Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-02-18
THE FLOOD IN THE POTION AC.
Destruction of Property.
Washington Cor. Baltimore San, 1871 ms,

the ice had broken at Harper's Ferry aud was
on its way down. The calculation then was
that it would not reach here until about noon
on Saturday 1t came more rapidly, how
ever, than was anticipated, and reached here
| in its fullness by ten O'Clock in the morning
though the highes, water was not until 4:30
O'Clock in the afternoon, when the flood tide
| was in.
CITY PARTLY SUBMERGED.
The scenes that have TRANSFERRED since The
water came down upon US will probably never
be recorded so that full justice will be given
to the occasion. They are exciting, aud at
times humorous, grand and sad, surprising
and interesting. Some who bad witnessed
them had never imagined before that freshet
could come with such a rush and SO quietly
and upinterruptedly submerge the city The
entire portion of the city between the Monu-
ment and the Capitol was covered with water
for q width Of two to six squares, the greatest
width being from Sixth to First street, which
is the lowest and --LATEST section. In this val
ley the depth averaged from three to six feet,
suspending travel for several hours between
the city proper and South Washington except
by boat, the depth being SO great that
horses could not wade through it. The Belt
line of street cars kept going through the new
made siver until the horses could not get
footing owing to the depth OF water, the pas
sengers being required TO stand on the seats.
Afterwards it became necessary to keep from
getting drenched in the water to get on the tops
of the cars. The Seventh.sireet line KEEP; up
travel, and carried all who were willing 10
run the risk of getting wet. The greatest
depth of water was 10 the vicinity OF the Bal
timore and Potomac depot, where by one
O'Clock boats were used TO carry persons from
the hotels to the depot. Several cars of the
4 Metropolitan railway during the early part OF
the day got as Tar as Sixth street, in front Of
the depot, and the drivers being unable to
make any progress cut their horses loose and
made them swim out, the passengers being Ia
ken from the tops of the cars in boats Lou
isiana and Missouri avenues were covered with
water first, the lower portions of the business
houses and residences fronting on the same
being flooded in many cases before the occu-
pants could get out OF them Boats and floats
of all descriptions, from the dug-out 10 the
| scow, were pressed into service and used il
transporting The imprisoned occupants to
places where water did not form such priu-
cipal part.
SUSPENSION OF BUSINESS.
Business was suspended from Fourteenth to
First street northwest, on the south side of
Pennsylvania avenue, and for many squares
ON the north side. From 9th TO 10th street
Pennsylvania avenue was covered for over ten
hours with water from one side 10 the other
the cellars OF many buildings being filled
early in the morning from the back up in the
sewers. From I'd to A streets the same state
of things existed. At 9th street the water
reached the main door of the National Hotel.
DAMAGE TO THE POTOMAC BRIDGE.
The Long Bridge stood the pressure until
8 O'Clock Saturday night when four spans on
the Washington end gave way, in ali about
! IN ndrad fact Thio pol;
to great extent, and probably had great
deal TO do with the Disappearance of the
water in their city, which began soon after
wards 10 fall very perceptble. By midnight
II bad fallen nine inches, and when the sun
rose this morning its rays were greeted with
mud where yesterday oceans of water vas
BY this afternoon the water in the. deluged
portions of the city was practically gone
Travel is OF course DISTRACTED, and will be
until the bridge has been repaired, for il is
over this bridge that all trains for the South
have to pass which are sent out from this
city. The river not being open yet for ferry
boats Washington is cut Off from the Suulh
except by way Iof the Aqqeduct bridge A
wagon line between Alexandria aud here Sas
started this morning via the Aqueduct bridge.
This Will delay the southern trains but a short
time in making northern connections as well
as give northern trains southern connection
SENSATIONAL INCIDENT
One of the most sensational incidents Of
last night was the discovery Of fire in the
store OF Samuel Walker on Tenth street, be-
tween q and Louisiana avenue The building
in which the store was located, like all the
Others for several squares, was submerged in
four feet Of water. A alarm was turned 10
and soon the firemen were on hand The
hose was carried TO the scehc of the fire on
the tops of the hose carriage, while the fire.
men and policemen were taken there in boats
The firemen were compelled to work in water
up to the their armpits but, notwithstanding
the difficulties that met them, they worked
with a determination that was surprising.
The building adjoining, occupied by Daniel
McGrath, was also partially destroyed. From
this four women and several children Were
removed 10 boats by the police The water
was SO cold that one or two Of the fremeu
were exhausted, and they too had to be res.
cue6 in boats for unless man was above
the average height he could not wade. When
the truck company got to the fire the water
was so deep that nothing but he heads Of
the horses could be seen Their ladders were
: very necessary, and of great service in rescu.
J ing the occupants Of the house, as also iur.
nishug means 10 the fremen to get on tor
of the building. Mr.. Walkers loss Of -four
and feed amounted 10 S2,500 The damage
! TO the buildings will reach 10 about the
same amount. Old firenen say they nevei
saw such thing before-a house burning in
an ocean of water. The fires were in the IN.
, per part Of thy buildings. Several of The
, iremen are partially laid up to day In conse
quence of the exeriloRs and exposure, They
worked manfully, and receive, az they de-
serve, great credit.
DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.
Much damage was done to The plants in The
United States Botanical Garden, near th,
Capitol. The entire lot was covered with
water. The fires in the Easements, which
keep the tropical plants at a temperature sui
table TO their delicate nature, were extinguish.
ed early 10 the day by the wafer. The lower.
ing of temperature, it Is thought, will kill many
of the valuable plants, especially those from
| the tropics. The fires were renewed to-day
Mr.. Smith, the superintendent of the gardens
says he had prepared for the rise all he could
and had packed away 10 dry place guam.
tity of wood, which he started the fires with
early this morning. as soon as the water had
receded so as TO allow him. The contents o.
the lower portions of the census Office build.
+ lug, the results OF the work of 81, 900 emu.
, merators, were likewise looked after on Fri.
day, so, though there were seven feet of water
in the cellar yesterday aud three feet this
sidering the chance, Of what might have oc.
| CURED bad the precautions not been taken.
Beall L. Baker, grocers, lose So, 900; j. c.
Engood, So 600 Bryan Bros, 81 800 Bea-
vens Shaw, 81 900; John a. Baker, 81 :
900, aud other firms in proportion. Il is ex.
tremely hard to estimate the damage, but the
following ia given as The nearest yet obtain
able To the Long Bridge, $685. to The
merchants, residents aud market-dealers ia
. the submerged district, $l0O, 600 in George.
! town, between $4,000 and $l00, 100. The
/ damage along the river front cannot be esli.
+ mated until affairs resume their normal state,
ACCIDENT TO RoS.soLDERs.
= At Gray l. Aoyes foundry, on Main ave.
nue., Geo. Gibson aud Geo Robinson, i've
moldefs were severely injured. TIE water
: coming in the foundry, the contents Of The
cupola Of heated metal was allowed 10 ruu
out from The bottom. The falling ia the water
generated such steam that AN explosion oc.
CURED, the two men named being injured The
= most though Others scalded. Gibson, II I,