Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-03

QuanticO for many years. and was cOnsid-
cred one Of the best and most efficient men
on the line. Engines and operatives arc
always changed at Quantico. The cause of
the accident is not known. hut II is
thought one of the engineers either made
a mistake as to the time. or his watch was
wrong.
THr MAYOR MOVES.
Mayor Ellysou made a tour Of the food
ed districts yesterday afternoon TO see to
what extent the city's property had been
damaged and 10 ascertain # there were IN
stances IN which the municipality should
lend her citizens a helping hand.
He first drove around about the Old mar
ket where the sanitary force, under Officer
JEFF. Iamkin with hose and brOOms and
shovels were following the receding waters
and cleaning the street.
This was proper move on the part Of
the city Board Of Health, for while the
water was not leaving the street rapidly
much good could be thus accomplished in
removing soft mud. which if left until IL
became hard, dry. and tenacious would be
very difficult and troublesome TO handle.
Better progress Will be made in this line
to-day. and the force thus engaged will be
enlarged as the cxigencies of the case may
require.
In addition 10 cleaning al Of the flooded
streets and making them as pure and
healthy as possible. II is proposed that the
city shall lend her citizens assistance in
the matter Of pumping water ont Of their
cellars. As soon "a tine water re
cedcs sufficiently engines viii be put
20 work as they were Just after the june
frcshct and the flooded cellars will be
pumped dry This done the merchants
can soon get their premises in good con-
ditiOn, speaking from sanitary point of
view. and unless there shall come another
midsummer overflow business will soon he
going on m this district as though nothing
had ever happened.
CITY GAs-woBBs.
IRE Mayor next went 10 the lower gas
works. where hcfouud Superintendent W.
G. Adams and his full corps of assistants as
busy rs they could be getting ready to re-
sumc operations. The water had fallen
sufficiently al half-past o'clock to admit
of kindlng the fires in the engines. All of
the machinery was nicely cleaned of and
everything gotten in as perfect order as
possible. and il was expected the retorts
would be heated and put in operation
during the night.
There is plenty Of gas in the upper hold
cr3 10 supply the city and subscribers until
the entire plant Is gotten niull blast again.
There will be no lack Of gas unless n Is
used wastefully OF some unforeseen mishap
occurs.
The city suffered no loss here except a
delay of twenty-four hours.
THE wATER-woRKs.
The Mayor next drove to the New reser-
voir and ON the Journey met with Superin-
teudcnt Boiling. who bad been all the way
up the canal to the Niue-Mile lock.
About the only actual damage done the
was 10 wash ont what ma
sonry and filling had been placed since the
lst Of June. The city's loss Is, therefore,
TO be near the same that 1T was
then $500 or S1,00O-as the breaks had
been about completed.
Superintendent Boiling has ordered
large force of hands 90 report for duty AT
D O'Clock this morning, and the breaks at
both the Five and Nine-Mile locks Will be
repaired as quickly as possible.
FIvE on THF LIST.
Mr.. c. p. +. Burgwyn, resident engineer
in charge of the James-rlvcr improvement
work. In conversation with a dispatch re-
porter yesterday said that in the records
for forty years past there was no prece-
dent for a freshet in August.
Mr. Burgwyn said further that this was
the fifth largest frcshet on record. The
one IN June was the third IN rank.
Neither the monitors III their present adj
mirable location nor the river work have
been at all disturbed by this great rise.
THE OLD DOMINION ZINE.
The Old Dominion steamship Wyanoke,
which has been held at City Point on aC-
count Of the flood. has been ordered up
this morning. and viii sail from Richmond
this afternoon as soon after o'clock as pos
sible As fast as the water goes down the
wharves viii be secured of, and
the company hopes 10 be able 20 receive
freight 10y lOo'clock this morning. The car
60 will be discharged and the boat reloaded
with quick dispatch. The Wyanoke could
not discharge her freight at City Point. as
the railroad was not prepared to handle 1t.
Two tugs will 60 down TO Dutch Gap to
tow the steamer mp to her wharf.
AT MIDNIGHT
The water went of Main street about 9
O'Clock last night. but 1t was still several
inches deep in Franklin at midnight.
At this hour the officers had no other
light than a tallow candle, their gas having
ceased 10 burn. The presumption Is that
water had gotten in the pipes III this
neighbOrhOod. as the gas was burning
brightly in the street-lamps and IN the
houses in other parts of the city.
BoATING N MANCHESTER.
The Manchester Leddn of yesterday
SAYS:
Most of the streets on the south side Of
Hull street and between Fifth and the
rivers original banks bring 10 mind quite
pictures Of the streets of We
nice, where boats are principally used as
means of traffic. One energetic citizen OF
this morning had a small row
boat with set of side-wheels attached,
which he operated bv means Of a crank.
and was hauling about from house TO house
the sufferers from the Hood.
The water at It's highest came within about
five feet of Hull street near Stacy's factory,
and also submerged Second from Decatur
to Stockton. Solue of the houses on Stock
ton street near the railroad were filled with
several feet of water, which stlll stands
within but a few inches of its highest
marks. Some of the citizens OF BacOnS-
Vile have also heen considerably inconve-
nicnced. but none have been particularly
lnmegcd 10y the water. Mr.. j. Il. Hern,
ion's farm IS AGAIN covered, and he viii
doubtless lose second crop, which he has
lust planted since the recent flood.
FIELD FOR OBSERVATION.
The frequent frcshets in the river since
the beginning of tho year have afforded q
fine field for observation TO one OF Hugh
liiller'S bent of mind. The wear and tear
)f the banks and bed Of the stream have
been very great and are observable ut ali
points.
Not only have the banks of the river
been denuded and worn. but the bordering
forests have been encroached upon aud
of floating trees hayeswept by the
city, sailing with something of the sweep
aud majesty of ships at sea. Very few Of
.hese trees. however, reach the ocean:
hey are deposited on the flats OF the lower
James
Perhaps the most beautiful point of the
James, when In all the pomp, pride, and
Glory of one of her sWells. Is that at the
over end Of Mayo's largest island. To
see the islands Alright and in all their
beauty in time of freshet bont should
be taken and rowed out into the middle of
he stream a short distance from the end
If the wcdge-shapcd island (Mayo's).
Here the river that has been parted by the
island reuniteS. forming an eddy which IN
some places actually becomes still water.
NoTED FONT
Al this point the boat will remain sta
.ionary. or if allowed will turn gracefully
,ud slowly as If on pivot. All observers
mon the riverside have noticed that here
ID 1 nj lao al - ~ their