Evening journal., 1909-12-14
Rushing Wafer Tears
Launches From Moor
ings and Floods Ban
croft Mill.
EXPECT MORE DAMAGE
BEFORE WATER FALLS

For the first time this year the
Brandywine Creek is over its banks,
and threatening damage to properties
along the waterway.
At this time the greatest damage
has been done at Eleventh street bridge
where launches have been torn from
their moorings. boat houses flooded and
lowlands covered under several feet OF
water.
At the plant of the Joseph Bancroft
and Sons Company mills below the
water level had TO be closed because
of the rush Of water but practically
no damage was done by the freshet.
At Rising Sun the creek is twenty
five feet beyond its banks, but no prop
erty damage is reported there. IL IS
likely that the rushing waters VIII sub
side by night.
Its bed replenished by a heavy down
pour of rain, which fell all day yes
terday, the Brandywine began to run
10 its normal level late yesterday af-
ternoon after a summer drought that
had left the creek bottom exposed in
many places but late last night the wa
ter came down I'm mighty volumes,
transforming the quiet stream into a
torrent. Persons living along the
creek and those who had occasion TO
cross Washington and Market street
bridges this morning we're surprised
at the height the stream had reached
during the night. At Washington
street the stream was twenty feet be-
vond its banks. At the second dam,
which has been exposed for four
months. the water was three feet above
the dam breast, and the south long
race, which feeds the city pumping
station. carried the heaviest supply OF
water during the year
Although the storm which preceded
the. freshet will prove of incalculable
benefit to farmers in replenishing wells
and thoroughly saturating fields that
have been without water since spring,
many City residents will be caused
some inconveniece by having to drink
a highly colored fluid as water for
several days. officials of the Water
Department said this morning that
only those residents who are supplied
with water from the low pressure ser
vice. which is connected with the Cool
Spring reservoir. will get anything like
clear water The supply which comes
from the new Porter reservoir, sot
nassine through sedimentation basins
as vet, viii be colored. Residents in
high sections Of the city are supplied
with water from this source.
The rain fall was 256, the heaviest
Of the year.
MUCH DAMAGE AT BRIDGE.
Tho greatest damage done by the
storm was at Eleventh street bridge,
where many launches are moored and
which place is a mecca for small river
craft. Fully a dozen boats. mostly
launches, we're swept from their moor
ings early this morning and were car
ried toward the mouth of the Brandy
wine. by the swiftly moving current.
The wind howled around the little
cabins belonging 20 the boat ownes'
and rain fell in torrents.
MANY of the boat owners put in the
night along stream at that point and
despite their efforts the swiftly NOV
ing current tore the boats from their
fastenings as though they were moored
"a match-sticks Great quantities of
drift wood came down the stream and
this morning rivermen. who dared the
turbulent waters. harvested good
supply Of firewood.
Most of the boats which we're torn from
their noorings were caught either at the
Penngyivania railroad bridge. which is
IN sight of the Eleventh street bridge, and
those that passed this structure became
fastened in the Seventh street bridge some
distance below.
At Eleventh street bridge barge be-
longing to Nahlon B. Foster. is fastened