The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-18
FLOODS AT RICHMOND.
Mayos Bridge Ruined-Main and Grace
Streets Flooded

| CIittlN 'NSN'@N'
! Richmond. Va, Feb. 1.-THE situation
here tonight is pitiable and alarming,
and is still growing more alarming every
moment. The fear of high water has
been realized. and the rush of the in
creased volume and the ice from the
upper James. together with the back
water from the gorging of the ice below
the city. has resulted III one of the
heaviest floods ever known here. The
wharves at Rockets, the landing place
for steamers, and the streets for blocks
around are under water, and the Nir-
einia Navigation Company's wharf has
been swept away. The depressed see
ton of the city. between Shockoe and
Church Hill is also under water. and
hundreds of cellers are flooded. Early
tonight it was reported that the Man
chester end of Mayos' bridge, connecting
Richmond with Manchester which is Il
foot and vehicle bridge, had been swept
away, This proved not to he correct,
but its condition is such that a further
rise of the river of n few inches will
cause the demolition of the whole struc-
ture. The Southern Railway bridge
across the James river is in great danger.
and may go before morning. One of the
electric light plants is under water and
power and lights are cut off from Ger
tain sections of the city. The gas works
are momentarily expecting an overflow
To add to the caIamities of the night the
lime and cement warehouse and coal
office of S. H. HAYES d Co. was totally
destroyed by fire. Loss. S25, 200; in
Sured.
acknowledgements from mp the river
are more encouraging. At Columbia the
great danger point, where the heavy
tributary water of the James is received.
only sixteen and half feet is reported
and the rise is slow. The danger here
from the ice gorging and back water still
continues. 1t is impossible to estimate
the loss to merchants i'll the lower part
of the city from flooding of first floors
and cellars
Richmond, Va, Feb. 1S.--At / O'Clock
this Saturday morning Main and
Grace streets from 18th to 18th streets.
are under water Included in the area
covered is one of the principal markets,
and as many persons are short of provi-
sions, owing to the recent snow storm,
this will work great hardship.
Mayos bridge is practically ruined.
The ice has lifted spans of it off the
piers and bulged and twisted it in many
places. More hope is entertained for
the Southern Railway bridge. a train
has just crossed it. The other bridges
are not in danger. All the electric
lights in the city are out and the streets
are in total darkness. In the flooded
district number of elevators are run
by electricity and the cutting off of
power has prevented the removal of
goods to the upper stories. There are
several tobacco warehouses in the dis
trict under water, and as it is impossible
to get teams to move the
tobacco and great loss is ex-
pected. Though the flood was
feared, owing TO the unusual conditions.
it came sooner than was expected and
the people hardly had any warning. In
most great rises heretofore they have
had to cope principally with upcountry
water and could make some calculation
ms to when it would reach here.