The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-18
RICHMOND SWEPT BY FLOOD.
GORGED WITH BREAKING ICE,
JAMES RIVER OVERFLoWS.

Streets Around the Wharves Where
Steamers Land Are All Under Wa
ter-0ne Wharf Swept Away.
Southern Railway Bridge in Dam
ger-An Electric Light Plant I'm
der Water-The Loss to Merchants
viii BE Great.
Richmond, Va, Feb. 1.-THE situation
here tonight is piuabie and alarming, and
IS still growing more serious every mo-
ment.
The fear of high water has been realized,
and the rush of the increased volume and
the ice from the Upper James. together
with the back water from the gorging of
the ice below the city. has resulted in one
of the heaviest floods ever known
The wharves at Rockets, the landing
place for steamers, and the streets for
blocks around are under water, and the
Virginia Navigation Company's wharf
has been swept away
The portion of the city between Shockee
and Churchills Is under water, and hun
dreds of houses are flooded.
Early tonight it was reported that the
Manchester end of Mayo's bridge, con-
meeting Richmond with Manchester, which
is q foot and vehicle bridge, had been
swept away. This proved not to be cor
rect, but its condition is such that a fur
ther rise of the river of a few inches viii
cause The demolition of the whole struc-
tIsre.
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 certain sections of the city. The gas
works are momentarily expecting an over
flow.
To add to the calamitles of the night, the
lime and cement warehouse and coal Of
flee of S. H. Hawse & Co., was totany
destroyed by fire. Loss $25, ,000; insured.
Reports at midnight from up the river
are more encouraging. At Columbia, the
great danger point where the heavy tribu-
tay water of the James is received. only
sixteen and half feet is reported and the
rise is slow.
The danger here from Ice gorging and
back wateD still continues. II is impossi-
bic to estimate the loss to merchants in
the lower part of the city from the flood
ing of first floors and cellars.
The Flood Spreading.
At 1 O'Clock this Saturday morning
Main and Grace streets, from Thirteenth
TO Seventeenth streets, are under water.
Included in the area covered is one OF the
principal markets, and as many persons
are short of provisions, owing to recent
snow storm, this will work great hard
ship.
q Mayos bridge is practically ruined. The
ice has lifted spans of it off the piers and
bulged and twisted 1t in many places.
More hope is entertained for the Southern
Railway bridge, a train having just cross
ed it. The other bridges are not in dan
ger
All the electric lights in the city are
out and the streets are in total darkness.
In the flooded district a number of ee-
vators are run by electricity and the cut
ting off Of power has prevented the re-
moval Of goods to the upper stories.
There are several tobacco warehouses
in the district under water, and as it is
impossible to get teams to move the TO-
bacco great loss is expected.
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 prin-
cipally with up-country water and could
make some calculation as to when it
would reach here.