Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-13


river, and at that hour was still moving but
It was not thought all the ice would pass away.
freed nom ice during this morning. although
there will be decided rise In the river q
freshet will hardly follow. but under the cir
cumStanceS every precautiOn should be taken"
MERCHANTS TAKING PRECAUTIONS,
Many merchants along the Georgetown river
front and on the low levels of Washington had
men at work last night securing their goods
from possible damage. Early reports from
Harpers Ferry this morning stated that there
had been twenty-four inches rise in the Po.o-
mac over night and the water was still rising
small quantity Of ice was running. At the
Aqueduct bridge at 1880 this morning the ice
was still moving In the channel, which was
much wider than at first, but a vast amount of
NAMED mai firm. The signal observer at Moore's
all stations along the river as far as HARPER
Ferry showed the river to be still rising The
low grounds about the Chain bridge, which at
flooded this morning. The gorge at Seven
LOCKS had not then started, and this holds back
considerable body Of ice and water. It rained
neaviiy all night up the river. The ice between
the Aqueduct bridge and. the Chain bridge re-
NAMED unbroken when the morning reports
were made, and at that time the signal men
saio tnefe seemed to be no extreme danger.
THE RISE AT HARPER's FERRY.
A signal Office dispatch from Harper's Ferry
at $50 am. said: Potomac rising very fast;
rise Of 26 inches since 1880 am. Ice on gov
eminent dam halt down; depth, eight feet
above low water"
THE COMMISSIONERS TO THE RESCUE
commissioners Edmonds, Webb and Ly-
decker, when informed last evening Of the
probable danger of a food, held meeting and
at its close telephoned Mr.. Horatio Browning,
the chairman Of the citizens committee, that
tney nag put the emergency fund at the dis
told the committee to 60 ahead with their work
OF clearing the river, and that they would lend
all the assistance that they could.
THE WORK IN THE HARBoR.
This morning Captain L. A. LittIefield. of the
citizens committee, went down in q tug to
Alexandria, but, on account of the fog and the
danger OF being pushed on the flats by the
large noes OF Ice, returned. Harbormaster SUIT
Ton tnis morning took charge OF the tugs for the
Joo. Mr.. Browning stated this morning that
Inc channel was open from Georgetown to
AIeHa mar and the Ice was moving of, and re-
IOtS from below showed that it was gradually
moving out of the river.
THE SAFETY OF LONG BRIDGE.
others are not, however. so sanguine as Mr..
Browning, and among these are the railroad
people, who are fearful for the safety of Long
bridge: The ice at o'clock was passing
tnlougn Dut TWO spans, and the passage be-
neath the draw was not then opened. Supt
Carter came down from Wilmington last even
bridge. - ''-o
THE RIVER RISING RAPIDLY AT 10 AN.
10 "A. M.-Signal service reports all along the
line say the river Is rising at the rate of 10
inches per hour. Ice is running very fast and
In great quantities: Both rivers at Harper's
fastey Tbe snrge at Inc e0t1mae is rising the
1850, AoUEDUCT BRIDGE.-Water rising very
last and Ice In great Quantities. The Virginia
Due precautions are being used by merchants
along the river, in anticipation Of any great
rise. The water at the West Washington har-
Orli Z
shortly before noon.
Noon.-From Harper's Ferry 14-inch rise
since last report.
RISE OF A FOOT IN TEN MINUTES.
From Aqueduct ice On the Virginia side has
broken and is moving in great Quantities A
small gorge on this side the river The river
rose q foot In about 10 minutes.
WHAT THE SIGNAL SERVICE MEN THINK OF
THE CHANCES.
1t Is the opinion at the signal Office that the
question of a freshet depends entirely upon the
river between the AQueduct bridge and the
Chain bridge. Should the ice in that section
break and run out before the ice from the upper
river gets down, the water will not probably yet
3eyond the level Of the Georgetown wharves
hut shouid II remain gorged and allow the ice
almost inevitable; The fall of rain has been n
very heavy-much more SO than is generally
supposed. Since the storm began 3. 1S inches
of rain has fallen. 1A0N''
Scenes ON the River.
AN 1NEFFECTUAI. ATTEMPT TO BREAK THE ICE
GORGE AT THE SOUTH DRAW OF THE LONG
BRIDGE.
Along the river front to-day, wharf.owners and
others were inqulring for news from up the
river, and the telegraph operator at Biscoe's
wharf had to answer many questions. A ,b,ck
fog lay over the river all the morning, and did
not rise till afternoon. The tugs E d. Hartley
ana Mary Lewis went out under the com mond
OF Haroor Master Sutton, but were obliged to
hafo Z - 90
OF the Washington steamboat company's ferry
boats went down as far as GiesbOrO' Point
ise there am a able barrier Of
AN INEFFECTUAL ATTEMPT TO BREAK THE ICE
GORGE AT THE SOUTH DRAW OF THE LONG
BRIDGE.
The two tugs under the command of the har.
Dor master, after vainly attempting to break
the gorge at Giesboro' point, went into the
Georgetown channel and began work on the ice
that had sorged at the south draw of the
bridge. Two of the spans south of the draw
remained still open, and a current of six or
seven miles an hour rushed through there, car
rylng masses OF Ice with it. At the draw how
ever, the ice was gorged until it reached to the
top OF the piers In one direction and appa-
rently 70 the bottom OF the channel In the
other The attack made by the tugs upon this
gorge had little effect. The tug masters. fear
ing that the gorge forming at GresbOro' would
Use Use =. Tue cnannei ana 1mprison them, with
rose. 10
Frccarious Condition Of the Long Bridge
Haroormaster Sutton arrived at the District
Commissioners office at twelve o'clock to-day
from the river front and represented things on
the river as rough. He and Lieut.. Townshend
started down this morning, at six o'clock, with
the Mary La xis and the Hartley tug boats and
the Jog on the river was so dense that nothing
confined 20 the immediate vicinity of the tugs
When they got TO the forks of the channel be-
low the Long bridge, they found the fee back
nrxyt lar r~tau
oown the Georgetown channel Both boats
were showed on to the flats and the ice was
croWding on the stems OF the boats, threatening
iention OF going to the Long bridge, where the
ice Is gorged, Tor the purpose OF breaking
boat. would not run the risk Of having their
boats demolished, and so returned to their
wharves and laid up.
This aftarnonn IT,