National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-02-27
POTOMAC WATER
Removal tths Ice B, .ooiads Without Damage,

htmoNhA VI the 4oe . Iookade without Damage
Inc uneasiness CT Gated In Georgetown regard
ing the pIooabilit es of freshet in the Potomac
were undated esterdsy, and from the hour that
the sun arose he peopie were on the lookout.
Inc river IN lie early part Of the morning did not
sno" many signs Of being obstreperous. Yet
there was considerable current, and the Ice had
eoneentTo ted in front Of Georgetown In heavy
DooleS A careful eye was kept on the river by
the 81 nal corps observers at Harper's Ferry and
at tA,e Great Falls, and the first change tmme-
aiakely telegraphed to the signal office, and from
there TO Georgetown, where copies Of the tele-
grams were furnished the merchants. The drst
information OF any Importance received was the
GREAT FALLS, Feb %, 10 a. ma second riss
has begun The river rose tive inches since last
ii ice. Win al increase IN the amount H'
DANGER AHEAD.
The dispatch had hardly been read ana dis
cnssed when the ice was noticed to Se moving.
GREAT FALJs, Feb. %, 1850 q. m.-LoeE out
for dangeri There seemsto have been complete
TSe EiTs4 IS 1 OF boating 0 ice and is being car
ried down the stream with great force. The
gorge at the mouth Of the aqueduct win probably
break about the middle Of this afternoon. The
river has risen three inches since last report.
As might be expected, the unessineSs was in
able tc leave their places Of business collected
the wbarTes. About IL q. m. terrible noise was
heard up the river, and in shorter space OF tiRo
IL
idly which increased each minute, until its force
vas so great that cakes half the width of the
river were picked up by the heavy body behind
IT and turned completely over, and on reaching
the water again broke into thousands Of pieces,
and'continued on down the river.
THE MOVING ICE
was watched by many an anxious person, and
when it encountered the piles Of the wharves 1t
shoOk them so that ii was feared every moment
would be their last. But luckily the rush did not
last Ions, and a short time after all was quiet
again, nothing being heard bat the noise from the
current.
Later information was received announcing
that the gcrge Of ice at the Great Falls was very
great, and that it would no doubt do considerable
damage when it came down. later dispatch
was received from the signal Office at ll;39, which
stated that the river had risen five inches during
the night. and was still rising slowly. No ic5
was going down.
AT THE AQUEDUCT BRIDGE.
When the rush of ice seased large numbers of
persons proceeded to the Aqueduct bridge, where
a survey OF the river was made. AT the bridge
on the Georgetown side of the river there was a
heavy gorge extending several hundred feet,
while at.the "Fhree Sisters" a short distance
above, was more extensive one, rising several
feet in the air. All along the shores OF the river
were large bodies Of ice which had been driven
fore, and the sight presented was beautiful.
For miles above these points the river
chVked up, with the exception of here aud there
could be seen little channels, and the angry
water running through. No further demOnstrl-
tlCn was observed except that the current had
decreased to a small extent, and the ice seemed
to be becoming more Wedged.