Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-04

3 A. NJ. yesterday mist was over the
earth. which by 8 o'clock was followed
by gentle but steady rain, lasting
until about midday. Clouds and damp
ness ieigned for the remainder Of the
day. The rain was general. 1t ex-
tended all over the State, but the fall
Of water was light. Had .here been
two or three very heavy showers along
the line OF the James river our people
would have prepared themselves for
anotter humiliation.
THE RIVER FAILING.
As was predicted in the Dispatch
of yesterday, the water receded from
Main street by 4 A. NJ. BY 6 P. NJ.
all OF the streets in the vicinity OF
Shockoe creek were clear Of water, but
many Of them were left an inch or
more deep in a miserably Shiny, slip
perry mud, in which walking was de-
-cidedly disagreeablc, and in many
places difficult.
The water fortunately is falling at so
moderate rate that there will be little
washing away Of property. II 1t con-
tinues TO fall to-day as it did yesterday
it will be within banks by to-mGreg
morning.
MERCHANTS AT WORK.
As soon as the water was out Of the
stores and off Main street yesterday
morning the energetic merchants made
themselves busy rearrapging their goods
and getting ready for Saturdays trade.
SAwdust was in great demand for cover
ing the floors, and even with this eXpe-
dent standing in the damp store-rooms,
although well supplied with heat, was
by no means pleasant either to merchant
or customer.
THE OLD MARKET.
The hucksters, butchers, and provi-
sion dealers Of all kinds who have their
places of business in the Old market
were at work bright and early getting
their stalls--many Of which had been
moved out Of position by the water-in
place, and at the usual hour they were
dispensing the necessary substance Of
life TO all who were in search Of the
same.
CITY WATER-WORKS.
Mr. G. E. Boiling, Superintendent OF
The City Wster-W orks. drove up to the
Fiye-Mile locks yesterday morning.
Here he met Mr.. Decatur Axtell. the
manager and one of the receivers OF
the Allegheny railroad, who had gone
up OIL a special train, which, owing to
the washout at that point, could pro-
coed no further.
The two went up to the Nine-Mile locks
in Mr.. Bolling's buggy and made an
examination Of the premises, and Mr..
Boiling furnishes the following as the
condition of the water works:
There is small washout on the Rich
mond level just opposite the new pump
Loose, which is not serious, nor will it
affect the manufacturing water-power
OF the city.
The two-mile level between the Three
and Fiye.Mile locks is intact, and has
no break.
Attic Five Mile locks the earth back
ing the guard-walls to the head-wall
has been washed out otherwise there
is no damage, nor does this interfere
with the water-power.
About | 200 feet west Of the Fiye-Mile
locks there IS bad washout in the canal
bank about two hundred feet long, and
another washout about sixty feet long
about 1000 feet west of this point;
from there to within 1900 feet Of the
head-wall at the Nine-Mile locks the
bank is unbroken. At this point there
is washout, but not serious.
At the head-wall at the Nine-Mle
locks, over which the river flowed about
4 feet deep, there is a bad wash be-
tween the head-wall masonry and the
lock in the canal, and another not so
serious on the south side Of the wall,
and the guard-bsnk west OF Bosher'S
dam is washed away for short dis
lance, but indicates no serious break.
So long as the river keeps upto the pre-
sent height we are able to run our water
power pumps to their full capacity.
When the water recedes our water
works power will be cut off until the
bank can be repaired, which estimate
can be done in about week or ten
DAYS, during which period we will have
rely upon the steam pump for our
supply.
With the exception Of the breaches
in the road.bed Of the Richmond and
Allegheny railroad referred to above
and the loss Of portion of the trestle
at the Nine-Mile locks, there is no
serious damage for this distance to the
Richmond and Allegheny railroad.
Then the road-bed which was entirely
submerged for several feet deep between
the Five and Nine-Mile locks is washed
and the track somewhat damaged in
alignment and grade, but they hope to
have trains 10 Dover Mills by Monday
night.
PLANTERS WAREHOUSE.
While there was danger in leaving
the tobacco in the Planters warehouse
and all Of it was moved out, the pro-
prietor took advantage Of the opportu-
nifty and had the warehouse nicely
cleaned out. The water having sub
sided sufficiently yesterday morning,
all Of the tobacco which had been
moved out Of the warehouse and which
was not in some other warehouse, was
replaced before it could be at all dam
aged by the rain. The proprietor, Mr..
Hutcheson, is to be congratulated
that in two such floods as the
one of 1877 and the present one, the
most serious part Of which is now over,
there should be no damage there either
to the building or contents. The build
ing is so situated that at aay time, with
a few hours notice, all Of the tobacco
stored there can be removed to some
safer place. The tobacco, which was
rolled out on Council Chamber Hill,
did not belong to this warehouse, but
was gotten safe indoors before 1t had
time TO be damaged by rain.
IN ROCKETS.
A large part Of Rockets is still un-
der water. There it is that the great
est damsge, about Richmond. will re-
suit from the Aood-not in dollars and
cents, but in the severity, as the loss