The daily gazette., 1881-02-14

| PURTIONS OF THE LONG BRIDGE CAR
| RIED AWAY BY ICE-PENNsYLVA-
| MIA AVENUE UNDER wATER-GkEAT
| DAMAGE TO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
| BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-The Long
Bridge connecting Washington with
| Virginia soil is for the most part O cause
way, which has made II dam for the
Potomac during the last few days. The
warm weather had flooded the river, and
the ice gorge above and below Long
Bridge las helped to swell the volume
until early this morning when the ice
began to break up. The swollen waters
OF the Potomac poured against the wall
Of masonry forming the bridge across
the Potomac, backing the river around
the point TO where the Washington Mon
ument stands, aud thence across the
White House lot, filling up the lower
ground, between Pennsylvania evepue
and South Washington, for the distance
OF mile and half.
PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE FLOODED.
The result has been that all day long
the lower portion Of the broad avenne
from Tenth street west to the Capitol
gate has laterally been a canal, In which
row boats, fiat boats and all kinds of
small water craft have been used to
ferry people from their dwellngs,plAce S
Of business, and 10 and from some Of
the smaller hotels located on the south
side of the avenue. Fully one half OF
the great thoroughfare has been sub.
merged for several days. All day long
the streets leading to the avenue have
been thronged with pedestrians and ve-
hicles.
A VENICE IN WASHINGTON.
Senators and Representatives crowded
the balcony In front OF the Congressional
library, watching the wonderful scene
witnessed from this favorable position.
One part Of Washington had become
new Venice. Along the streets where
the pavements were known TO be good
horses were driven, aud in some localI-
ties 1t required an effort more than ford
ing stream 10 get safely across. The
broad space covered by the Botanical
Garden at the foot Of the Capitol had be-
come an artificial lake. The site of The
Baltimore and Potomac depot was sur
rounded with water, the flood causing
all business to be suspended. Street cars
that we're driven for awhile were aban-
doned on the tack. The great market
house was isola ed by the flood, and
even the few dealers who attempted to
open up business on the open sidewalk
were finally compelled to abandon their
temporary quarters.
THEATRE CLOSED BY WATER
Think of theatre in the heart of
Washington closed because 1t was i'm.
possible TO get to ii except in boats. And
yet there were members OF Congress
who had the meanness to say that this
great damaging overflow Of the banks of
the Potomac was a job got up by the ad-
vocates of appropriation for the Mississi-
ppi Rver,for while the Potomac was ris-
ing the House was engaged in discussing
the River and Harbor bill.
DAMAGE.
The damage caused by the flood Is at
present pure conjecture. The govern
Inent will be heavy loser. The hsh
pond and all the apparatus used by the
Smithsonian Institute has been des-
troyed and the carp scattered to destruc-
tion. The basement of the main build
ing occupied by the Census Bureau is
filed with water, though most OF the
papers aud records stored there were re-
moved In anticipation of just what has
happened. The steam fire engines
worked all day trying to keep down the
deluge in this building, but gave 1t up
after hours of service as a bad job, it be-
ing discovered that 1t was practically
throwing water over rail renee.