New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-03
THE FLOOD IN WASHINGTON.
BUSINESS STREETS WASHED WITH WATER
THE PEACEFUL POTOMAC RAGING TORRENT
IMMENSE DANGER ALONG THE WATER
FRoNT-BoATs PLYING ALONG THE
STREETS OF THE NATIONAL

FRoNT-BoATs PLYING ALONG THE
STREETS OF THE NATIONAL
CAPITOL.
Washington, June 2-The northwestern and morc
fashionable part Of the city never looked more lovely
than II did to-day, but along a good part OF the
principal business thoroughfare. Pennsylvania
and In the adjacent streets to the southwark. there
dIeary waste of urbid, muddy water, that WASHED
five and six feet deep tho sides OF the houses fn2
collars and Easements and causing great
Inconvenience and considerable loss OF property.
Boats piled along the the Ponnsylv snia
Railroad station and through the streets Of south
Washington A carp two feet long caught In
the ladies' waIting-rOom al the Baltimore and Potomac
station. and several Others wCro caught IN the streets
by boys. These fish Camc from the Government Fish
Pond, the waters Of the Potomac having covered the
pond and allowed thcm to escape.
Along the river front the usually calm Potomac
was a WIDE roaring, turbulent stream of dirty water
rushing madly onward and bearing its swiftmoving
surface logs telegraph poles portions Of houses and
all kinds OF rubbish The stream WAS nearly twice
It's normal width, and flowed six feet and more deep
through the streets along the river front submergInG
wharvcs, small manufacturing establishments, AMI
tapping the second stories OF mills, lighthouses and
fertilIzing works in Igetown. It completely
flooded the Potomac Flats. which the Government had
raised at great expense TO height In most part Of
four and five feet and inundated the a5Odes OF poor
negro squatteTs, who had built their frame shsncS
along the rivers edge The rising OF the waters has
eClIpsed the hghwater mark of 1877. The loss will
be enormous. Some place It at million of dollars,
but no trustworthy figures can be given until the water
subsidies
The city has been shut off from communication With
the West and South for two days and thero will be
scarcity OF milk and other supplies until tho roads arc
repaired sufficiently to allow rsltosd trains wagons
to enter the city.
The river began rising here early on Saturday morn.
Ing and nom that time continued 10 rise steadily until
O'Clock this afternoon, when the flood began to abate
having resche higher mark than ever before known
The flood grew worse and yesterday, and before
the river had become high and strong that Il
overlooked the banks Just above the Washington
monument and backing the water into the sewer which
omptics itself at this point began 10 now along the
stroets on the lower levels
BY nightfa the water In the streets had increased
to such an extent 20 make tho streets impossible
by foot passengers, and boats ferrying people
from the business part OF the town TO the high grounds
in South Washington. Tho also continued
running and did thriving business conveying pleas
ure-seekers who sat In the windows and banterci
one another the penrng waters hid the floor On
Lousiana-sye., the produce and commission houses
are located and the prop1eors hustled eagerly about
securing their moro perishablc property, and wading
kneedeep outside after floating chcken-coops. Tho
grocery merchants, hotel men and others hastily
cleared out their cellars and worked until tho water
was waist deep, removing their effects higher floors
Meanwhile the Potomac, at tho Point Of Rocks hal
overnowed into the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and
the two became one. II broke open the canal In =
great many places, and, lifting the barges up. shot
them down stream At a rapid rate. Trunks Of trees
and small houses torn from their places and swept
onward.
Two miles above Free Bridge James LYLE. an old
soldier. had two-stnry frame house. between the
canal and the river lie came her, six month, ago
from Columbus, Ohio. TO look after his pension lie
was warned yesterday morning thai he was In danger
but refused to leave his house. The canal bank gave
way and torrent Of wafer struck the house yeSter
day Afternoon shatterlng II IN q moment He sue
oeedcd in reaching high piece OF ground, and was
rescued by some In sIdfs.
Below the sanciuct bridge. far Rock Creek
the rivers bank ia lined with business places Of all de
msnufae tories cement works boat houses and mills Tho
owners Of these places worked hard t0 save their
but the water gained them rapidly that ticy
were fored to desist before they had accomplished
Crcck was badly WRECKED he lost large GaaniitS
%nsossa Roat Gb lose sSoT II. ssm. anonn m'
Their bosthouse was valued at $4,000 II had been
stored with 6arges shells and pleasure craft. This
club IS the oldest in the District and Us whole
its new clubhouse, which slipped IT, cable and
Hdso The pSSf ' &ms lss "GS
81 O0o the property Of local patert attorneys was
also mnletey wrecked. The barber Asphalt Works
suffered 10 the extent NJ 81 600 and the Independent
and Great Falls Ice Companies lose $4,000 esch and
Cooley limo hin $4,000 John p. Agncw Il TO. had
1000 tons OF coal swept away. and every alorE
the river front damaged but TO what extent slnot
now be stated.
Tho Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company are tho
heaviest losers end almost afraid 10 calculate thr
amount II cannot be loss than 800 900. hut untll
therc ia o subsistence OF the food and examination
can be made II Is impOs sible 10 approx nstc tho
amount of damage.
The water continued rising throughout the night,
and about to-day reached It's maximum, three
feet six inches above highwaisr mark OF 1877 which
the highest record. At that time the city
presented strange spectacle. Prnnsylvania- sve..
10 Nlnth.St.. boUded with water. and In some
Of stores along the avenue flooded and so
some OF the main 6OoH. In the sMeStrsets south Of
the avenu" there was six 10 eight feet Of water and
yawls. skifs and canoes were cvCry where 10 !
be seen. COMMUNICATION except b. boat was |
totally interruptcd between SOrth and south Wash |
ngton At the Pennsylvania Railroad station tho |
water was Dp 10 the waiilng-r room.
Through the Smithsonian and Agricultural Depart |
meDt grounds q deep stream was running, and tho |
Washington Monument was surrounded on all sides |
by water
Up In Georgetown onIv tho second rtorrs ~ houses
along the waterfront wern visible, and Gacr-st
raging stream.
THE DAMAGE IN VTRGISTi'