Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-03-01
THE RIVER NOW SUBS|D|NG
All Danger From Flood Seems
TO be Past,
THE ICE G0RGES PASSING OFF
Water Continued to Rise at Harper's Ferry
Until Noon Today-Rver Falling Above
Since Last Night.
HE ICE G0RGES PASSING OFF
Water Continued TO Rise at Harper's Ferry

SiifCC Laoi tttSHt
The alarming food situation which
prevailed Wednesday and last night
along the Potomac is abating The
water towards the head ns.waters Of
the Potomac is subsiding but the
stream down toward Washington is
still rising. The ice gorges force Z
the water over the banks and the ice
flow caused the greatest alarm. The
DELAY TO trains on the b q o yes
terday was not due so much to the
water on the tracks as the large uuan
tity of ice which flowed over til
tracks. In some places the ice was
piled up ten feet along the tracks.
West of Sir Johns Run there was five
feet of water on the tracks and sever
al feet of ice had packed on the west
bound track At Cherry Run about
Is inches of water covered the track S
and this was full of floating ice aud
debris. All this water was dus to the
ice gorges. Never have there been so
many goiges in the Potomac. Last
night the water was Is inches deep n
the tracks at Cherry Run. and the
rise continued at the rate of three IN
ches an hour. AT Sleepy Greek the
tracks were also flooded. The ice
had not yet moved off dam No. 6,
where 1T is 20 i2ches thick. and
greater trouble is feared. There was
four feet OF water over the canal to W
path at Little Orleans, and it is
feared the canal will be injured by
the mass of ice crashing aginst the
banks.
The South Branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio, running to Rom ney, was
badly damaged Over a hundred teet
of trestiing was torn out at Washing
ton Bottom by a mass of ice early
Yesterday morning. Much damage
has been done farms by inundation.
Miniature icebergs moved down the
South Branch all day and added to
the quantity in the main stream
which continued in tact, gorging
here and there. The su bstantial iron
BRIDE, 1870 feet long. over the South
Branch, near Springfield, w. Va,
was completely torn out bv the ice.
This morning the river had fallen
and trains came through without very
much delay
Lest night the river rose rapidly at
Harpers Ferry. BY the river gauge,
at 80 last night the Potomac and
Shenandoah rivers at their confuene
were 23l5 feet above low water mark
and rising at a rate of about inches
an hour. Residents moved off Herr's
Island which was nearly covered
with water. Water also surrounded
the jail, on Shenandoah street. On
Potomac street the river forced
through the sewer under the Balti-
more and Ohio railroad and surround
ed the depot and Hotel Conner The
Potomac was over the canal bank
from the second lock to Miller Bend,
below Sandy Hook. The Shenando-
ah was over the railroad above the
Shenand oah paper mill and in the Ice
and engine rooms of the brewery.
Citizens remained up all night watch
ing the water. Two spans of the foot
bridge leading from the b. d o.
tracks to Island Park were swept
..way by the swollen stream. All the
lowlands between HarDer's Ferry and
Brunswick are overhowe1 Water
stands in all the low places of the
Brunswick yard but has done no dam
age to the yard. The water this
morning was no TO the bridge which
crosses TO Loudon county at Bruins
wick There is more danger from
the ice than the water.
At noon the water in the Pot mac
had begun 70 fall and all danger of
damage is over. The damage through
ont the county, though causing great
deal of convenience, was slight.
Trains from the east are running on
time and those from the west are ON
lv delayed by having to slow up COM
ing over the low places at Sir Johns
Run and Cherry Run.