The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-13

Flood warnings. indicating q rise Of
sixteen or more feet In lanes River b.
noon to-day. we're issued late last
night. The Chesapeake and Ohio Rail-
way gauge at Columbia at II o'clock
indicating twenty feet eight Inches
at that point. and rising. Vigorous Of
forts are being made 10y shipping ana
wholesale houses along the water
front TO save exposed goods People
living in the lower part of the city and
on Church H!ll were startled last night
by the Intermittent blowing o: steam
ship whistles. continued at Intervals
TO- more than an hour. the method en-
pl9yed by the old Dominion steamship
Ccnpany to call together on Sunday
nlght large force u men TO remove
pedshable freight.
VIII Damage New Bridge
Che Indicated rise will inevitably
CO Use serious damage TO false work on
ths new Mayo Bridge. wooden trestle
work having been erected as a form
for the concrete arches between sew
err o; the new piers Other damage
ms1 occur IN the lower part OF the
city because Of the comparatively short
notice and the difficulties OF notifying
--v>-r.'"S-'- ale-.ast 'rignt of III. Danger and
OF the immediate necessity Of moving
'rer handise above the Hood stage.
Captain George ", Wyatt agent Of
the old Dominion Steamship Company,
SAID that his company would have
everything moved in time. although the
rise indicated would cover the whnrvss
and warehouses OF the company early
today. The lower yards II the
Southern Railway were rake3 last
night for empty freight cars which
could be delivered TO the Old Dominion
wharves, and when other resources
failed. freight was transferred on
board the steamship Pocahontas. due
to leave here early this morning fof;
Norfolk. 1t is expected that the lower
wharves Will be covered with water BY
the time the steamer Brandon arrives
sun Raining.
AT midnight the Unitec States Gov
eminent Weather Bureau Issued food
warnings predicting rise In the river
at Richmond OF twelve feet this morn
ing with an Increased rise later in
the day. Section Director Evans said
Ills reports then showed a rise exceed
Ing twenty-five feet at Columbia, where
tho river was sim rising and where IL
was then raining. From reports there
were heavy rains all day yesterday
throughout the upper James River wa
tershed and Director Evans said he
could not yet compute the probable
total rise. The local rainfall yesterday
was l55 inches. not an excessive fan
for this season, though, coming in hard
showers the creeks and sewers In many
sections were flooded to their capacity.
Up 10 midnight the Chesapeake and
Ohio was able 10 maintain train SER
vice over its river division. though
with difficulty, wire trouble as result
OF the w!ndstorms. adding to the diff
culties which the food presented
Old river men. familiar with condi-
t!ons and with the James in all its
humors. predict a freshet. Unlike til,
rise several months ago, which barely
showed Itself in the culverts in front
of the Main Street Stat:on, this Hood
comes when the ground is watersoaked
and when little aid can be expected
from absorption.
Reach Crest This Afternoon
Weather reports indicate further rain
to-day over Virginia. with CLEARING
weather tomorrow The tide is high
in the Richmond harbor at 1851 O'Clock
this afternoon. and river men predict
that as the time OF the maximum rise.
as after that hour fresh.t water will
pass out rapidly with the ebb tide. The
prevailing winds are also said to have
grit effect in either carrying the
water out or banking it up in the ha--
Dor il time of flood. The rise will be
suffic ent at an carly hour this morning
to cause the suspension of the street
car service along old Lester Street
Fulton is not cut off as heretofore. as
cars of the Richmond ana ucnrico Rail
way pass over a trcstle not affected by
freshet conditions. Work has pro-
crossed rapidly in the past few weeks
on the concrete approaches to new
Lester Street, and wiehin a few months
the Main Street car tracks will be
shifted from old Lester Street. now a
ravine to the new embankment. above
high water.
One Great Rainy Day.
Jupiter Pluvius opened up yesterday
and gave 1t to Richmond wet and plen-
tifully 1t began with a steady down
pour shortly after Saturday midnight.
md continued Internationally all day
and far into the night.
At this United States Weather Bureau
Station at Chmborazo the observer of
winds and storms registered at s
o'clock last night n total rainfall dur
Ing the preceding twenty-four hours
of 1.55 inches.
Pretty heavy rain for this time of
the year." commented Director Evans
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