Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-02-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MONITOR

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. IA, 1881
However dry my themes have been |
heretofore, this one contains moisture |
enough to satisfy the tastes of any one |
who prefers a waterscape to painting of |
mountains aud wales. Those who have |
repeated the story of the Potomac's never |
overlooking it's banks are either ignorant |
Of statistics or wilfully guilty of prevari-
eating. Taking the Pennsylvania Avenue
car on Saturday morning, I descended
the hill with the intention of visiting
Washington market, which occupies the
length between seventh and ninth streets.
Before reaching the Botanical gardens l
could see crowds of people whom 1 snip
posed were watching for the entrance Of
some menagerie or procession of giants.
The giants were there indeed in the resist
less sweep of the waters which, breaking
all bounds, were submerging everything
in their way. The Botanical Gardens
were fairly afloat, the fires had been put
out by the careful keeper Of the precious
plants, and all that could be done was to
hope for the welfare of the flowers and
trees which had been brought from every
land. When sixth street was reached
the Baltimore & Potomac depot became
visible, at least the upper part of it. The
street cars, which had fioated from the
track that runs past the depot, were in
four feet of water and were half a square
from their track. The waters had reach
ed the depot floors, and the baggage had
been removed above the reach of the flood.
remove the fire to prevent an explosion,
yet the incoming torrent generated such
steam as to scald the faithful man pretty
! severely. The cars which stood in the
yard of the depot were compelled to seek
| high ground to keep from having the en-
| CINE fires extinguished, and the trains
went out on time, starting from the cor
ner of sixth street and Virginia Avenue.
| When l reached seventh street l thought
| of going to see the river but the horses,
breast deep in the ice-cold water, and the
passengers upon their knees upon the
seats to keep from swimming on the floor,
changed my mind and 1 continued my
| way along the Avenue. / found Central
Market surrounded and filled with water
and no approach save by boats or wheeled
vehicles. OF the market people some of
the less wise concluded, as did one in
Noah's time, that there would not be
much of a food and stood their ground
until they were ankle deep in water, then
they had a struggle to get out at all. The
more thoughtful ones moved to the Ave
nue. with their wares and it was an unus-
ual spectacle to see dressed mutton, veal,
beef and poultry blooming upon leafless
trees, or broiling in the hot sun across
poles, whilst every description Of mer-
chandise was scattered along the pave
ment wherever a dry spot could be found.
Loads of hay, fodder, grain ETC., with
poor bony horses or mules attached,
whose dropping heads and rickety legs
called for the attention of Bergh or An
CELL, strung out as though on a march to
the bone yard. In the cars as well as
upon the street all were anxious to make
the most Of the day, one hale and pleasant
looking man, evidently farmer, remark
ed, ''Well, this carries me back to my
boyhood days to see the folks out in the
street with their marketing"
It was a sad sight to see the food:
pouring into the cellars, Easements, store
rooms and hotels along the Avenue
Boats were in requisition to carry partie:
from one point to another. One MAJ
with long oar was seated upon barre
head padding ellis own canoe" One O
those naturally smart lads that are font
of making grand display ON all occasions
mounted a bicycle just to show the spec
t tators what bold spirit could accomplish
! Selecting a part of the Street where tn
9 water ran high he undertook to make al
exhibition of himself and the next thin,
seen was a self-immersed young gentle
y man rising from the yellow fluid, dragging
G a bicycle at his heels with its broadsid
J. down. Here you might SEGA man we
filled with fire-water leisurely promenad
ing back and forth through the wave
O from curb to curb, the water above hi
- knees. At another point very larg
woman with very large basket of mai
keting waited in vain for some good So
8 maritan to come with a wagon and conve
= her ''Across the stormy water" as sh
v would not trust herself to the treacherou
r deep in a common row boat, but as n
succor came, like "Cousin Sally billiard
she '.waded' whilst the ice-belt struc
% her about her waist. There were at leas
Is two who were too drunk to help then
Is selves and were only saved at the risk
n the lives of others, who fished them OF
q from the bottom of the temporary rive
Those who are in the habit of taking tt
''pure unadulterated aquafortis" at tt
a marble saloon, corner of ninth and tt
S. Avenue, were obliged to call for mike
as drinks or go thirsty as the saloon w;
Mt under water as were many others. Ford
i, Opera House was unapproachable al
Saturdays promised matinee was a failul
- which was quite a loss to the manage
~ To sum up the sights and events of Sa
De urday would fill volume. The writ