Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-03

| Avenue last night. The United States electric
light company had all Of its machinery raised
as precautionary measure and, consequently.
| although damaged. it was not injured to any
extent. 1t is expected that the lights will all
be in running order by tonight.
ON THE EASTERN BRANCH.
The Navy-Yard, the Wharves and
Bridges Submerged.
The lowlands bordering the Eastern branch
were an easy prey for the food, and the stream
grew in width all day Saturday, until Sunday
morning 1t looked like lake. There was but
little current and the lazy food Tapped the
shores leisurely and crept higher and higher
into back yards, up steps, inch by inch. into
front doors and back doors, until Saturday
night scores Of families living in the southeast
ern and southwestern sections along the Ana
costa and several squares back from the banks
were driven to their second Stories and in some
cases were entirely evicted from their homes.
1t was not long before the bridge giving access
to Anacostia was flooded, and when the tide
was highest the water was at least two feet
deep over the side rail and many of the planks
were foated off down stream. This stopped
traffic Of all kinds, including the street cars,
and communication was had with the village
VA sAo osAAoi sioo onAy ny Hehub OI OOats
IMPRovIsED AS FERRIES.
All day yesterday skiffs and PUNCHES, neat
outriegers and yawls, sail boats and scows were
pushed back and forth as ferries, the charges
being from 10 cents to q quarter a head for one
way. Several small fortunes were started Thus.
Some OF the boats took their course across the
river through the bridge, thus giving nervous
passengers feeling of security. Some distance
out IN the water clump Of roofs peeped up
m NJ thn vail a.
remained visible of Robeys boat-hiring estab-
ilshment. His floating stock was in constant
demand all day.
UP THE BRANCH.
Further up the river lay the new bridge. also
submerged, but inasmuch as it is not vet open
to traffic, its blockade caused no disappoint-
ment. Midway between the two bridges, on
the FAR shore, white house Of one story ap-
peared above the surface of the water. A
native told the reporter that it was Smiths
place, and 1t had another story below that
couldn't be seen. Smith, he added, had moved
upstairs IN hurry Saturday night. Away out
In the stream pole stood up straight with
several ropes stretched out in different direc-
TONS, disappearing beneath the colored water.
Inls was derrick used to hoist stone for the
new bridge, and ordinarily stood on the bank
OF the branch.
THE MAYNARD.
Naturally enough the navy-yard was visited
by the flood to q considerable extent The
water by Saturday midnight had completely
surrounded the offices at the foot of the street.
had entered and covered the entire floor of the
immense new ordnance shop, had filed the
marine railway, had choked up the door of the
great ship-house to the west, and had obliter-
ated all that looked like wharves. and left
muddy beaches some distance further north. A
rude causeway of boards was constructed from
dry ground to the porch of the offices, a dis
lance Of about 100 feet. while communication
with the Despatch and the Dale, that lay along
where the wharves should have been, was had
by means OF boats manned by blue-jackets.
A SALVAGE CORPS AT WORK
Capt Meade, the commandant of the yard.
took time by the forelock, and as early as
Saturday morning had force of men at work
removing loose bits Of materials to the higher
ground and making fast things that might float
off. The bulk of the property was of such
nature that it could not well float, such as boil
ers, anchors, chains and cannons, and they
were left to their fate A little more chain was
given to the anchors Of the old monitor Saugus
awaiting Its fate in mid-stream. and it was the
most placid looking object in the vicinity. 1t
even looked higher and bigger than usual
There were some materials which could not
be moved, such as cement and lime for use in
the new gun shop, and these were DESTROYED.
The water set fire to several barrels of lime last
night, but no damage was done beyond the loss
OF the lime. The great shrinking pit in the
new shop is of course, full of water and will
have to be pumped out. This, however, will
take but few hours and there will be COM
paratively little delay to the work of complet-
ing the building. Considerable damage was
done to some Of the tools in the other shops by
of some of the freshly laid concrete beds for
tools, but Capt Meade yesterday estimated
that accounting everything the loss of property and
the damage to the tools, work, and yard will not
exceed $1,000 This figure would probably
have been at least doubled had il not been for
his prompt action at the first note of warning.
Yesterday the gates of the yard were kept
closed to prevent the swarms of visitors press
ing down to see the water" from over-runninp
the yard, and the sentinel at the entrance.
with bunch OF keys hanging from his belt,
was kept busy shaking his head and refusing
admission Men were at work all day yester-
day getting cement and cord-wood out of the
yard OF u. Williams Son, at the foot of Sd
street southeast.
THE OLD CANAL.
The mouth of the Eastern branch canal at
the foot of New Jersey avenue and % streets.
was choked, and the flood spread out from this
point like fan. Just down at the waters
edge tall brick house bid defiance to the
mud, and sheltered a large colony of colored
people who had faith that the tide could not
possibly rise as high as the roof. The steamer
Leary lay at anchor in the bay formed by the
overflow between the mouth Of the canal and
Buzzard's Point. She was taken around from
her landing place in the Potomac Saturday
night to prevent her from getting on top of her
wharf. Directly opposite the mouth of the
canal was collection Of indistnct objects that
proved to be the remains OF fish station. An
enormous net creel was the only thing entirely
above water, while around it lay roofs and
floats at every possible angle.
BUZzARD's POINT.
Buzzards Point is a long fnger-like stretch
of land that enjoys the reputation of being the
most odorous place on earth. Il lays away out
in the river, low and fat Just the kind of ter
ritory that rising waters like to embrace, and
the kind to disappear at the first wave. That
Is what happened to good portion Of Buz.
yards Point Saturday night, and some folks
were sorry when they saw it come back again
to its malodorous existence when the waters
receded. Mr.. Peter Mann runs a warehouse
for bones and fertilizers out on the point that
has had good washing in the last two DAYS.
He also deals in carcasses of deceased animals
and other material impossible to mention.
which the tide picked up and scattered ali
along the sides Of the point. He found that
his steamer Arlington, which he uses in his
business was in danger of humping over his
entire plant and SO he ran her out near the other
shore and there anchored her. There is Quite
q hamlet around Mr.. Mann's establishment.
and on Sunday morning there was an exodus
from the huts to the dry ground further up
South Capitol street.
HE HELD THE FORT