Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-06-03

frtss u =
7, is generally conceded that the
net of the past two or three days has
- the heaviest that has prevailed here
pgTs the recollection OF the oldest inhabi
WI The water having extended further ill.,
ma CITY than ever before. The flood of
lS-f had always been regarded as the heav.
over known IN this city, but high water
.a,ts made at that time on buildings on
,,a Gfrsad were covered 10 inches yesterday.
.a,ne however, persisted in asserting that
water had ON former occasions extend
-; n Lee street on King, while yesterday
:, strayed on the latter street midway be.
,,sen Union and Lee The lact, however,
~, hath King ard Union streets have
,'.., ,aisad several times in the past quarter
century has been lost sight Of by q
',,ss numb4c Of Of eopie. The tide made
- h,ch Fridsy, and, Saturday night, had
minded etlll further, but yesterday about
o'rock il reached It's greateet height,
=, which tine many OF the wharves were
aomnIeteiv hidden, while only the tops of
,soIiles ofolhels were visible. All along the
strsnd from the lower shipyard to the old
AMERICAN Coal Company'- wbarves several
,,ot nj water were on the first floors OF every
bnidire. bile Union street from Prince to
,Socoveaboye Fishtown was an unbroken ca
vol successive OF scene in Venice, lacking
a"fy lie condola TO enable one to imagine
.,os. III the city of the Adriatic. That
',roet. .nd III. Stluud were alive with boats
tom early IN zoe mOrning until late in the
arening. snd tho water was Fled with
orsr,Ihiup that could float in the way Of
,Isrk-. barrels, cord wood, broom corn, &c,
ybich had drifted from wharves aud stores
,rhiIe anxious StoreSeep rs, encased III rue.
lar suits were wsding abnnt IN their stores
endeayo,ing 10 move perishabse goods TO
nIscaa Of safety The scene attracted near
- ave,yhod, IN town 10 the river front, and
The eastern terminus of each street was
rbroneed with people from daylight till dark,
While the bills and shores In the touthern
section were packed with sight-seers, al
r,o.t a. lhick a. those collected to watch
the fprattas Of the last Two years. Joness
Point mad b, come an island and nothing
Inn, he railing of Huu!iDg creek bridge was
visible. In the northern part OF tha city
the scene WAS equally exciting-"Peters-
burg bottom being submerged and lakes
formed by the rush of waters through the
culyerts on the w. g. o r. h. lu some
cases the yards of residences were covered
win several feet Of water, and houses nau
to be propped up to prevent them from ne
ing aated from their foundations Ihe
scene on the river was thrilling, the resist
lisa current hurting past the city at raplo
gait, CARRYING with it trees, timber, plank,
barrels. boxes, household utensils, and IN
some cases small houses. Nearly everyone
who owned or who could procure boat
was out in the river interceptng and tow
ing to the shore everything valuable, and IN
J., ,at1
at GOOD prices was pulled to the shore, while
rails. ties and other drift wood were stacked
along the shore by epterprising watermen.
As stated above, the water had reached its
greatest height about one o'clock, and IN
about mn hours time had visibly receded
from The streets, and by shutdown had fallen
several feet. II was feared, however, that
the next IL ,od tide would again bring the
waters up 10 the old mark, but contrary to
such appyehensons, no such thing occurred,
ami his morning the Potomac had almost
relap-a,i into lis normal state. During the
prevalence of the high tide it was impossi-
BILE TO land people on the wharves from
steamboats,, and those arriving during the
dsy had To transfer passengers by means OF
row boats. The Washington ferry boa:s
were unable to make any trips, nor couid
trains be run between here and the capltai
CITY. hence the usual number OF Sunday
visitors from the latter place were among
the missing. Tho damage to property on
the river front has been by no means llgnt,
,houeh much loss was averted by Inc re-
novel of goods Saturday to places OF safety
Boats we're rowed in and out many stores
on the east side OF Union street, while the
frs, floors of nearly all buildings facing the
river we.e uavgable for small boats. The
steamer John w. Thompson was anchored
in the stream to escape damage. Hunting
crack bridge il said to have suffered no ma
terial damage, but that spanning Cameron
run was destroyed. The loss in Cameron
run valley is very heavy, the torrent OF wa
ter rushing through it having swept away
nearly ali vegetation The bridge over the
run is being replaced The flood swept
away every house and shed except the no.
tel at Jackson City. A quantity of coal, be,
longing to the brick works, was also "asneu
away. Almost he entire southwestern por-
ton of Washington was under water, ana
from the south side of the avenue In
sOutbwesterly direction to the river people
had to he ferried from street to street lE
boats ut ; cents per mead. The Richmond
aud Dlnville building on Pennsylvania
avenue WAS flooded and the printing mate
rial therein damaged.
THE DAMAGE.
Commencing at the northern end of Alex
andria and going south, the damages were
as follows
Tho American Coal wharf, the city .
property, was considerably damaged, much
Of the earth being washed out, which WI
require considerable outlay to repair. The
first wharf was not much damaged and the
stock OF fish in the houses, being all barrel
ed,sustained no injury.
Messrs w. A Smoot Il Co. sustained but
little damage.
Mr. J. K. Zimmerman lost considerable
quantity of salt and he puts his loss at
$500
Capt II Bryant had quantity of bulk
fertilizer Wet but his loss will not exceed
$500
Mr.. Prescott had some of his spoke timber
damaged, but $50 will cover his loss.
Messrs. Smoot & Perry and J II. ID Smoot
had much of their lumber blsckened by the
water and some sash and blinds were in