Madam Drachman and the 1887 Arizona flood: Part 2. The Downpour Disaster
Half of this story is fake, but the gripping part is the other half that is not
By Mig Reyes-Mariano
In 1887, Arizona experienced two devastating natural disasters. In late spring, a strong earthquake in northern Mexico (estimated at 7.4-7.6) caused disastrous structural damage to buildings in Tucson (Noonan, 2013). Late in the summer, heavy rainfall caused severe flooding that damaged bridges and streets and washed away crops along the San Pedro River (National Weather Service, n.d.). These two natural disasters resulted in a historical record-breaking year for disasters in Arizona.
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Opening note: As the heavy rains began to fall in the Mojave Desert of Arizona, the initial joy of the townspeople quickly transformed into a desperate fight for survival, with Minna at the center of a tempest she never intended to unleash.
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The rain that started in the summer of 1887 in the Mojave Desert in Arizona ended in a storm, which was historically preceded by an earthquake. This rain ended in a powerful monsoon event fueled by moisture from the remnants of a Pacific Ocean hurricane. Two storm systems merged and moved north toward the city center, bringing heavy rainfall. Residents faced severe flooding with dangerous standing water, as there was no drainage system in place. Conditions similar to a hurricane gradually shifted into prolonged downpours that lasted almost three months. The rain started early the morning after Minna’s legend stated that she dropped all the liquid from a small bottle containing the “rain spell,” and it quickly spread across the entire metro area, but remained stationary instead of moving forward. This suburb recorded a record-breaking 29 inches of rain over nearly three consecutive months—the most ever in a single year since records began in 1895 in Arizona. The heavy rainfall and widespread flooding caused disruptions to commutes and services, displacing neighbors from their homes and leaving them, accurately stated, in a swamp.
This rural area, once a desert, was transformed into a muddy, polluted zone, eventually falling into disarray due to contaminated water. Residents built shacks around the initial pond until the infected waters forced them to leave. Those neighbors, who initially admired Minna's luck for bringing rain to the area, later blamed her for the plague and destruction. Customers who bought small bottles of her so-called “rain spell” also asked for refunds, but she refused, fiercely protecting her wealth. Additionally, there was no authority in the abandoned ghost town to hold her accountable for the damages (not that such effects of a spell were something that could hold in court either).
However, by the end of the second month, the toads arrived in swarms. Thousands emerged from the mud, invading the village and moving constantly day and night. Then came the mosquitoes, forming buzzing clouds that blocked the little sunlight (accessible during daylight) and spread diseases. The crops, which had been lush at first, started to rot in the waterlogged soil.
Almost by the end of the third month of rain, the village was deserted. The few who remained cursed Minna's name. Her luxurious house sank completely into the mud, as there were not enough solid rocks to support such heavy construction beneath it. Then, the “so-called” older woman (perhaps just 37 years old) found herself alone, surrounded by worthless wealth. The water in the streets was filled with impurities and a lot of floating dung debris, and even the few animals near the swamp refused to drink it.
In the fourth month, the state government finally declared the area a disaster zone. When the waters started to recede slightly in the sixth month, a large international company arrived, and an interested investor managed to purchase almost all the flooded land at a bargain. Not even Madam Minna could handle the government interference. She earned less than pennies from the dollars her parents invested in her land. The propaganda claimed they were planning to build a luxury water park called Mohave’s Paradiso.
Similarly, the legend says that seven months after the rain started, Minna was counting her coins by lamplight one night when someone knocked on the door of her small house near the swamp. She had to leave her parents' large house after it was remodeled in the middle of the second month of rain because it began to sink into the ground. Minna opened the door, and there stood Don Divad, dressed in a shiny black suit and wearing a confident smile.
"I have come to collect my share," he said, holding out his hand.
"But I already paid you!" Madam Minna protested.
Don Divad let out a laugh that sent a chill through the old lady's blood. "You paid for the jar, not for the contract of your sacrifice."
Then Minna seemed to understand the underlying message. She had bought the “rain spell,” yes, but she had also bought its consequences. Her actions had brought the flood, the plague, and disaster.
"What do you want from me?" she muttered, defeated. Don Divad looked at her with eyes that reflected centuries of deception.
"The same thing that everyone who wants to control what does not belong to them wants: your thirsty essence."
After he spoke these words, he disappeared into the night again.
