street Pavement.
The action OF the rock laden flood
waters caused several large holes 10
wear in Elm street. which was paved
some years ago with asphalt maca-
dam. Topeka mixed" but so far as is
known this is the only paved street
that suffered serious damage
All streets about Five Points and
throughout that section were filled
with rock and sand, however. and sat
urday street commissioner L. D. HUI
Ium engaged an extra force Of IS men
to clear the streets
Bolt Strikes Barber shop.
Lightning struck the Seventh cav
airy barber shop during the height
Of the rain storm but the erect was
nothing more than the momentary
stunning Of about a dozen men in the
building.
The area affected by the downpour
extended eastward to point some
distance west Of the five mile bridge
Grape vines were not affected as they
had been during the recent rains
when unripe fruit had been rotting as
a result OF too much moisture
Flood Waters Fill Streets.
Tawny flood waters a yard deep
leaped and surged down many east
end streets for more than an hour
Friday evening. tying up street car
traffic. outbound and inbound, and
stalling automobile parties Fort
Bliss road. in Richmond Terrace Ce-
bada. Grama, parts OF HuecO and Tu-
larOsa streets and other avenues were
roaring floods. bringing down tons Of
sand and rubble rock from the foot
hills Of Mount Franklin As the wa
ters ran down residents came out OF
their homes and children and boy BIZ
cycle riders waded and rode through
the stream. while each automobile ne
Eotiating the waters was cheered by
waiting street car passengers as u
tore across TO safety.
Cebada Il Mill Race.
At Tularosa and Cebada streets, the
newly paved Cebada caught an un-
usual drainage and was roaring full
for an hour and a quarter Five street
cars eastbound stopped at this inter-
section until the water ran down
enough so the track could be shoveled
2
OF cars was delayed another hour
moving eastward TO COpia street,
while shovelers worked at high banks
Of dirt and rock on Luna and Grama
streets. The tunnel under the South
western railroad on Co1ia was clogEed
with rock and debris. as is usual in
high water.
Luna Street Damaged
The drainage ditch that comes from
the mountain via Morenci. Bisbee and
Luna streets overflowed at several
points. but nowhere did the retaining
walls break. At Luna and Douglas
streets. where the ditch level becomes
that OF the street. there was q veri-
table flood. about two feet deep. The
waters were all laden with heavy
rock and the noise resembled a storm
at sea Luna street. between Bliss
and Hueco. was deeply guttered on
both sides and demands repairs
Satisfaction Burned ont.
Lightning burned out the Altura
power substation on the Fort Bliss
line. but a surplus flow OF current
was secured from the Ysleta substa-
ton and no delays will result pending
repair OF the Altura Park plant. Traf-
fic superintendent w E Woods said