Evening star., 1896-10-02
High Water Not as Serious as Was
Expected.
GEORGETOWN SUFFERED THE MOST
River May Rise Again This After.
noon or Night.
SOME MAGE DON E

On the strength of reports of high water |
at Harper's Ferry, the weather bureau late |
last night issued special warning to prop |
erty owners along the river front notifying
them to look out for a freshet. 1t was ex- |
Iected that the water would rise rapidly |
for the next twenty-four hours and along |
the wharves elaborate preparations were |
made to prevent damage.
Owing to the Generalization of the tele-
phone system as result Of Tuesday nights
storm, it was no easy matter to spread the
news rapidly, and the assistance of the
police was invoked In this way all per-
sons who were interested in the matter
were given ample notice that trouble might
be expected. In some cases merchandise
which was stored on the wharves, was re-
moved to places of safety, and the vessels
that were tied up along the river front
we're put in shape to withstand flood.
According to the reports from up the
river. the water at Harper's Ferry was
thirty-one feet above low-water mark. as
a result of very heavy rains around Cum
terland and in parts Of Pennsylvania. This
was only about three feet lower than it was
at the time of the great flood of 1889, when
the avenue was inundated and great deal
of damage was done in the lower sections
of the city. Late last night, however, the
water began to subside, and 1t looked as
though the principal danger was past
Highest Point.
Late yesterday afternoon there was a
considerable rise in the river here and
this continued until about 4:3O o'clock this
morning, when the highest point was reach
ed. 1t was then only between two and
three feet above high water mark, and
since then 1t has been falling rapidly
The river men this afternoon were hope
full that the worst was over. AS. usual
%
and SO far as could be learned today no
damage has as yet been done along the
Washington wharves. Business men along
the river front showed no apprehenstons
and expressed themselves satisfied that
there was little or no danger of the river
overtiowing its banks. At low tide this
morning the water was not within several
feet of the top of Stephenson's wharf, which
is perhaps the lowest along the river, and
1t was said that no attempt would be made
to remove the wood which Is piled up
there.
In the opinion of men who are acquaint
ed with the vagaries of the Potomac river.
the freshet, II it reaches here, ought not
to be looked for until late tonight, as it
usually takes from twenty-four to thirty
six hours for rise at Harpers Ferry to
be felt to any extent here.
The WIND Helped.
What really prevented flood. more than
anything else, was the strong wind which
has blown steadily from the northwest and
has served to keep the water down. If the
wind had come from the southeast or east
there is every reason to believe that the
water would have banked up and probably
done considerable damage. Even yet 1t is
thought the danger Is not altogether past.
At the weather bureau this morning it was
said that nothing further was Known than
was given out in the bulletin last night,
but the general feeling seemed to ae that
Washington would not be called upon to
combat q serious flood so soon after being
overwhelmed by big storm.
Damage in Georgetown.
Though the water was high in George
town, the damage done is comparatively
slight, nothing in comparison to what 1t
would have been had the level increased
couple CT feet more. The water rose about
three and a half or four feet ABOVE its
normal level and flooded the wharves and
all the low wharf property. The high wa
ter did not enter the club house OF the Co
| Iumbia Athletic Club at the root CT ga
street though the floor of The Potomac
Boat Club, at the foot of 31st street, was
| &C mpletely covered. and thick coating OF
mud left. The fear of much higher Water
encouraged many merchants 10 remove
goods and movable articles from the
| wharves. No damage was reported to any
property. The water ran exceedingly swift,
| at the rate of eight or ten miles an h"ur.
| Most of the debris came hoatlng dcwn
| early this morning, when the water was at
its height. and. after daybreak, very little
| matter outside of logs was visible on the
| current. ~
done to the cofferdam around damaged
| pier No. of the Aqueduct bridge. Inc
| high water completely submerged the
| structure and it was not visible this morn
! ing, 1t may be that the woodwork has been
| struck by some heavy logs and damaged tc
a more or less extent. The nigh water and
swift current 1t Is expected mas shovea
/ hro Mprp1ith and
| the Philadelphia barge sunk at the foot OF
| Wheatley's wharf farther out in the river.
Up the River.
Up the river no serious damage has been
| reported, though in the vicinity of Great
| Falls the current is reported as something
| terrible The bridge at Great Falls on the
| Maryland side has been washed away an1
| other damage done. Perhaps the most
| damage was done to the new dam now iI
course of construction just above Grea1
Falls. to increase the water supply of the
| city. No word has been received from the
scene, the wires being down, and no ac
count of the damage has been received.
The water in this section is high enough
so as to make the canal and river one
sheet of water. There were numerous re
ports of washouts on the canal, but NJ
foundation can be received for these re
ports. If such Is the case it would cripple
the business Of the waterway, as thil
of the year. Superintendent G. L. Nlchol
son. when seen by Star reporter thi'
morning, stated that he had heard nothing
of the reported washouts. Il have no
heard from the entire line" said he, "bu
so far 1 know there are no serious
breaks. Only one small one has been re
ported. This is the top washing Of tn
towpath. and is not serious. and nothing
worse has so far been reported. I thinl
If there was much damage the SUPERVISOR
would send messengers and not wait TO
the wires. do not anticipate much dam
age. 1 have heard from the upper seventy
five miles and around Harper's Ferry to be
low Monocacy river and the lower end''
Swift Current.
The current at this place was so swift
) that 1t was impossible to row across tn,
river. A large four-masted schooner Il
lying In the middle Of the stream, opposit,
the coal wharf This morning one of tn,
hands attempted to row to the schooner
from the shore, but could not accomplish