Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-12
THE ANGRY WATERS.
rLOoB IN TEE POTOMAC.
4 GREAT ICE FRESHET.
The LONG BRIDGE DAMAGED.
HCiTIN6 Sefhss m TAE CITY.
4 SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

The rise OF water and breaking up OF the tee
in the upper Potomac mentioned In the dis
patch from Harper's Ferry, printed in yester-
days STAR, manifested itself here last night
when large body of water came rushing down
over the Ice above Georgetown. About 1880
O'Clock this morning the Ice In the river tmme.
diaIey ABOVE Georgetown broke up and went
down III rush. most OF ft lodging against the
piers or the AQUeduct bridge and the Long
bridge.
DlsPATCHES PROM Up THE RIVER LAST NIGHT.
Among the dispatches received at the Signal
office last evening were the following from Har-
pers Ferry: - 0'ciocG li.m,-The water has
reached depth Of II feet s inches above low
water marx. The Ice gorged at the Point OF
I:25 pm.-"ittver rising inches per hour;
depth, ~ feet TO inches above low water mark;
Ice running heavy AT s:5 pm. the depth was
reported as II feet. and the water still rising at
the rate OF ; Inches an hour is:26.p. m.-Risng
2inenes per hour: depth, "a feet inches; Ice
running very fast. II p.m.-River still rising
The observer at Great Falls reported at nine
o'clock last night that the river had risen 81
inches in an hour at that point, and that the
water had risen 4 feet at Edwards Ferry at
suGdown. AT ten o'clock he reported rise or
inches since Dine O'clock and that the Ice was
breaking and coming quite rapidly.
LIVELY TIMES ALONE THE RIVER 'FRONT.'
There was much excitement In Georgetown
and Washington along the river front last
night. and those who had stores. lumber dUc.
on the wharves were soon bus,ly engaged 10
making everything secure. The steamers a.
the Wharyes got up steam and were fully
manned. for the double purpose OF securing
themselves and assisting In the work OF saving
property. The river front In GEORGETOWN was
lined with people at midnight. In all the ware
houses along Water street men were on duty,
and The places were lighted up. Merchants on
water street began moving out their stock al Il
nroht nd
houses and Passanos crowd OF people were
engaged taking out boats and other movables
10 place OF safety. The freight In the New
moved out. Men were employed at snoenak"rs % @:;s
mills, above the kaueduct bridge, IN taking out
every thing portable. At II o'clock some OF the
lumber In Wheatley's yards began to float off
When the tfteen feet rise at Harper's Ferry
began TO put In an appearance at Georgetown
tue Immense ieid OF inshOre ice that up TO thai
tline Ield hfm appeared 10 be lifted bodily. and
tfeh. with crash broke into great cakes ana
went rushing away into the darkness crIshiDg
the WharVeS In its course
SOME NOVEL CITY SCENES THIS MORNING.
The water before day break this morning was
well up along y street northwest, extending
halfway over the walk and ip 10 6 street,
iiODdiDg the cellars and lower stories OF dwell
hgs and business houses. The water al Il
Stleet was between three and four feet deep by
eight O'Clock and the female employees OF the
Bureau OF Engraving and Printing on their
way 10 N0ik We're compelled to take cars on
coaches me scenes In the lower part OF the
city were novel, and many OF the denZens OF
the Dlf iSion We're forced to look elsewhere
than At home Tor their breakfasts. Persons
having occasion TO pass from the main Land to
Soutn WASHINGTON, when they came TO the
Surg1ng waters would stand As it lost IN am aIe.
1nent, and wagons passing from one section to
the other were pressed into reguiStien to cary
pedestrians through the lood.
CENSUS RECORDS SAVED FROM TnK ffoop.
