The morning news., 1897-03-31
SAND BAGS ON THE BANKS.
RAILROADS FIGHTING THE FLOOD
IN THE ALTAMAHA.

The River Twenty Miles wide mt
Dnrien JunctiOn-Cne Hundred and
Fifty Men and Three Trains Mt
Work Protecting the +. c. and =.
Hridge and strengthening It's APP
proacheS-The Entire Low Conn
try Along the River submerged.
Movement of the Trains.
The Plant system is still operating the
Florida Central and Peninsular and South
ern railway trains over portions of its
line. Just how long it will run trains for
those roads is not known but the Florida
Central and Peninsular hopes to have its
bridge over the Altamaha and its ap-
proaches so strengthened that by tonight
trains between Savannah and Jackson
vile may be resumed over its own line.
The condition of affairs at and in the
neighborhood Of the Altamaha bridge pre-
vents the road operating its own trains.
They are being run regularly, however,
over the Plant system.
Mr.. NJ. V. Raley, trainmaster of the
Northern division of the Florida Central
and Peninsular. returned yesterday morn
ha is on terrific boom. The muddy wa
ters holding in suspension acres of the red
soil of Middle Georgia, are spread all over
sthe low, swampy country. At the bridge
the river is over twenty miles wide. 1t
extends back TO Darien Junction, which
is seventeen miles this side, where the Da-
rien and Western connects with the Flor
ida Central and Peninsular. The sub
merged country is thinly Inhabited
and little of it IS under cultivation. The
damage and discomfort wrought by the
flood is slight in comparison to what
1t would be were the circumstances other
wise.
The Florida Central and Peninsular has
put $50 men to work on the bridge ap-
proaches. The bridge itself and the en-
bankments leading up to it are seemingly
all right, but the volume of water exerts
a tremendous pressure, and everything
possible is being done to reinforce the
banks. Sand bags are being thrown into
what threatens to become breaches. They
withstand the action of the current and
the slow undermining tendencies of the
back water well and do the work much
better than the loose sand. Fifteen hun
dred of these bags are being used to
strengthen the embankments, and three
trains are running constantly to carry the
bags and gravel.
The worst of the trouble is this side of
the bridge. The water in many places has
completely overflowed the tracks. 1t was
reported yesterday afternoon to be falling,
and If II continues to subside, the officials
expect to get their trains through tonight
by their own route.
The Southern's trains are being run into
Brunswick over the Plant system from
Jesup via Waycross. The Southern's line
is washed out In places between Jesup and
Brunswick. The Plant officials do not
know Just when the Southern will have
its roadway repaired.
The waters of the Withlacoochee,
near Ousley, on the Savannah,
Florida and Western, have re-
ceded. but trains are now running
safely over the bridge which was threat
ened. and unbroken communication with
Montgomery is had.
The Central has put it's branch roads
from Blakely to Columbia, Ala, and from
Cuthhert to Fort Gaines which were the
in perfect order, and the trains are being
run over its entire aystem
The Georgia and Alabama's troubles at
the bridge over the Oemulgee at Abbeville
did not last long, and its trains have been
running for some time.
Rains UP the country have been copious
and constant. In fact, in all sections Of
the state besides Savannah and vicinity,
the downpours have been almost contin-
nous. Reports received by the Centrals
officials from Blakely In Southwest Geor-
gia showed that one day last week IL
inches of rain fell. 1t Is these heavy
rains that have swollen the streams. If
the fall had been no greater than il has
been here they would not have risen near
ly so high.