From the very beginning, nobody could have known or even begun to understand — not even Minna — that the “rain spell” she bought was not just for its face value. Don Divad mentioned the sacrifices but never explained in detail. Still, every drop of water in that little bottle she bought had a hidden cost.
This is how it all began. A stranger arrived at dusk in the town's central square, just as darkness settled in, and the lamplight made it hard to see clearly what was real. It was that moment when the shift from light to total darkness leaves us temporarily blind. He said his name was Don Divad, a merchant of rare goods. He set up his shop on the edge of the Central Square, spreading his wares on a deep red blanket, possibly of a burgundy color. It was a light blanket, but it looked sturdy, and he filled his small space with tiny glass jars, colored stones, and small ancient scrolls. Despite the variety, what caught Minna's attention most was something that seemed silly — a small glass jar with a blue liquid that sparkled like the dawn sky, leaving her speechless. She had come to the square to investigate the stranger's visit, as she had seen his silhouette sneaking into the plaza while walking back home.
"What is that?" Minna asked, mesmerized as she struggled to see the item in the dim light of his lamp.
Don Divad smiled like a cat that had caught a mouse.
"It is a ‘rain spell,’ my good lady. A bottled ‘rain spell.’ It comes from the purest waters, collected in the peaks where the end of the world touches the infinite blue sky."
Minna laughed at first, thinking it was just a carnival trick. Yet, in Don Divad's eyes, there was a gleam that seemed to mix both mockery and truth.
"And what is a little bottle of rain for?" asked Madam Minna inquisitively.
"Ah, it depends on who has it. A few drops are enough to make it rain on your fields. Of course, the effect is short-lived if it is not accompanied by faith and sacrifices. It might also be unwise to pour out its entire contents in a single day.” He replayed.
Madam Minna was both curious and cautious. What if it was just a trick to get her to give up the little money she had saved in life?
“I do not mean to offend you, ma'am, nor do I want to steal 20 valuable coins from you. If you have faith and are willing to take the risk, this spell might bring you luck. I guarantee that your money spent on the bottle of water will be well rewarded," Don Divad said calmly.
Minna, who had endured numerous droughts, could not think clearly out of despair. She wondered what her father would have done. Could this bottled spell truly work a miracle? She lacked formal education, but she had witnessed many magical, miraculous, or inexplicable events in her life, which strengthened her desire to believe.
Therefore, she ran home and returned with a small pouch of gold and silver coins. While she was driven by her dreams — wanting to believe that the spell was real — she poured almost a quarter of her savings onto the rug where the items for sale were displayed.
Don Divad did not question the probably reduced payment and handed her the small bottle. He bent down to gather his belongings and, as if performing a theatrical bow, disappeared from Minna's view, leaving behind a faint smell of ozone and sulfur. Minna was his only customer; no one else seemed interested in Don Divad's presence in town.
Without waiting until the next day, that same night, Minna opened the bottle with trembling hands and poured all the liquid onto whatever patch of land she could reach. Then she waited for nearly an hour. At first, nothing happened. The silence was so deep she could hear the stones crunch as they cooled. She went to bed feeling uneasy and wanting to go out and find Don Divad. At the same time, it was already very late, and despite her anger, exhaustion finally overtook her. She slept like she had not in many years. The next day, she even woke up happy despite the scam. However, when she left the house to buy some bread, eggs, and milk, she was stunned by what she saw. The sky suddenly darkened with clouds, the wind started to blow harder, and the sky grew black as Mr. Don Divad's suit.
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Endnote: The floodwaters rise, transforming the town into a treacherous swamp of despair. Minna, once celebrated as a savior, now finds herself the target of blame and curses. As she stands amidst the chaos, she receives a chilling visit from Don Divad, who whispers dark promises about the true cost of her “rain spell.” With the town crumbling around her, will Minna uncover the truth before it’s too late, or is she destined to drown in her own choices?
Don’t miss part three of this mini-series: The Aftermath Legend
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References
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National Weather Service. (n.d.). Significant weather events in Arizona history. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.weather.gov/psr/WeatherEvent
Noonan, G. R. (2013). Massive storms & floods that cut arroyo along San Pedro River. SciHistory.info. https://www.scihistory.info/san-pedro-floods-1887
Preston, D. (1999). Cities of gold: A journey across the American Southwest. UNM Press.
Sherman, J. E.; Barbara H. Sherman (1969). "Charleston". Ghost Towns of Arizona (First ed.). University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 26–29.
