The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-17
Sections Of Richmond In
undated by 18-Foot
Rise.
RIVER WILL FALL
SLOWLY TOD A Y
Steamship Service Cancelled and
Trains Operated Under Diff
culties-Wster Comes Into
Old Market and Iuto
Many Stores and
Warehouses.

Reaching It's greatest height just be
eighteen feet above nigh tide. the
freshet in James River yesterday 'n-
undated all Of .hc lower sections OF
the city. causing many Wholesale
horses and manufacturing plans TO
shut down, and causing some inter
ruption to business. Ample warning
had been gwen Of tho rise and goods
lihnly TO be injured By water wero
moved to places OF safety. though IN
many instances gangs OF men worked
all Friday night and All day OF ycster-
day to accomplish this
While the freshet WINS tho heaviest
IN ten years 4, Is not believed tim,
the actual money damage VIII be very
great. The river will probabIv con
tinue 10 rage throughout 10 day, and
not return 70 normal conditions until
Tomorrow.
The maximum ri.e as Etovn by the
Chesapeake and Ohio Raiiyav gauge
ct Columbia was c7.7 fee, at noon yes.
tsrday. ~ ? p M,hc water had
fallen there 70 2T5. and at p NJ 10
es4 teet- Thr fall waF vary allow, es.
hssvy rains further vast had occa-
Stoned SECOND rise IN tho river as
far vert az Luxembourg. and - viii
be fun" forty eight hours before ell
N. hcoi water rssses owl.
Bright weather prcvailed over tho
State yesteriaY, and the Eht Wind
r'aA tsvorable 10 Richmond
Wbar,es Inundated.
;puring the afternoon thousands Of
people freoianted Marshall square and
Ch!mhcrazo Park. from r.hich high
al
the river could be secured For A
half mile thc Chesterheld flats were
inundated the enha nix mcnt Of the
s.aboard Air Line Railway and Few
tress being the only visible points
The Southern Railway wharves on the
south Side, and the plant Of the Viz
e!nie. Carolina Chemical Company were
completely cut or and Inundated
Water stood eight ft.t deep on the
floor Of the Old Dominion Steamship
CoTpanys warehouse. and fvc feet
deep in the office The steamer Berks-
ley crept IN during the morning ha wing
much difficulty finding It's moorinSs
The passengers wero landed by row
boats and tho freight remained on
board.
Ront Schedule cnnceird.
10 attempt was made TO get out last
night, the Berkeley remaining .hcrc
and orders were dispatched to hold the
Brandon at Norfolk. II Is not expect
cd that the regular schedule Of night
boats can be resumed before MONDAY
night The steamship Pocahontas
coming up the river from Norfolk
was stopped by orders from hero AZ
City Point yesterday afternoon. and
passengers brought to Richmond bv
ran The vessel will tic up there until
river conditions AFRO moro favorable.
While water was visible in cu,yar,a
- nj he CT
In the cutters, traffic was not inpa1ed
on Main Street In front of tho Cbcsa
peake and Ohio Station. Tho cellar
entrance TO stores on either side of
the street showed all easements com
pietely flooded, and water standing
from ? foot TO eighteen inches below
The store floors. All goods had been
removed to places of safety
By daylight Yesterday tho watar
rose in Cary street and in the aT,e,
between Ma and Cary. Fifteenth and
Seventeenth Streets BY afternoon,
boats We're plying in Cary Street for .
distance Of two blocks. with yater
three feet deep at Seventeenth and
Cary4 During the afternoon the water
soaei above the level Of the dock, the
gstes of which are fifteen feet 2 hove
loHTtide. and later Dock Street and tba
railway tracks on tho south side Of
thS dock were flooded The Southern
4 RAILWAY Train lot west Point, leaving
at 1880 T. NJ. ran for aeveral hundred
yards on tracks completely covered
by water.
Water Riaes ip Old Market
Late In the evening the water rose
In Franklin street at Seventeenth
flooding one corner OF the First Mark
ct. in which the usual Saturday night
crowd was gathered. and rose 10 The
floor Of scotts drug store. at seven
lteenth and Franklin streets. where
\ everything had Been moved to the
counter level In anticirat ton of ever
higher water.
Repeated warnings were sent from
tho Weather Bureau announcing a
freshet of fully eiEhteon feet, with The
prediction, that there would BIO fully
eighteen Inches of water In Main
street. Mr.. Evans the local section d.
rector. holding that it was better 10
give q margin of safety than to take
the large risk of an excessive rise
With the Old Dominion and city
wharves completely covered. the water
backed over into the Gas Works lot.
and all OF old Lester Street was cover.
cd. A boat service was established
along the route of Lester Street. with
y +. 4