The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-11-27
THE RECEDING WATERS.
. REVIEW OF THE SITUATION UP
TO TO-DAY.

Nv
rsTIMATES OF LOSSES IN AND AROUND
..,cuMoSp AND MANCHEsTER-THE GAS
srrrLY-DAMAGE ON THE CANAL-vE-
,oCITY OF THE WATER BETwEENLYNCH.
rI.RG AND RICHMo ND-DUTCH-GAI
CANAL LIGHTHOUSE GoNE-THE RAIL'
poAps-TIlE FLOOD IN THE ROANOKE
LOSS OF THE TWO BRIDGES AT WELDON
&C., sc. ------
The flood reached its maximum height
about 10 or II o'clock Sunday night, and
.hon commenced 10 recedc, and SO continued
throughout Yesterday. 1t rose twenty
five feet above the ordinary level OF the
stream. and backed up the water into
Sbochoc creek as far as Clay street, and into
Gi,Iie's creek half mile. Dock, Cary
Main. Franklin. and Marshall streets where
Shockoc and Gilie'S creeks cross them were
impassablc even for vehicles. The only dry
land communication betwe Shockoe anC
Church Hills was Broad street. In making
the great fill for the construction OF thai
street, years ago. it was wisely arranged
that Shockoc creek Tor Bacon's Quarter
brarchl should pass under it through high
and wide arch. 1t was ample even for thi:
extraordinary occasion. Broad street was
high and dry above the waters, and yester'
dav and SUNDAY looked like Broadway, sc
crowded was II with vehicles and pedes-
TRANS.
There were numerous boats employed On
Cary, Main. and Franklin streets ferryins
people from Fifteenth to Eighteenth streets.
Ladies and their bcauX used these boats,
too. to get a view Of the submerged dis
trictS. and they were in pretty fair demand
at rcmuncrative prices. Gillie's creek was
as badly flooded as Shockeo.
LOSSES.
No accurate estimate Of losses can be
made for several days.
The lieS>rs. Mayo are the heaviest suffer-
crS. by reason OF the destruction OF several
spans OF their bridge. But there are hun.
drcGs who have lost in amounts from fifty
to thousand dollars. not counting the cost
OF removals. The guano-mill at Rockets
is half gone. The walls Of the old sugar
refinery. m immense structure, were crack.
Ing 20 loudly Yesterday that the SCUM
could BE- heard at considerable dis.
lance \ !oss OF 900 bags Of SUI.
mac was reported at Kings sumac.
mill. The city gas-works are injured
in common with all the property in that
ncighborhood. Paddy Grace's butcher.
shop had been moved, CHI lmney and all,
about 100 feet. The wharyes are probably
not greatly damaged, but all the sheds not
swept away are wrenchcd, more or less.
The luDIoer-Qcalers on the dock have had
some piles Of timber carried of. but by the
timely warning given were enabled to save
most Of their stock.
TO every house which the water entered
there is Of course some damage done.
From Fourteenth street to the lower limit
OF the city-as far north as Dock and some
times Carv-the water extended. Along the
line OF Shockoe creek from the river to CLAY
street. and from Fifteenth to Eighteenth
for the lower portion, and from Fifteenth
10 sixteenth or Seventeenth for the upper,
there was an inundation that filled nearly
all the Easements and cellars and many first
floors.
For instaise, from the st. Charles Hotel,
on Main street, TO square below the Old
Market the water stood at the highest from
five TO ten feet above the sidewalks, and all
goods and wares not moved from the stores
suffered. The observation-disclosures Of p. II.
Starkc. II. N. Smith & Co., and Watt d
Call. and ioundries Of Talbot & Brother
and Edmond 4 Co., were among the large
that suffered from the in
road.
Happily. the losses rarely fall heavily upon
any one firm. In the aggregate they will
probably be snort OF popular estimates.
The GAS SUPPLY.
The city gas-wnrks We're Visited by re-
preventative OF this paper at II O'Clock yes
tcrday. There was then five feet OF water
i'll the ret0rI-hou>e. and all the other build |
ings were more or less inundated.
sunday morning, when the old Govern
mcnt shed was washed from the wharf, the
two-inch supply-pipe was snapped, and the
water thus let into the street main. That
i what caused the city's supply OF gas to be
50 summariy cut off. There are in the
downtown and uptown holders together
about 100000 feet, or two days supply OF
yas. The first thing to be done after the
water reccdc> i 10 clear the pipes OF water,
and then the present supplies may be drawn
upon.
Superintendent Knowles has all his hands
i'll place, waiting for the moment to arrive
when thcir services can he made to avail.
Within twenty-tour hours after the river
has gotten down 10 its banks Mr.. knowles
thinks be may hc able to turn on the gas
AGAIN. That was the most definite informa-
IL, h. that
bic for him. or any one, to tell how long it
iyil take the water TO rccede.
He advises our people to provide them
selves with lamps and candles for three or
four nights Due notice will be given the
public when the gas is to be turned on.
THE WATER SUPPLY.
The water IN the two reservoirs, il is eX-
l,rctrd, will last until Thursday.
If human enterprise can avail, the pumps,
n some o. them, may be at work by that
time.
But much depends upon the speed with
which the food rccedes, and, after that,
upon the condition in which the pump
house machinery is found.
Even il il is unini ured some days will be
required TO clean the mud from it and to
put it in working order.
There being 10 water in the canal, owing
10 the breaks in it a mile above Hollywood,
The steam-pulnp cannot be employed.
The necessity for economy in the Use Of
city water vas never more urgent than now.
Major Poe and Superintendent Davis
might put their heads together and agree
upon some plan TO prevent much waste.
THE JAMES RIVER AND KASAwuA CANAL.
The damage 10 the canal is unqucston-