The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-09-10
"a Blocks Flooded


San Antonio, Texas, Sept. TO-
Swollen by heavy rains of the past
few days, San Antonio river and Ala
Zan creek oyerfiowed into the down
town business district of San Antonio
spreading over an area OF about "a
blocks and inundating ground floors
On many of the prominent buildings
of the city. AT the Offices of the
San Antonio Express the water
reached into the first floor at 1916
a. M, and a few hours later tee-
phone and telegraph connection was
fseEered. The embankments protect,
ing st. Mary's street broke shortly
after midnight and the water swept
down st. Marys street through Hous-
ton and Navarro streets into the heart
of the city. By midnight scores of
people living near the river i'll the
northern part of the city and along
the banks of the Alazan cree.l had
been helped from their homes by p0-
lice and firemen.
Five Missing
Five persons were reported missing
early today, Charles Grant and wife
and Mrs. Anna Flam and two chill
d"en.
Merchants were busy Ill might re =
moving their stocks and gools tc
Places of safety.
The heavy rain storm was proceed
ed by a tornado which struck soIth
Austin and nearby villages late yes
terday bringing in reports Of dam
ages and injury to dozen persons,
including a heavy property loss.
Officials are watching the rise Of
the Colorado river anXiously because
of the Austin dam.
Over Ten Inches of Rain
Over 10 inches of ram mad fallen
at 10 o'clock this morning over Aus
tin and all surrounding territory with
the storm unabated.
The damage in San Antonio has
been along Alazan creek where the
number of houses washed away was
not known at this hour. w., !.
The flood was directly due to CON
tinuous rains at the headquarters of
Olmus creek, ordinarily a dry water.
. course in Breckenridge Parks The
San Antonio river, rising at the north
end of the park, could not care foT
the accumulated flow from the creek
and as result the water broke across
Breckenridge park into River avenue
Water in the vicinity of the tele.
phone building was IL feet deep, ac-
cording to officials there and all the
lights in the city were put out wheI
the power plant in the lower section
of the city was flooded. The eastern
business district, one of the lowest
a,.te - fI,n NIL 1nt.
feet of water, it was reported, but NJ
lives had been lost as far as coulG
be ascertained. All telephones in the
city were cut off by the rising waite
and telephone conversation with othe
cities also was cut off.
A few commercial telegraph wires
were stin working early today.
An unprecedented rainfall whicl
began at midnight Wednesday an
continued throughout Friday and Fri
day night caused the food. At leas
eight inches of rain fell during thi
period Last night there was heav
rainfall in the valley of the Olmo
creek, north of the city Water from
the creek rushed into the San Antoni
and Joined the surface water that wa
pouring into the river throughout tn
day from the other streams. The ri'
er went out of its banks in a fe'
hours. The water and electric ligf
plants are located along the river an
they were put out of bushes
quickly. ffi
Street car traffic was stopped an
hundreds of people we're unable
reach their homes. Many of the,
spent the night wandering about tf
business district. Police and fire
men attempted to warn residents I
& the Mexican section of the city an
succeeded In getting hundreds Of the
to safety before the San Pedro cree
oxtrfI0wod. Many others were cut Q
ofora they tould Get ont. and the p