Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-03
STREETS UNDER WATER
BLADENsBURa FLOODED AS Re
suit OF cLoUDBURsT.
Mr.. and Mrs. Chester Fowler Marrow.
~ Escape Drowning - Horse
Drowned, Buggy Lost.

As the result of the heavy rains that
have occurred during the past week. termi-
mating yesterday in a veritable cloudburst,
portions of the streets of Bladensburg Nd.
| were several feet under water. and the
lower floors of many of the houses were
flooded. The water has but once In the
towns history been higher than 1t was
last night, and that was at the time the
Johnstown flood occurred In 1899. when
the only means of locomotion In Bladens-
burg was by means of rowboats.
Mr.. and Mrs. Chester Fowler of 1858 9eh
street southwest. this city. had narrow
escape from drowning in the swollen stream
near the bridge that separates Hyattsvilie
and Bladensburg. They had been visiting
friends in Bladensburg and after passing
over the bridge on their return to Hyates-
Vile took the lane leading into Locust
avenue, which was covered with water.
Instead of turning into the street that
| leads up the hill into HyattsvHle. Mr.. Fow-
| Ter drove directly into the rapidly running
stream, and in minute both he ana his
| wife were struggling In the water. The
horse and buggy, belonging to Mr.. O. g.
| Garges of Washington, was washed down
| the stream and lost. Mrs. Fowler had al
| most given up, when she fortunately grasp
| ed the limb of an overhangfng tree to which
| she chung until rescued by Mr.. William A.
Dorr of Hyattsville, who was attracted to
| the place by the cries for help. Mr.. Fow -er
| managed to reach the fence at the bottom
| of Locust avenue hill, and he, with eonsid-
cradle difficulty was taken to a place of
safety by Mr.. John Walsh. Mr.. and Mrs.
| Fowler returned on late electric to
Washington
The Water Recedes.
AT noon today the water had receded.
| and by night. with the exception of muddy
streets. matters in Bladensburg will as
| sumo their normal aspect. The water last
night stood several feet at the south end
| of the Bladensburg bridge. and traffic on
foot was entirely cut off. Residents of
Bladensburg who had ventured out of town
in the morning had considerable difficulty
| in reaching their homes, and the evening
| mail was taken over by man on horse
back
| Mr. c. w Hutchinson, agent of the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad in Hyattsvile,
stated to Star reporter this morning that
while the water was unusually high the
bridge over the Alexandria branch of the
road was never in danger, and that no in
structons issued that trains could
| not pass over It, although he doubts wheth-
er the passage of trains would have been
wise. The water was about two feet from
| the rails on the bridge, and the current
was swift.
Chesapeake Beach railway, there having
been very little rain along Its line. 1t
was stated at the office of the company
this morning that all trains were operated
Water stood In the bar of the Pan Elec-
trio House. and also came into the kitchen
of the George Washington House. Mrs
Steubener proprietress of the latter place.
declares that the water has never been as
high as 1t was last evening-at least, she
states. 1t has never come into her kitchen
In few houses at each end OF Main
street furniture, etc. was removed to the
upper stories, but the damage is incense
quential. Several persons lost chickens.
and gardens and growing crops are some
what injured.
The flood did not affect Hyattsville. ex-
cept is usual upon occasions of heavy
rains, and some of the streets were in
much better condition than were Wash
ington thoroughfares.
The Storm Elsewhere.
A special dispatch from Boyds states
that the storm near Damascus and Cedar
Grove yesterday did considerable damage
| to corn. washed out fences and flooded the
| roads so that many thoroughfares were al
| most impossible.
| East of Washington Junction and near
Frederick Junction the railway embank-
ments were washed out for space of fifty
feet or more, and trains were delayed dur
ing the greater part of the night.