Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-12
THE RIVER ON A RISE.
EFFECTS OF THE PROLONGED RAINS
SEEN IN HIGH WATER HERE.
Not Much Damage Yet Done and Pro-
bability that There Will bs No
Great Loss.

the like hour yesterday was 1.SS inches.
This made the total for the eleven days
of this month 500 inches, which is a
record almost without precedent. Had
not the fall of water from the clouds
been Of n leisurely character the results
would have been disastrous in the ex-
treme. AS it is the losses all told have
been far more serious than one would
imagine at first thought
There is no telling now, and for
that matter never can be, the injury to
standing cropsthatwill be sustained by the
farmers. Tobacco cannot possibly over
come this excessively severe spell and
the corn on fat lands has been greatly
damaged, aud In many instances it has
been entirely ruined.
YESTERDAY.
From 10 o'clock Monday night until
late hour yesterday morning rain fell
steadily and at times in very great abun-
dance. During the forenoon the fall
was steady and much lighter. In the
early afternoon there was heavy mist,
and finally when night was drawing
near the damp element entirely
ceased its downward flight and
signs Of clearing weather began to make
their welcome appearance. The clouds
! that still remained were light as COM
pared with what we had been used 10
since the 3lst of August when this
| delugc set in and the wind shifted TO the
west. This was regarded by the weather.
wise as an evidence that the great wet
spell was about at an end.
THE RIVER.
The noble James is still rising and
roaring, and the very sound carries dread
and fear to the hearts OF those persons
whose business interests are closely iden-
| titled with its borders and who have suf-
| fered from the effects of freshets in the
past. A feeling OF awe was made to
pass over those whose earthly goods lay
in low and exposed places near the
waters reach, and there are not
few businessmen in Rich
mond, and what is far worse, poor
people who have no business but their
| daily labor who are IN just this situa-
tion. From present indications the ap-
prehensions of all Of those will not be
| realized. The James is going TO have
quite good-sized freshet, but unless all
signs fail it will not be Of sufficient mag
ntude to do any material damage here
in Richmond. The stream will per-
haps reach its greatest height before
noon to-day, probably several hours
earlier than that, and it isnot at likely
that even the lowest point in the city
will be invaded to such an extent as that
any very serious injury to property can
be done.
MAKING PREPARATIONS.
1t is wisest, however to prepare for
anv emergency. and this our people who
are most liable to suffer by the freshet
have been prudent and thoughtful
enough to do.
The great foundations OF 1871 and
1877 taught them valuable lessons in this
respect. and they are now protiting by
past experiences.
The merchants along the ShockOe-
creek bottom, who are most likely to
/ suffer from flood have taken the precau-
ton TO move such Of their goods as are
portable and liable to injury from the
| easements to the first and second floors.
ANXIOUS INQUIRERs.
Very few have thought that the water
would attain height here sufficient to
do much harm, yet there has been a
| general feeling of uneasiness among the
occupants Of low sections, and this was
| increased when 1t became known yester-
day that telegraphic communication over
the Richmond and Allegheny Railroad
Company s wires was very imperfect and
at times almost entirely cut Off The
DjvDafch Office and the railroad com
panv's Office were both visited by hun
dreds Of anxious and interested business
men, and many others telephoned t.
know the condition of the river.
The DiSpaich was able early in the
day TO give the desired information TO
ali who called, and many were reassured
and greatly relieved when they learned
that the outlook was not SO serious
MORNING AND EVENING.
At 7 o'clock yesterday morning the
river was II feet 2 inches above the
usual level at Columbia, 81 feet at
Scottsville, 81 feet at Lynchburg, I feet
at Balcony Fails, 4 feet at Clifton Forge,
and feet at Lexington.
The O'Clock p. NJ. report received at
the Richmond and Allegheny office gave
the following figures:
Columbia, 20 feet inches and rising
slowly.
Scottsville, 8 feet and rising slowly.
Lvnchburg, feet inch and on Q
stand.
Balcony Falls, 8 feet and rising slow
Clifton Forge, AZ Feet and about at
stand.
Lexington, 81 feet and about at
stand.
There had been no rain more than
mist anywhere west of Columbia since
about noon aud it was clearing up all NJ
the James River Valley from Columbia
II was entirely clear at Balcony FALL
and Lexington and clearing at Lynch
burg.
During the forenoon the rain slont
the line of the road was about as II
Richmond.
THE STATUS HERE.
Last evening a representative OF thu
paper made tour OF the water-fron
from Mayos bridge to Gillie's creek il
Rocketts ami nowhere found that an,
damage had been done or was anticl
nated. As stated above. some OF tn,
merchants in the neighborhood o
Shockoe creek south OF Mail
street were moving goods out o
their easements. This was beInl
done at Davenport 4 Morriss ware
house. corner of Seventeenth an'
Dock streets, although the water ha'
then TO rise about eight feet befor
reaching the street level whence it coul'
Aow into the basement. AT one yer.
low point on the creek between Mali
and Cary street the water was beyon'
At Hawess coal-elevator, foot o
Twenty.ninth street, a rise OF at leas
four feet was required to enter the yard
L fn,.k a