The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-18

RICHMOND Is
In TOTAL DARKNESS
Water Has Flooded Electric Pow
er House.
THE SITUATION Is PITIABLE'
Railroad Bridge Washed Away and
Another Endangered-Peo
Short of Provisions Fire
Adds to the Horror.
THE SITUATION Is PITIABLE'

Richmond, Va, February 1.-THE situa-
ton here tonight is pitiable and alarming
and still growing more alarming every mo-
ment. The fear of high water has been
realized and the rush of the increased vol
ume and the ice from the upper James, to-
gether with the back water from the gorg-
ing 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 depressed section of the
city between Shockoe and Churchills is also
under water, and hundreds of cellars are
flooded.
Early tonight 1t was reported that the
Manchester end of the Mayos bridge, con-
Meeting Richmond and Manchester, which
is foot and vehicle bridge, had been swept
away. This proved not to be correct, how
ever, but its condition is such that fur
ther rise of the river of few inches will
cause a demolition of the whole structure.
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 ex-
pecting an overflow. To add to the calami-
ties of the night the lime and cement ware
house and coal Office of s. II. Hawse & Co.
was totally destroyed by fire. Loss, $4,000;
insurance fully covers loss.
MIDNIGHT-Reports from up the river
are more encouraging. AT Columbia, the
great danger point, where the heavy trtb-
utary water of the James Is received, only
sixteen and one-half feet is reported and
the rise is slow. The danger here from ice
gorging and back water still continues. 1t
is impossible to estimate the loss to mer-
chants in the lower part of the city from
flooding of first floors and cellars. At
o'clock this Saturday morning. May and
Grace streets, from Thirteenth to Seven
teenth streets, are under water. Included
in the. area covered is one of the principal
markets, and, as many persons are short OF
provisions because of tho recent snow
storm, this will work great hardship.
Mayos bridge is practically ruined. Tho
ice has lifted spans of 1t off the piers and
bulged and twisted 1t in many places More
hone is entertained for the Southern rail-
way 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 a number of elevators are
run by electricity and the cutting OF OF
mower has prevented the removal of goods
70 the upper stories. There are several to-
bacco warehouses in the district under water
and, as 1t is impossible to get teams TO
move the tobacco, 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 raises the
people have to cope principally with up
country water and could make calculations
as to when 1t would reach here.