© 2007 Gainesville (Texas) Daily Register

Gainsville, Texas, Glass Businesses Await Flood Calls

Not inches, but feet of water is how one glass shop manager describes the flooding in downtown Gainsville following the June 18 rains that have devastated parts of North Texas.

"We're literally 100 yards from the flooding," says Darla Cash, office manager of Glass Doctor in downtown Gainsville.

"We're talking cars submerged and people on tops of their houses and refrigerators floating by … it's unbelievable what I saw," she says Cash says her shop is one of the fortunate businesses that escaped the flooding in the downtown area. Her shop was called to respond Monday to a local woman's plea for help. The woman had locked her keys and her baby in her car and had to have them break the window as the water started to rise around the car. The baby and mother escaped injury.

According to Gainsville's Chamber of Commerce, the initial flooding and rains that continued throughout this week have affected more than 75 businesses in the downtown area alone. The Chamber could not yet give a dollar estimate as a result of the flood.

Another Gainsville glass shop that does automotive replacement is expecting additional jobs, as a result of the storm, to begin any day.

"One of the automotive shops we deal with is out of work. They are under four feet of water and all of the cars they were working on are now totaled," says Jody Slaten, co-owner of A Quality Glass.

"Everyone is just waiting for the insurance companies now," Slaten says.