The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-05
AT WASHINGTON ksD VICINITY.

| Considerable Damage at the Capital and
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
| ton of Observation-Disclosures, Md, Partly
| Observation-Disclosures of the Storm.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4, 1899.
The heavy storm which prevailed yesterday did
| much damage. The rain was unprecedented for its
violence. The canal banks were overlooked, and
the lower stories Of the houses adjacent were
flooded. The bridges over the canal and elsewhere
in the city were washed away, and several new
houses damaged, owing to undermining by the
water. The sewers were also injured, and in several
cases the ground cavcd In. The effects OF the storm
are seen IN all directions.
About midnight the whole reserve force 9t s the
ance OF the families In Purdy's court near Pennsyl
vania avenue and First street. the Tiper having
overhowed into the court and TO rescue some of
the women ana chilaIcu tho eaeers were Obliged to
wade IN the water up to their necks. The families
were carried to places of safety, and in one two
instances the removal was extremely hazardous.
None OF the houses were 1oated of, but some few
articles OF furniture carried away by the food
The shanties bordering the Tlber back OF the rail-
road station were overlooked, but the inmates,
mostly colored people, got away with their furni-
ture. Three collins washed down the Tiber
and lodged near Adams Express Office opposite the
station. They probably were washed from some
burial place.
The storm in Georgetown was heavy and the
damage to property considerable The bridges over
Rock creek were swept away, also fences, frame
shantes and everything OF floating nature on its
banks. The Lime Kilns were entirely submerged.
The proprietors lost large quantities OF lime. The
buildings at one Of the kllns caught fire from the
| Stacked lime. The canal company's mud machine
! and the mud machine belonging to the gov
| eminent were swept down the creek and
! over the dam into the river. large
| iron boiler which was on scow belonging
| to q foundry was washed some distance down, and
passing under the lower TX streen bridge. struck
| the iron strnger on the north side and bent it in
ward some inches 1t took away about fifteen feet
OF iron hand railing in Its passage and landed or
the wharf used by the Maryland Mining Company.
| This morning a colored man, sexton OF Christ
| church, Georgetown, while engaged IN catching
drtwood at the Paper Mill BRIDGE accidenty Tell IL
| and was swept down by the current.
| There was much damage in Georgetown. Among
the many occurrences sewer broke loose, the wate
tearing and washing the street to considerable dis
| lance. owing to the rise in the Potomac river the
| merchants on Water street to-day removed their
goods out OF reach Of the water in case the food from
the Upper Potomac should be heavy. The Chesa'
peake and Ohio Canal broke just above the cuyert,
| and the steam packet Cabin John. that started up
TINS morning, was obliged to return 10 Georgetown.
The steamer Pioneer. Captain Cathcart, ran ashore
| above the aqueduct bridge and Is leaking badly.
This is coal boat running on the Philadelphia line.
/ Bladensburg Prince Georges county, Nd. was
again inundated last night, the Eastern branch rs-
! ing higher than ever before known, and In some
parts OF the village even the upper stories Of houses
| were flooded.
The New York train due here at an early hour this
| morning did not arrive until nine O'Clock In conse-
1 quence OF a few feet Of the track near the Cum
1 powder river having been washed away, and deien-
ton in Baltimore because OF the Pratt street bridge
/ being thought unsafe. The engineer discovered the
gap near the Gunp0wder river just IN time 10 pre-
| vent serious accident, aud the damage was soon
\ repaired,