Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-14
AFTER THE FLOOD.
Losses in the District.
The Long Bridge Break.
Scenes and Incidents.

against the Long Bridge formed Jam, or
rather dam, which almost entirely closed the
washington channel and threw the water la a
broad sheet down along the former course Of the
Old canal almost to the foot of the Capitol This
Is the reason why more OF the low ground 10
this city was submerged than In previous fresh
cts when the water In the upper Potomac even
10 Georgetown, has been higher than II was
saturday.
When TIE STAR went 70 press Saturday there
was solid field OF packed ice extending from
the Long Bridge up TO Easby's Point. or course
the gorge was thus broken the water IA eii-
ately begun to subside in the Hooded streets.
PENNSYLVANIA VENUE AS NAVIaABLE
When 1t was at its greatest height in the
city. 1t extended on some parts Of Pe1nsyl vania
avenue to the building line on the north side a
clrcumStance which had never been known be-
1Ore. Tne market people who were driven from
tbs market house In the morning. and located
on Pennsylvania avenue, between 7th and Och
streets. were many OF them forced to leave
their places, for after nightfalt the water III lde
s canal OF the avenue, and it was no unusual
sight to see Tat bottom boats, some OF then
conveying as many as ten Or twelve persons,
roWed over the avenue. If was then deemed
unsafe for the Ith street cars to go through
and they were run nOrtnWard to Street south
and southWard to the avenue only for time.
NovRL SIGHTS AND NUMEROUS SIGHT SHERs
During yesterday 1t is thought that more
Long bridge and the Ice gorge. The Oldest in-
habltant never before saw such a scene as the
river presented. A continuous ice gorge seems
to be formed from Giesboro' oil the Wiy up to
the bridge and extending above the bridge to
Easily point. The Ice appeared TO be wedged
In and grounded both in the channels and over
the river fats, and SO firmly has 1t fastened
itself that boys and men were walking all over
ltyesterday gathering such light drift wood as
they could remove to the shore This proved
to be very difficult thing to do, the walking
DelnS TOO rough for comfort. The surface Is
continuous projection OF angular pieces OF ice
stained and Streaked with muddy water. The
sight along the river front IS a novel one. A
pr0iniscuous line OF steamboats,. schooner5
sail and row boats, Wedged In with Ice, broken
piles, wharf planks and wood and coal. extend
ing from the Arsenal grounds to the Long
lHldge. while all the way across the river ana
as lar as vision extends down stream nothing
but jagged surface OF ice can be seen, dotted
In with drift wood, t1mberS, slumps OF trees.
&C., which have come down from above. Tue
general impression OF the old river men Is tnat
this vast body OF ice will stick to the bottom
and melt away gradually, and that nc further
carnage from the flood need be apprehended.
TIE ACCIDENT AT GRAY & MOVES FOUNDRY.
Some exaggerated reports have been made In
regard TO the explosion at the foundry OF Gray
q Noyes. and Ii has been stated that Robinson
one OF the two men injured, had since died. II
TACT neither OF the men was seriously hurt, AMI
within week, 1t is likely that Robinson
would have been more badly hurt but for
the fact that ne was thrown into the wafer BY
the explosion. His hands extending above the
water showed lis position, and he was specify
pulled cut.
How TO BREAK THE GIssBoRo GORGE.
rms morning some OF the b. &P officials
ment using the artillery at the Arsenal to
break the ice gorge either by dynamite rire1 oy
electricity or by firing shell into the mass
Captain Frank Holingshead, formerly OF tae
steamer Arrow, after an Inspection OF the si,ua-
ton last night states that If half dozen strong
tugs Should commence work from below th4f
In IS hours the mass would tloat Off.
FIGHT ON THE SUBMERGED AVENUE.
VIM. A. Wtikerson and Jas. Kelly, Two 20 IT.
