Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-18

olnce or the Virginia Navigation Company.
MOST SERIOUS RISE AT NIGHT.
The flood lasted an hour before there
were any signs o1 its receding. Then it
Tell until nearly 10 o'clock. when the
water began to rise rapidly. This rise
was due to a gorge watch formed di-
rectly across the river from the Old Do
minion wharves. This was the most Sc
rious Of all. by Y o'clock the water had
backed up until it was only within four
inches Of the gas-holders at the Upper
Gas-Works. When it reached the holders
the gas would be cut off and the entire
city would be without.
The water at / o'clock was four inches
| deep on the office floor. The water below
the gorge was falling at the rate of two
feet an hour, gorge short distance
above Dutch Gap having broken at 10
| o'clock. The danger to all that portion
of the city lying below the gorge at the
| Old Dominion wharves was very great.
The damage done to merchants and
warehouse-men was great. Families also
suffered much loss. The damage would
have been greater but for the fact that
the food was expected and had been an
ticlpated as far as possible by the re-
moval Of goods.
WATER IN MAIN STREET.
The water at midnight had reached a
depth Of nearly three feet i'm Main street,
between Fifteenth and Eighteenth. In
many cellars there was as much as seven
feet of water. There was four feet in
f ,l,o ri.
The dealers were not much damaged,
nearly all the property having been car
ried to safe quarters yesterday forenoon.
! But in every cellar from the river bank
to Franklin street, and from a few doors
/ below Fifteenth street, to q point nearly
! half way between Seventeenth and Eigh-
teenth there was from two to eight feet
of water.
The confusion resulting from the flood,
| directly, and otherwise, was very great.
Above all else, was the darkness. There
was absolutely no light, save that which
| came through the windows. Persons at
| tracted to the scene Of the overflow in
| Main street formed large crowd. Many
| carriages brought sightseers. and several
|
rowly escaping causing serious trouble.
The darkness also prevented accurate
estimation of the damage done This
was especially true with reference to
wharf property. Everybody was driven
from the docks At 10 o'clock there was
| three feet of water over the drawbridge
! across the dock near the Old Dominion
wharf The Chesapeake and Ohio yard
master. at Fulton, attempted to run an
engine into the yards about 10 o'clock
but could not do so.
The wharf offices Of the Clyde Line and
Virginia Navigation companies are
thought to be swept away, beyond doubt
! The damage TO freight is not great as
the companies had notified all persons 10
remove consignments from the Wharves
! The notification was needed IN great
! many cases Much freight was loaded on
Chesapeake and Ohio cars and carried be-
| yond danger.
There was not in any case reported Sc
rious damage to merchants stock. They
had all or nearly all. removed their
goods 10 upper stories Families did not
suffer loss. but many i'm the humber
walks will suffer to-day unless relieved.
The prospect OF further rise at
| o'clock this morning was not imminent
! There was only l6 1-l0 feet at Columbia.
The gauge showed the same at O'Clock
last night Had the present rise been due
only TO melting snow. the people couiu
feel assured of no further serious danger
| But the engagement AT various points
, which caused the damage OF yesterday
/ and last night is liable to occur as be
fore
BREAKING Up OF ICE.
The breaking Up of the ice was expect
ed. The water had been rising iOr seVt-
raj hours. and river men knew what the
result would be. They also appreciated
the danger. as gorges are always expected
when ice 50 thick begins to break.
The break up came at about 1880. per
/ haps 3:4j o'clock. An old river man said
! that the first sign of the break was a
crash like a cannon. Immediately this
/ was followed by popping sound like the
| rattle of musketry. In a few minutes
| this had ceased, and then there was only
| a grating and grinding noise. as Of mighty
| mill-stones seeking to reduce each other
/ 10 powder. And then there was almost
/ uerfect stiffness, the huge foes rushing
! by in silence, tumblng, and topping. and
, leaping. and heavng. driven on by
! mighty force. mysterious because unseen.
| EVERYTHING CARRIED BEFORE TT.
in less than an hour. IL was this rise
, that carried away So many small craft.
/ The water. as it swept down the stream,
laden with heavy blocks OF ice, carried
| every movable object before II like
cvclone. The Chemical-WOrks barge.
which was mOored opposite those works,
Was swept away and carried with fright
/ mi velocity down the river and though
no absolute verihcation OF the statement
could be obtained last night, II was cur
/ rently reported and generally credited
/ that the crew Of the boat, together with
the captains family. went with the craft
I What their fate is was matter of much
anxious speculation last night.
The Nat. the government launch, which
was at anchor In the stream, was also
carried down the river. and mad not been
heard from last night Theold dereiict
coal barge which has for several months
: been menace TO shipping, was washed
! down the river, and Is certainly ehec-
! lively removed from It's position In the
| channel. Many boat-houses on the south
, side OF the river were washed away. and