Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-07
r EARS OF A F FLOOD
The Ice Getting Thicker and Thicker on
the River.
Long Bridge as n Menace-Acts ms n
Dam-AlOng the River
Front.

the snow deeper The fall of snow in the
mountains is very heavy: the present pre-
cipitation added to the previous snoWfalls
gives depth variously computed at from
seven to nine inches. The river along the
Georgetown channel and above the Aque-
duct bridge looks silent and ominous.
Along the causeways of the dangerous
Long bridge it is blocked, with marked
tendency to pack. Miles of Ice FIELDS
stretch away above the bridge, and In the
event of a sudden breakup this Ice must
either pass through very contracted pas
sage or gorge. A gorge presents the dan
ger of q flood.
This has been the experience of the past.
The Commissioners have addressed let.
ter to Mr. X. NJ. Goundie, supervisor OF
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. reia-
tive to the cooperation Of that company
in clearing the river of ice to prevent
freshet. The Commissioners state that in
their estimate 1T msy cost 5000. that be-
ing the amount used two years ago. Inc
Commissioners have also written to the
Secretary of the Navy requesting the as
s:stance of the government. and they may
obtain the services of one of the navy
yard steam tugs for that work. The Com
inexpensive possible. but in view of the
interests of the railroad which are in
vClved they think it should pay one-half
the cost.
The Long Bridge.
A reporter for The Star talked with the
folks along the Georgetown front. Every
body seemed to fear that If sudden thaw
should come and the ice begin to break up
and seek to move down stream mischief
Would be to play. Anathemas were heaped
On the Long bridge with emphasis, and two
or three old fellows. who earn their living
along the water front, didn't seem to shud-
der at a suggestion Of taking the Long
bridge out of the way Of the ice. Others
talked as though they had borne this grew
ance as long as patience could endure. AT
every freeze of the river the same fright Of
freshet came upon them, because the
river was damned by a certain antique
bridge Some suggested that the District
should break up the ice to forestall any
sudden thaw.
The Only Channel.
Along the Washington docks things were
very quiet. The principal activity was no.
ticeable around the dock Of the Norfolk
and Washington Steamboat Company. From
this pier a path broken through the heavy
Ice reached to the bay. The propellers
Norfolk and Washington were the only
craft stirring. They come and go on sched-
ule time. as though nothing was wrong.
These ships. besides their great size and
power, are constructed with a special ref
erence to breaking through ice. The for
ward lines of the ships are such that the
ice is more crushed by the weight Of the
craft than by the velocity or tonnage Of
the impact Ha it not been for this trait
of the propelle-s the river would be sealed
from source to mouth.
A gorge is forming at Fort Washington.
where the channel is tortuOuS and narrow,
and at Maryland Point the river is also
expected to gorge. All the sidewheelers
are tied up being unable to make any
Roadway through the ice.
Flood talk is very popular subject
around the wharves. and the flood theory
finds ready takers.
The officers of the propellers report heavy
ice all the way t. Piney Point. and fields
ton of things two winters ago, when the
District Government brought around mon
ster tugs to break the ice above the Long
bridge.
The Triton Needed.
The Commissioners late this afternoon
addressed a letter to Secretary Herbert of
the navy stating that the present forma-
ton of Ice in the Potomac river in the
vicinity of Washington and the probability
that it will become much thicker before
the approach Of moderate weather, Is q
source of great concern to the business IN
tereStS along the river front ana 10 lne
portion Of the community within the limits
of possible inundation in the event of an
overflow in consequence or an ice gorge
and freshet in the river.
1t is the purpose of the Commissioners
as soon as the condition of the ice will
permit it to be broken by artificial means
to employ such tugs as they may be able
to obtain from private persons in breaking
it to facilitate its removal by the current,
but the number of such boats suitable and
available for the purpose is so small that
they are obliged to seek other assistance.
They further state that they are advised
that this service could be rendered with
out risk of material injury to the Triton.
if it should be assigned by the Secretary
Of the Navy to such duties as the harbor-
master of the District might indicate.
Continuing, they say:
IF you should deem it advisable to au-
thorize the loan of the Triton for this pur-
pose, the Commissioners would like to
have authority to arm it with iron
PROV, and would prefer to have the boat
managed by it's regular crew. They would
bear the expense of attaching the prov
and supplying the necessary fuel to run
the boat and provisions for the crew."
Preparing n Bill.
The Commissioners We're engaged this
afternoon in preparing a bill to be sub
mitted to Congress- appropriating 5000
for the purpose Of clearing the river of
ice.
THE BOND ISSUE.