HOUSTON...WHEN WE LIVED THERE!
by Richard Drake, guest writer
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Recent weeks' news from the Houston area about
the heavy rains, brought back memories of a rain
storm when we first moved there.
One Saturday, my wife Marcia and I took my sister
Paula, to downtown Houston for lunch and some
shopping.
On the way home the skies just opened up with one
of the largest rains I had ever seen; even including
the time I spent in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific!
A tropical depression had formed quickly off the Gulf
of Mexico coast, south of Houston, and had sped
rapidly inland. As we approached the intersection of
Highway 59 and Interstate 610, the rain became so
heavy that I was looking to pull off the highway and
wait out the storm. I wanted to get through the
intersection before stopping.
As we reached the low point of the intersection, the
water was rushing right into the area where we were.
I was sure that we could make it through the fast-
rising water---until the Honda in front of us flooded out.
We were in the middle lane with cars stalled in front
of us, blocking all lanes...leaving no room to pass the
car in front. Fortunately I was able to keep our engine
running.
Water started coming into the car around the edge of
the door. Paula was sitting in the back seat and had
an ice glass she had just finished. As fast as she could
she was "bailing out" the incoming water from the floor
of the back seat---and pouring it out the window.
But Mother Nature was winning!
As the water level reached the outside window level,
we began debating whether or not to leave the car,
go into the water and "swim for it!"
Just in time a big pickup with welding gear in the back,
passed everyone on the break-down lane. His truck
created a big wave which floated the Honda and turned
it sideways. It gave us just enough room to be able to
pass.
So away we went laughing hysterically. Our car was new
and we had to put it in the shop to change out all the
insulation and carpets.
Earlier that year Houston had received another big rain.
Alvin, Texas, just south of Houston, received a rain which
was estimated to be one of the once-in-every-five-
hundred- year variety.
At the rime, I was managing the Houston bus system. We
lost over two hundred buses to the high water. The rain
came during the peak hour and our entire fleet was on the
streets---full of people.
Houston does not have a storm-water storm-system and
relies on the city streets to carry the rain to the bayous that
run through the city. As you would expect, cars flooded out
and blocked our buses. Water became so deep that the bus
engine compartments flooded. Water got into the engines
and transmissions.
We had to rebuild them all in a short time. The Authority did
not have the shop space or the mechanics to do a timely
job, but we did have money from the funding packages that
were intended to build new transportation facilities, including
a light rail system. The Board authorized the contracting part
of the repairs to outside sources.
This was the most stressful time in my life. It took the rest of
the year to restore bus service to an acceptable level.
Funding at times had been scarce in earlier years, even
before the flood damage. I had expressed my evaluation
of the situation to the Board and the press, at the time I was
hired.
The day service was fully restored to normal after the flood
damage to the buses, Marcia and I opened a bottle of wine,
sat down and evaluated the situation, and decided to resign
the next day.
I felt it was going to take three more years to turn the situation
around and put into place the type of transportation system
the city wanted and needed. I did not want to take the pressure
for that long.
The Houston press was very kind to me in their praise for my work.
Every time I hear of heavy rains in that area, I have a major
flashback!
(Photo above was taken this spring, 2015, during the heavy rains
that covered Texas. Shown is Richard's backyard, farther north,
with the BRAZOS River out of its banks.)
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FOR MIL'S PLACE
BY GUEST WRITER,
Richard Drake, BARD of CHS '53
July 21, 2015
