Evening star., 1902-03-03
Flood Causes but Little Local
Damage.
LOSSES ELSEWHERE
B. AND o. RAILROAD AND c. AND
P. CANAL SUBMERGED.
Passengers and Freight Water Bound
Between This City and Cumber-
land-Scenes and Incidents.

1t is apparent from reports received from
neighboring states that all danger of dis
astrouS flood in this city is past unless
there should be another downpour of rain
This city has Jared much better than have
most places on the river within the terri
tory covered by the recent heavy rain. The
property damage here has been exceedingly
small, and SO far as known the high water
was not attended by loss of life Reports
We're received by the police yesterday con-
cerning two dead bodies said to have been
seen seating in the river, and the police
boat went in search of them, but without
success.
The condition of affairs above George
town yesterday was extremely serious, and
the damage done by the flood cannot now
be estimated. 1t is certain that the prop
erty loss between Georgetown and Cumber-
land will amount TO many thousands of
dollars, but il Will be at least Il week be-
fore any idea of the actual amount can be
given The property of the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal Company is undoubtedly in bad
shape, but the extent of the losses will not
be known until the water recedes and un-
covers the towpath. Several bad breaks in
the canal were reported yesterday. Up at
the Chain bridge the canal bank overfiowed
early in the day, while higher up the river
at many points the river and canal pre-
scented an unbroken water surface Men
who have followed the canal for many
years said yesterday that there would in
all probability be no boating on this water
way during the coming season on account
OF the time that would be required to
pair the many, breaks. Some of them
doubted If the canal company would ever
rebuild the towpath
Officials of the company do not take quite
SO gloomy a view of the outlook. They
hope for the best, although they fear the
damage caused yesterday far exceeds that
caused by the high water Thursday.
~:
up the canal were of an encouraging ma
ture. The injury wrought was, according
to reports. much less than had been eX-
pected. but the second rush of water fol-
lowing the thaw and consequent softening
of the earth is what caused the officials to
fear heavy losses. Until the telephone and
telegraph wires are put in good shape re-
ports from along the line of the upper end
of the canal will come in slowly.
At Highest Point
. The highest water along the canal it is
believed was at dam No. 4. not far from
Shepherdstown, where there was rise of
thirty-two feet in the river Thursday and
eight feet of water covered the towpath.
Yesterday afternoon when the river was
highest a number of the lower wharves
were covered with water and the overflow
was in the cellars as well as on the streets
in the lower sections Early in the morn
1ng traffic on the Anacostia and ~ street
DT6nCneS OF the washington lTdCllOl 1OHl-
pany's lines had to be suspended. This
was owing to the high water filling the
conduit about the vicinity of the Center
market and the Baltimore and Potomac
depot. Later in the day horses were used
to draw the cars over the tracks where such
conditions prevailed. and the delay caused
in this way was but slight. When the
company found it necessary to abandon
traffic on these lines the water was rising
with alarming rapidity, and when a report
from Georgetown showed a rise of ten
inches within about an hour the situation
became alarming. At the old Marble
saloon, as well as in many cellars along
the south side of Pennsylvania avenue the
flood continued to rise. and in some of the
buildings men Waded in water up to their
waists in an effort to save property. In
the division, south Of the avenue. the water
entered a number of houses and in build
ings where there were latrobes or fur
naces in the Easements the fires were ex-