The records In the basement OF the CENSUS
Office formerly the R,pu5!,cGn bulldins) II waa
feared would be damaged by the mood unlcs
removed, and General Walker last night put a
}o}ce OF men at WORK who succeeded In welttnG
every document OF importance to c pla.e o.
safety, Cniy two bundles pE tie great mass OF
records VIII which the basement was packed
oelDg slightly damaged. The water was two
feet deep In the basement this mcrnfng. but
NO. engine was brought into TequlSition TO
pump IL out.
PENNSYLVANIA AyKNUE VAS COVERED wrru
WATER
10 the depth OF two feet or more IL several
places. Ford's opera hal;o, WAS surrounded
and the avenue along where :tb, .th and T.
streets cross was Ike a lake. a}lthe stores On
fhe south Side We're covered, and cellars on the
north side had five and SIX feet OF water In
them. the huckSterS and dealers in the mar
Eet took possession OF dry spots Oh the avenue
sidewalks and supplied their customers
thousands or persons-nen, women and chill
Interest the unusual sight The 9th street de
pot was surrounded by four feet OF water ana
the current running out along 9th street WAS
DANGEROUSLY rapid The street cars running
along there had TO DE deserted In haste and lelt
standing In the water. The water rose 80 rap
Idly that drivers and passengers became
alarmed anu called ior help to get out. Spring
wagons were sent into the current to take them
OIL. The Adams express company building on
Pennsy lvanla avenue, between I'd and 81 sts
was hooded to the depth OF several inches A
VT (LnIa H.
lishment. Oh the avenue, told a reporter that
he never saw worse flood here except once
many Years ago-when skiffs were losed up
anu down PeDnSy wanna avenue.
AL one O'Clock today the water had reached
the north side OF Pennsylvania avenue between
- and 9th streets, and extended from near .tn
streets the water extended across The avenue.
= bout this time
TIE GREAT STREET sEHgR HCRSrkn.
aid policemen were stationed on 18TH street.
below the avenue, to stop travel
THE STREET CARS.
Near tie corner of 9th and streets in the
naighborhood Of the Potomac dep,n, i've OF the
9th street line OF cars had to be abandoned the
drivers taking their money boxes under their
arms anc riding of on their hoses In one case
driver was so anxious to sare himself and the
money that he forgot the only passenger he had
Id ln and rode oI, leaving him. After the pas
seDger had worked himself on his knees from
one eDd OF the car TO the other to view the SIT
uatiop, and the crowd had enjoyed the sight. a
IT enGly DusS driver rescued him.
The ith street line OF cars continued TO run
through the ilood during The day, the passen-
gers adopting k2eeling posture on The seats
ana The SANE Vas the case with the Belt Line
cans.
Great difficulty is experienced in crossing
nom the city 10 South Washington. the water
being IN some places four or five feet deco. Tht.
Belt line has been running and ia Crossing
street north q distance OF some three nupdred
ieet. passengers have TO stand on the seats. and
even then get wet feet. Carts and wagons have
ocen lmprovised by coloTed men for carrying
passengers across al ''five cents for a pasSao1.
10 Liverpool" Some enterprlsing men fad i'm
pToyised row boats and RATS across Il at l4fh
streets. and another line OF row boats were
preparing 10 be put on at l2th street to take
the clerks OF the Bureau OF Engraving ann
Printing and the Agricultural department over
this evening. Col Irish, superintendent of the
Bureau or Engraving and Printing, tnfs after
noon sent out for all the transportation he
could raise In the way of carts, wagons and
BOATS to get his clerks home at the Closing hour
OF that bureau There are about coo OF them
and mostly female clerks
HIGH WATER ALONG TIIR AVENUE
All along the south side OF PENNSYLVANIA
avenue from Ilth street to 9Th street, and on
Louisiana avenue and the cross streets to ~
street the cellars and, In some instances. the
ground noorS. particularly those On Penusyl-
vania, avenue between 9th and 10th Streefs
Whlch are below grade. were flooded by Id
O'Clock, ana IN some instances much loss was
enfalied. In Harvey'5 restaurant, Schneider's
CT III NH anfv NoAsH Nj