Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-01
HIGH WATER HERE.
RECENT RAINS SWELL THE JAMES TO
GREAT PROPORTIONS.
The People in Exposed Situations Here
Moving Their Goods and Chattels-
News from Up the Country, &c.

The James river is roaring and rising.
Considerable damage has been done.
Mere is threatened. In this section
rain commenced falling Saturday night,
and with an ntermission for Sunday,
continued with comparatively brief IN
tervals until last night, when, after
several tremendous showers, the wind
rose and blew heavily. Then the skies
cleared.
1t was not until yesterday afternoon
that our people began to appreciate the
imminence Of their danger. Then those
having goods in exposed places began
making excited inquiries rs to the con-
dition of the James at Columbia
where the Riyanna pours her muddy
waters into the James-and at Lynch
burg.
THE NEWS THEY RECEIVED.
The news was discouraging. The
river at Columbia was much Swollen,
AID the effect of the rains in the noun
ans was seen at Lynchburg in the
iise Oh the stream to majestic proper
tons. Merchants, warehousemen, and
housekeepers here who had reason to
fear the incursion Of the river upon
their premises were at work until
late last night moving property
to upper floors or to other
places Of safety. 1t was impossible
for them to calculate exactly what de-
gree Of inundation to expect, and they
we're preparing for the worst. If the
great bulk Of the Rivanns water passes
here before the volume from Lynch
borg piles on it all will be well if not,
then we may have freshet compare
be with those of 1870 and 1877.
EXPERIENCE.
However, at worst, the loss to pro-
psrty can be nothing like it was in
those years, for the experience then
dearly purchased has been put to prac-
teal use and very little movable pro-
perty has been lett within reach of the
angry waters. let them rise to the high
est known marks.
In 1870 the river was in the street
some distance above west of the st.
Charles Hotel. In 1877 it went up
about foot higher.
~ Richmond.
The water, by the mark on one OF
the piers of the Petersburg bridge, was
G feet above low-water mark at III
o'clock Yesterday morning and about !
feet at G:30 in the afternoon. Below
Mayo's bridge, however, where the tide
is felt and there are no rapids, the
height attained was much greater.
The sheds Of the Old Dominion
Steamship Company were flooded, and
at t =. NJ. the water was up to the back
door Of the office. Everything had
been moved from the sheds, and the
furniture, &c., moved from the first to
the second floor Of the Office.
At all places in Rockets, and more
particularly in that portion of the city
near where Shockoe creek passes
through Richmond, people moved every
thing either to their second floors or to
some other quarters. No serious dam
aye has been reported.
I Davenport & Morris, wholesale gro
GERS, Seventeenth and Dock streets,
found it judicious to move most oi
their goods from the basement and first
floor of their warehouse to the upper
floors of the building.
PLANTERS WAREHOUSE.
In the Planters Warehouse, Fif-
teenth and Cary streets, there were
about $500 hogsheads of tobacco,
valued at about $250,000 or $500, 1000,
and on which there was an insurance oi
$4,000. Commission merchants and
others interested in lots Of tobacco
stored at this place, being rather fright
ened by what they heard, went down
about . P. NJ. and obtained permission
to move that in which they were
interested. They commenced this
work at once and up to II
p. NJ. drays, wagons, &C., were
kept busy removing the packages Of the
weed to more elevated portions Of thC
city. The insurance agents, however
were not alarmed and did not order the
removal of any of the tobacco. They
will 60 down this morning, and if the in
dications are then unfayorable they vii
make arrangements to have it moved
The water last night was thought tC
be within ten feet of the floor of the
warehouse.
MAYo's BRIDGE.
Mr.. j. Thompson Brown, receiver o
Mayo's bridge, was busy all yesterday
afternoon providing for contingencies
The water at o'clock, by his report
was eleven feet from the bridge. IIt
has two well-organized gangs, with
yigilant foremen, ready for any emer
gency. Large cables have been pro
yided and are on the ground ready tC
anchor the small quantity of surplus
timber that is on hand, and, in fact
every precaution has been taken to pro
tect the bridge.
THE MAILS.
The mails were all late. No trair
went out on the Richmond and ALE
ghany road after the morning mail
which leaves here at o'clock, and none
arrived after the 10 A. NJ. Scottsvill,
accommodation. No trains will 90 ou
on this road to-day.
In Manchester.
Hands were busy yesterday after
noon moving the things out Of the base
ments Of the mills and factories situa
ted on the water-line in Manchester
The flats below there are all submerged
From sll appearances the river a
Mayo's bridge at 10 O'Clock last nigh
was about the same height as in Octo
Der last.
from the Up-Ceunfry.
Mayor Darlington received telegram
at half past last night from the Mayor
OF Lynchburg, which stated that the
water was twenty-one feet above high
water mark there and was rising at thu
rate Of five inches an hour.
BRIDGES WASHED AWAY.
CLIFTON FORGE, March 3l-4 p
M-The Richmond and Allegheny
railroad bridge over Jackson river wa.