The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-15
THE CAPITAL FLOODED
4 Good PorsIop Of washington city
several Feet Under water.
UprHE AvENUEIS BoATs-gEscUISG pfo-
PIE FROM THE sECoND-sToRY WIN.
Il pows-THE L0yG BRIDGE GONE.
Especial di,patch to the philadelphia Time..J

most extensive freshets ever witnessed ~
this region paid its respects to this city to-
dsy, doing immense damage TO property
aud hllipg the capital with excitement.
Fortunately the warning OF the breaking oil
the ice above Haiper's Ferry ana the rapid
rise OF the river at that point yesterday pre-
pared The wbarf-0wr ers and wareholisemen
In measure for the threatened destruction.
All last night was spent In getting such
n rishable goods as could be removed IN
place OF safety. The extent, however, OF
The food was wholly unlocked for. More
than a square mile OF the business section OF
the city is now under water, and boats have
been plying up and down Pennsylvanla
avenue all the afternoon. The Hood stiii
shows little sign OF abatement. Great fields
OF ice came sweeping down early this MORN
ing. and gradually formed gorge against
the Long bridge. As most Of this bridge is
solid causeway, the ice soon formed
complete dam from the District to the
Virginia shore, piling high above the road
way. crushing the foot. and wag0nways Ike
80 much paper, and bending the trestle-
work over the channel into segment Of
circle. Here the railrOad-men and bridge
tenders, with big gang. fought the block
ade until driven 10 flee from the danger
which menaced them and the bridge to-
getber. The backwater upon Georgetown
swamped the wbaryes and houses IN less
than an hour, and threw schooners up into
the streets, and played havoc generally. AT
the same time II found It's way around the
obstruction of the bridge across the monu-
ment lot, obiteratiug the valuable Govern
ment fsh-ponds, overlooking the SDthso.
nian grounds, and pouring down over all
the lower section OF the city. BY 10 O'Clock
it had TILED every cellar and basement, and
was flooding the first floors OF the houses
next TO the mail ftom Fourteenth street TO
the Botanical Gardens. At II it had risen
to the middle OF the first stories OF these
lower dwellings and the
PANIC. STRICKEN INHABITANTS
we're being rescued from the second'story
windows by means oi boats and express
wagons. the water being up to the horses
backs. 1t had encroached on Pennsylvania
avenue, which presented nearly half a mile
Of navgabie waterway. The marke'men
were compelled hastily 10 abandon the mar
ket-bouse, which was soon in five feet OF
water About The same depth surrounded
FOrd's Opera House, from which Willie
Edouin's company had 10 withdraw their
baggage in bolts. All the restaurants. sa'
looms, commisson-bOuScS, etc, in that To-
caIitv, below and above ground, are com
pIetely flooded. and thousands ~ dollars
worth Of goods destroyed. The Metropoli-
tan Line Of Gals, which runs down along
the mall to the Baltimore and Potomac
deI0 OF, ran until float6d from the track into
the reservation. The DEPOT itself was III
the middle II lake, aud was inaccessible
except by boat.
Still the water kept rising until the hot
press of the Sunday Herdtd stood in I'VE
feet o. wafer This is on ID street above The
avenue. Half a mile Of business easements
and cellars on both sides OF the avenue IN
the business section OF the city are hIled
with water. All
BUSINESS HAS BEEN SUSPENDED.
Thousands OF people cODgregated on the
I'll eets to watch the food, and the greatest
excitement prevailed all day. As the side
walks were under water, all pedestrian
travel was BY roundabout ways, while the
street cars on the Avenue Line, the Herdics,
boats, and every kind OF means OF tranS-
portation were in demand. Seventh
street opposite the Washington Mar
ket is five feet under water. In
the cars leading through this TO the
wharyes passengers stood upon the seats and
rode on top, the.water flowing in through
the cars at every passage. The st. James
Hotel is flooded on the first floor, and the
guests are unable TO get out or in except by
bridging inside and boats outside, while the
National and Metropolitan cellars are full.
The water lacked two or three inches OF
being high enough to enter the office floors.
To complicate matters OF travel, early this
evening fire occurred on the avenue, and
for more than an hour the cars were block
10. no lalt ~ 70 of
one way or the other. Early in the day The
Census Office basement was filed, and II
took the ire-engines and hard work TO save
THE CENSUS RECORDS.
The damage will cost the city and Govern
mept more money than would be required
TO demolish the LODg-Bridgc causeway and
build new bridge. No loss of life is re-
ported. A couple OF women narrowly es-
caped drowning before they were rescued
from a sireel-car and a couple OF men by the
overturning Of a boat, which cOIIIded with
a carriage. A large number Of poor families
are drowned out in the lower sections.
The water completely surrounded build
ing on the south side OF the Long bridge,
IN winch were several women, but they
we're finally rescued and brought TO this
city. The boats were removed from the
lighthouses Of the AnaOstan, Potomac, and
Columbia Boat Clubs, and the lumber on the
wharves in Georgetown was anchored rs Sc
curely as possible, but some OF 1t was carried
away. All travel over the Long bridge was
| suspended this morning, and no trains are
leaving here for the South Utd Alexandria.
The trains from the North over the Baii
more and Potomac road are stopped several
squares south of the depot, and passengers
In
through the water, which extends from
Pennsylvania avenue beyond b street, a
distance OF about three squares, and Is from
two feet to four feet deep.
THE WIRES
between Washington and Alexandra are all
down, and the Western Union is seudDg its
southern business 10 Alexandria by mcssCn-
gers on horseback. who are obliged to cross
the Aqueduct bridge at Georgetown, where
the water Is almost up 10 the bridge and the
ice is pounding against the piers with tre-
mendous force, but being very rotten is
quickly broken up and passes down the
river. The Signal Service observer at Har-
per's Ferry at Z. NJ. reported that the
river at that point had fallen six inches, but
later reported no further fall; that the depth
Of water was twelve feet above lOw-water
mark, and that both rivers were reported
rising above there. At 1880 p. NJ. he re-
ported a rise Of three inches in the Potomac
and one inch in the Shenandoah, and still
rising above. AT $50 Z. NJ. three spans OF
the Long bridge were carried away and the
ice was still running very high.
Near the corner Of Sixth and b streets lin
the neighborhood OF the Potomac dcpot)
five of the Ninlh-Street
LINE OF CARS HAD TO BE ABONDoNED.
Great difficulty Is experienced in crossing
from The city 10 South Washington, the
water being in some places four or five feet