Evening star., 1902-03-01

farms along the stream.
Railroad Traffic Delayed.
Railroad tracks suffered more damage
than had been caused by water for many
years. The Baltimore and Ohio railroad
was in bad shape. and the Cumberland and
Pennsylvania railroad will probably be un-
able to run trains for several days. Heavy
trains Of cars were placed on several bridges
and the extra weight prevented the wash
ing away of the bridges. At Confluence
the bridge and ten street cars went down.
away and several miles Of track have been
rendered unfit for service. Mail Is being
carried on horseback at a number Of places
where the railroads have been crippled.
The West Virginia Central and Pittsburg
railway was badly damaged between Cum
berland and West Virginia junction and
traffic on the road will hardly be resumed
before next week. 81
Dynamited the Gorge.
So serious was the ice gorge at German
that dynamite had to be used. Many ex-
pensive county bridges were washed away.
Five feet Of water covered some Of the
streets in Cumberland and many persons
were compelled to leave their homes in
boats. A number of thrilling incidents are
reported in the vicinity of Cumberland but
1t Is believed no lives have been lost. The
below the city, making quite an expanse OF
muddy water. Reports received from along
Georges creek, where the coal mines are
flooded, indicate that more than two dozen
trestles are down between Piedmont and
Homecoming and nine bridges are affected.
Several streets of Homecoming were flooded
as early as 8 o'clock yesterday morning
and many families were compelled to aban-
don their homes.
Washouts at Hagerstown.
Three serious washouts in the neighbor-
hood Of Hagerstown caused a suspension
OF business on the Cumberland Valley rail-
road between Hagerstown and Harrisburg.
Wrecking crews were sent to repair the
damage. The tracks of the Western Mary
land road near Five Forks were SUBJ
merged. The streams in the vicinity Of
Hagerstown were still rising last night.
and railroad officials feared there would be
a freight blockade. The further rise in the
residents of Harper's Ferry and points be-
tween that place and Georgetown. At
Brunswick the river rose at the rate of
one foot an hour. and many persons occu-
it necessary to seek places of refuge above
the railroad tracks. The Monocacy over
flowed its banks again last night. "
Through Train Delayed.
No train from the west has reached the
yesterday, and on account Of the crippled
condition of the wires nothing has been
heard Of the trains that are beyond the
flooded section Information from Sir Johns
Run, where the tracks are covered with
water. shows that the second story of the
railroad tower was reached by the water
and the operator had to abandon his office.
AT several points the tracks are submerged.
When the morning report was received
at the depot the water was still rising.
The water was twenty-three feet above
normal at Harpers Ferry, and was rising
points this side Of Harper's Ferry farms
were inundated and some damage may
have been done to the canal property.
Floating Ice at Georgetown.
General Manager G. L. Nicholson Of the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal received a tele-
gram this morning from Hancock, Md,
that the water at that point was twenty
six feet high and rising at the rate Of
SO much, but last Thursday the greatest
height attained by the Potomac at the place
was twenty-one feet. The report this
morning showed gain Of five feet, which
the District and Harper's Ferry. A rise of
twenty-four feet at the latter place means
some danger at this point, but even with
such rise at the Ferry the water will not
equal tWenty-S1x feet at hancock, SO 1t Is
said.
This morning about o'clock the river
men on the all-night vigil at Georgetown
discovered a quantity of floating ice come
down the river. Yesterday there was little
or no driftwOod coming down, showing that
the water had evidently reached high
point and was stationary or recedng. This
morning with the ice quantity of drift
wood and other trash came floating down,
which was taken as an indication that the
ha6 had hor
point than before. sweeping away all loose
stuff lying around.