Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-29
DAMS WASHED AWAY.
Serious Damage to Property Of
Electrical Development Co,
WORK HAS BEEN SUSPENDED,
Rains Of Sunday Morning and Const'
Qusnt Flood Cause Heavy Loss.
ONE MANS NARROW ESCAPE.
sidewalks washed Out in Several
Places and some of the Smaller
ONE MANS NARROW ESCAPE
sidewalks Washed Dat in Several

Tho heavy rainfall OF Sunday morning
registered over four inches at the United
States Weather Bureau I'm Richmond IL
was almost unprecedented. and Section
Director Evans Is authority for the state
ment that more rain fell here In the
twenty-four hours than generally falls In
a whole month.
A number OF washouts were reported In
various parts of the city and some OF tho
smaller sewers broke under the unusual
pressure.
The most considerable damage. how
ever, was done to the property OF the
Virginia Electrical Railway and Develop
ment Company. The earthen dam, Just
below the Free bridge, was almost COM
pletely washed away. and the coffer-dam.
near the Tredegar-works. was flooded
and in part destroyed. The rock-crusher
at the latter works was flooded and the
work had TO be temporarily abandoned.
Tho force at work on these dams was
laid Off yesterday, and will probably be
unable TO resume operations for several
days. The loss TO the contractor win be
very heavy, and Mr.. Todd said yesterday
that it will also mean a very serious loss
to the Development Company. 1t is cal
culated that the contractor will be delay
ed about ten days and the Development
Company about five days. The earthen
dam will have TO be entirely reconstruct
ed. and much repair work Is necessary on
tho coffer-dam.
Officers Of the company took the mat
ter quite phllosophically. 1t was an OBJ
ject lesson. they said, IN the yagaries Of
the James river, ard both the contractor
and the company would profit By it,
There was a large force at work on tho
construction of the power-house of tho
Development Company.
ONE MANS NARROW ESCAPE.
one OF the workmen employed on tho
cosfer-dam had narrow escape with his
life yesterday morning He yenuIred out
upon the structure, and, losing his ball
ancc. fell into the river. He was washed
underneath the dam and carried In the
swring torrent Tor about thirty feet. lie
was rescued by his friends upon the
bank, and when brought ashore was
found 10 be none tho worse for his some
what remarkable experiences. IL was said
that he had been drinking.
The water registered feet on the Rich
mond and Petersburg bridge yesterday
afternoon. and was stll rising. Mr..
Evans said his advices indicated that this
rise would be short-lived, and that no
thing approaching a food need be antici-
pated.
The work Of constructing the new river
gauge for the United States service on
the Southern bridge had 10 be tempo
rarily abandoned.
The City Engineers force was busily
engaged yesterday repairing damage TO
sidewalks that had been done by the rain.
The damage TO sewers was not serious.
since none OF the mains were affected. and
the smaller drains will not be difficult "a
repair, nor will they cause any serious
inconvenience to those persons whose pro-
perty is connected by them with tho
mains.
Lightning struck the flagstaff in the
rear OF 705 east Leigh street Sunday
morning, but did no further damage.
HAII.-STORAI AT HOwARDSvILLE.
one Of the severest hail-storms ever ex-
perienced in the vicinity OF Howardsvills
swept over that section Saturday after
noon.
The tobacco crops OF several farmers
were almost entirely destroyed. All to-
bacco within the storm area suffered
greatly. Although corn was not hurt.
so far as the ears were concerned, the
stalks were donuded Of blades and tas-
sels
The storm was local, only the terri
tory included within a radius OF four
miles OF Howardsyille being affected. The
drought had been very severe In that
locality, but since Saturday tnere have
been heavy rains.
Reports Of hail-storms also come from
other sections OF the State. In Louisa
county growing tobacco was badly dam
aged.