St. Paul daily globe., 1889-06-03
Many Cities and Villages in
New York Suffer From
FreShetS.
Citizens of Elmira Forced to
GO About Their Business
in Boats.
Thirteen Persons Drowned at
Corning--Railways Suffer
Seriously.

! the Potomac river and the flooding of
| the city have attracted attention, locally,
| from the Johnstown horror. When
morning broke the water had formed a
big branch running through Pennsyl-
vania avenue. and the high ground on
which the Smithsonian institute, the
agricultural department building and
the bureau of engraving and printing
are situated. 1t was reported that
colOred man had been drowned in the
deep water near the Baltimore Il Po-
tOmac station on Sixth street. He was
heard calling for assistance at o'clock,
and those who set out to rescue him
could not ind him. 1t was believed he
was Intoxicated and that he had
fallen into the deep water and
drowned. At daybreak the water had
flooded Penn sylvanic avenue in several
places and it was still rising. The eel
lars Of all the stores on both sides of the
lower part of the avenue and the streets
were flooded. and great deal of dam
age was done to personal property.
The first street car that started across
from the south to the north side of the
city plowed its way through several feet
of water, ,and the passengers were obliged
to stand on the backs of the seats to
protect their feet and legs. The cars
running up and down the avenue con-
tinued to plow through the water all
day. Highwater mark was reached
about noon. From that time the water
receded gradually. The point reached
by the food was three feet six inches
higher than the highest recorded flood
mark. ALI Washington was driving up
and down the river this afternoon. The
president came out for time in the
White house carriage, accompanied by
Mr.. Mckee and Baby" Mckee. and
White house where the water was not
very deep.
Boats piled along the avenue near the
Pennsylvania railroad station and
through the streets of South Washing
ton all day. A carp two feet long was
caught in the ladies' room at the Balti-
more & Potomac station, and several
others were caught in the streets by
boys. These fish came from the gov
ernment fish pond, the waters of the
Potomac having covered the pond and
allowed them to escape. Along the
river front the usually calm, peaceful
Potomac was wide, roaring tur-
bulent stream of dirty water, rush.
ing madly onward. and bearing ON its
SWift-mOving surface all kinds of debris.
uC StISdiu W dS ICdllS GWiCC ltS ilOl udl
width .and flowed six feet and more
deep through the streets along the river
front. submerging wharves, manufact-
uring establishments and tapping the
second stories of mills, boat houses and
fertilizing works in Georgetown. Fur
ther down stream it completely flooded
the Potomac flats, which tine government
had raised at great expense to height
at most parts of four and FIVE feet, and
inundated the abOdes Of the poor
negro squatters who had built their
frame shanties along the rivers edge.
The rising of the waters has eclipsed
the high water mark OF 1877. The loss
will be enormous. Some place it at
a million of dollars, but no reliable fig
ures can be given until the water sub
anime their buildings. The city has
been shut off from communication with
the West and South for two days, and
there will be scarcity of milk and
other supplies until the roads are re-
paired sufficiently to allow railroad
trains and wagons to enter the city.
On Louisiana avenue the produce and
commission houses are located. Satur-
day night the water soon invaded the
center market, and late buyers were
compelled to utilize boats to secure
their Sunday dinners. At Point of
Rocks the Potomac overfowed into the
Chesapeake & Ohio canal, and the
two became one. 1t broke open the
canal in many places, and, lifting
barges up, shot them down stream at a
rapid gait. Trunks of trees,
immense rafters, small houses
and other debris were torn from
their places and swept onward. Be-
low the aqueduct bridge as far as Rock
creek the river bank is lined with busi-
ness places of all descriptions, includ-
ing coal dumps, warehouses, fertilizing
manufactures, cement works, boat
houses and mills. Owners of these
places worked hard to save their prop
erty. and succeeded to considerable
extent, but the waters gained on them
so rapidly they were forced to desist
before they had accomplished all that
they desired.
At 8 O'Clock the water began falling.
This will continue. as the reports re-
ceived by the signal office say that both
the Shenandoah and Potomac were fall
ing rapidly. A large quantity of mail
has stacked up in the city
pOstoffice awaiting the starting of
trains. At a late hour tonight it was
reported that two of the long bridges
had given away, but the rumor lacks