, 1881-02-13

Ing. There are several gorge5, mud the outlook
Is that the bridges will be swept away.
At half past the water had risen within one
or two inches OF tho 0rss doors of tho National
md Metropolitan hotels or Pennsylvania ave-
niue, and the street and sidewalk OIL bbtl s:cics
between First street, near tho Capitol, and Scv-
enth street, were completely submerged. Tho
water III the Potomac Depot Is about two feet
deep, aud In fr,nt of tho depot IN the street
neery four feet.
The Ice in Washington narbor begHn breaking
up early this morning, and the water rose rapid
ly. At O'Clock to-day there was about i've fcct
Of water around the Baltimore s. Potomac lsail-
road depot. and the lower portions OF hotels on
Pennsylvania avenue between Third and seFenth
streets, are flooded. There Is nbout three rect
Of .wutor over the ground aoor OF washington
Markns und about the Same depth around Fonds
Opera House.
It IS reported that tho Virginia side OF the
"Long Bridge" has given way. but the report
cannot be snbstantfated. Us 1t IS impossible to-
reach the bridge, owing to the extreme depth OF
water over the lower parts OF the city.
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE,
from First to Seventh, and from Eighth to
Tenth streets. is sheet of water, and all cellars
and a number Of hrst-iloors ON either <slde OF
tho street are submerged. The lover poruon OF
stored, commenced uoodlug. this morning, but
the Fire Department WAS CALLED upon and >suc-
cceded In keeping the water duwn until the st0c-
umcuts Ut most Importance we're removed.
Greut Lamuge is reported along the wharye3 lit
Georgetown. At an cnrly hour
WASHINGTON sl!A1sKl:r
Ind four Inches OF water III 1t, and 1t rose rapid
iy. and soon the tiood was 1nce-hlsh. Many
dealers hastily left. but those huv,ng henvy
commodities for son1e time stood their ground,
anticipating 1t would nor be long before the
water would rcccde. Butchers and many o1her
market dculers. later in the morning, e3tcmpor-
ized street stlnds on the north side Ut the ave-
nuc, III front uf tho stands erected for the fnau-
guratton. aud there veudod their wares Lee be-
gan IL gorft ncross the channel ut Giesboro
ubout ocl0ck this morning, aud ut IL 1t Ind, to
all appearances, beconlo = solid gorge across 10
tho Virginia shore, blocking up tho river en-
tirely to Long Bridge and above It to George
town.
TIE BOTANICAL GARDENS AND GROUNDS
allied with water, and this cuused Il serious, and
what came near being fatal, accident About
Maine avenue. between Third a1,d Four-and-a-
half streets. were engaged in cust1ng with u
cupoiA Of heated metal, when tho water run tu
IN them, and, supposlug 1t would be better to
prevent it reaching the cupola and chilling tho
lnetul. tho bottom wts opened. Immediately
the liquid mass fell Into the Wntcs. and steam
generated 50 rapidly that. with report exceed
ing that OF Il six-poundcF, an explosion took
place, sbattcs.ng two cuaoias and throwing sew
eral workmcn around, two being quite badly
hurt
WATEn COMPLETELY sCRRoUNDED A BUILD
ING
on the south side OF Long Bridge in which wero
several women. They were finally rescued. Tho
Hoat Club removed their boats from tho houses
and the lumber on the wharves. in Georgetown
WAS anchored rs securely as possible, but Il
portion was carried away. AL travel over the
Long I}rid:e is suspended and no trains leave
FOR the South VIA Alexandria. Trains from the
North over the Baltimore 2 potomic kold stop
several squares south Of tho depot. and p,issel-
gers are transferred in couches aud wagons
through tho water, which extends trum Penn-
squares and Is from two to tour feet deep.
THE WIRES
between Washington and Alexandria are all
down. The Western Onion send Southern busi-
ness tt Alexandria by crurier5 on horseback,
who cross tho atlued.1ct bridge at Georgetown.
where the water is almost to the bridge, the
piers Of which arc pounded by the ice with trc
Ine!llOus iurrc> our, the leu being soft, It is
quickly broken and passes down tho river.
At flarper's Ferry the river is twelve feet
above low-~nter mark and rising. THREE spans
OF the long bridge have been carried away. leo
is still running very high.
At MIDNIGHT
there was no perceptible change along Pe1usyl-
yania avenue and the streets leading south. The
6trcet-cars ceased their trips south OF the ave-
nue. at S. una communication with South Wash
inzton. except by boats, Is accompanied with
srreat hnzaru- Tho damage to this city must be
very great