White men, were charged in the Police c iurE
this morning with being dlsOrderly on III
avenue saturday night. Lieut.. Arnold tes
and profanity On the southwest corner OF 6tn
street and Pennsylvania avenue, and got DO .t
and went over to the Howard House corner
ald saw these young men cursing each otnei
and took them to the station house. Mr.. Go
Holmes stated that he saw the affair, and TIA,
N1kerson and Kelly came along in a boat with
some other parties and landed on the steps
the Howard House, and the boat left tuem.
Kelly insisted on fighting Wtlkerson, who re-
treated until stopped by the water, when h.
turned and knocked his pursuer down ard
hammered him. Kelly forfeited collateral. and
as he was apparently the cause OF the row.
NllkerSon was dismissed.
FRESHET Fun.
Secretary Sherman looking from the sou tn
mont OF the Treasury, Saturday afternoon. to-
Walds the broad sheet OF water extending from
the Potomac down towards the Capitol am
covering the Site OF Babcock lake and the carp
pond remarked, "Well this is the first time I
ever saw lake surrounded by waterp
Saturday afternoon stalWart policeman en-
barked in a small boat south Of Pennsylyanii
avenue to make the voyage across to the north
side OF that flooded thoroughfare. Disdaining
TO squat In his fratl craft, position safe IL un
oi2nit1ed, he took the attitude, standing I'm the
slern. OF washington crossing the Della
while a small boy navfgated the boat All went
well for while, but the sKifr suddenly struck
the submerged curbStone at the north side OF
the avenue, and overheard went the guardian
or the peace. AS he arose dripping and wadad
ashore, bystander struck up the melancholy
happy one"
a countryman in a wagon near the Washing
ton market was carefully driving along feel
Ing his way" as it were. AS he went from
higher to lower ground the wheels were gradu-
a!ly submerged and finally the water covered
tie wagon body tioated Off the running Gear
a: q swung around While the horse kept Straight
or. The driVer held on to the reins. Justify hal
lis novel craft and establish It's connection With
the motive power, afforded lots OF fun to the
spectators. who encouraged him by shouts of
port your helm,' "blow your whistle" etc.
Three Spans of the Long Br,dse
swept Away.
Saturday afternoon and night there was q
continuous stream OF visitors to the neighbor-
hood OF the Long bridge, which was expected
momentar1ly to give way under the terrible
pressure or the ice jam. The ends of the bridge
were early barriced d against passengers. and
no enc was allowed to pass over the Structure.
some OF the railroad men ventured on the draw
curing The afternoon and gave 1t as their ooin-
Ion that as soon as the ice which was bearing
on lnat portion OF the bridge just south OF the
W aSDlngtOn draw was raised by the tide The
pIloge would go. After nightfau there was
series OF snaps heard by those near by and
lhese SOUNDS increased until about $50 O'Clock,
When the structure gave way and the three
spans, extending from the south end OF the
draw 10 the north end OF the causeway. 1ioated
hree TO four hundred yards. when the Iceberg
and lis freight grounded and stopped Each OF
tnese three spans Is 13O feet long, and as they
appear from the shore they are intact and may
De saved by anchOring them where they are
II was remarked by the railroad people that
when this break occurred the red signal OF
DANGER was uD and so remained. From this
END OF the bridge 1t is seen that the raIlrc ad
IRA nas been warped and raised In places 10
replace tne tnree spans will cost about $50 600
TIMBER TO REPAIR THE BRIDGE ARRIVES WITHIN
THREE HOURS AFTER THE ACCIDENT
AS soon as this part Of the bridge had given
ra lroad Office In Baltimore, and orders were
8 ven 10 repair 1t at once. By II o'clock a train
load OF bridge timber had arrived near the
north end OF the bridge, which was followed
during the night by second load. Yesterday
Mr.. 6. c. Wilkins, the superintendent OF the
Baltimore and Potomac railroad, was on the
ground giving the necessary orders, and If TIE
Ice should move out and the bridge De not fur
ther damaged 1t is possible that In from six 10
dnXyc fhl H1v.