The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-16
FLOOD FOLLOWS
BIG CLOUDbURS1
James Overflows Its Banks in
Fulton, Driving People
from Their Homes
TIES UP TRAFFIC
ON ALL RAILROADS
City Cellars Full of Water.
DanvilIe Suffers from the
Storm and Cyclone
Hits Farmville

Due 10 cloudpurst that broke
over the city and the surrounding
territory the James river yesterday
Afternoon was transformed form
quiet peaceful body OF water INTO
O perilous, rapid gushing river that
carried danger and death In every
bounding billow.
II NOT only practically tied UP eV-
cry railroad line that runs out or
this city, but II also caused the resi-
dents of Fulton--that Is those resid-
ing near the water front--to become
almost panic stricken when. at ?
O'Clock last night; the continually and
rapid swelling river crawled over tis
hanks and found its way into its
homes OF fifteen ow twenty families
and routed them into the streets.
Fulton. aside from being flooded
is almost completely shut on from
the city: the only means of transporta
ton which Its residents find avail
able for coming into Richmond is TO
be had at the hands Of the Rich
mond and Henrtcc trolley line.
Wafcrfrons Conditions
Conditions along the waterfront.
more particularly at the dock OF the
Old Domonion Steamship Line are In
bad state OF affairs. II was feared
by officials of the steamboat company
tn, the rpid rising the river during
the late hours last night might neces-
sitate their moving from their office
any thing of value, as II Is predicted
by the Weather Bureau that by noon
today the river will have risen to IL
feet above normal.
IL such Is to he the case II will
mean that the docks along the banks
OF the river viii be under water
III ny
Is being experienced by any one rail-
road is being contendcd with by the
Richmond. Fredericksburg and Po-
tomac railroad. This line Is only able
to run trains over their southbound
track between Ashland. and Freder-f
icksburg, the northbound track being
too badly snothered by water to
warrant the travel of trains over it's
rails.
Trains Plough Through Water.
At Ashland, yesterday afternoon,
all trains passing through tho city
resembled the actions OF big ocean
liner blowing through q high sea. All
trains on this line were running from
four TO Ave hours late.
A slight washout at Chester kept
| the Seaboard trains from running az
per schedule. but aside from this no
real trouble was experienced by that
road, All trains running over the
tracks Of the Southern Railway were
running from four to five late. The
greatest trouble experienced on this
road was located about miles this
side Of Danriile where slight wash
out occurred.
Conditions locally may take a big
turn for the worse by noon today II
the predictions or the Weather Blu
reau are fulfilled.
Weather Bureau Prediction.
The weather bureau predicts that
rapid rise In the already madly over
flowing stream 10 due to arrive here
today owing to the conditions that
prevailed last night along the banks
the rise Of the water had reached
height OF twenty feet and was still
rising at late hour.
In the event of the river rising
over tbs. twenty foot mark Hood warn
ings will be sent out to all who are
in or near the flood danger belt in
this city. Already WARNINGS have
and It Is not expected that an, one
will be caught unawares. The condi-
tons that prevailed in Shockoe Creek
yesterday were dangerous as we'll as
DANA ginE.
Many Cellars Flooded.
Man yceIjar0 In, TINS vicinity were
flooded to the depth of ten feet The
greatest damage done was when the
creek, dashing and churning at a
rapid rate. washed away the s,one
foundation Of the warehouse occupied
by Clarence Cosby, a dealer In skins
and hides, and caused the flooring
on the main floor to COLLAPSE.
Only a few minutes before the floor
caved In many workmen, engaged In
thoir datlv 6uffea narrowly AECanod
from the building with their lives.
Several warehouses situated on
lower Main street that are generally
considered to be ont OF the danger
belt, have water several feet deep
standing In their cellars.