The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-29
RIVER ALMOST AT
RECORD HEIGHT
Property Loss in Lynchburg
Estimated as High as
$25O,OOO
RAILROAD TRAFFIC DELAYED
Bridges Washed Away and
Tracks Submerged-No Loss
OF Life Net Reported.
Especial to The Times -pispa.oh..

local station Of the Weather Bureau
reporting the crest of the flood To have
come about 1920 o'clock this morning.
when the stage was 24.6 feet. This
was four feet lower than the Highest
stage Of the water In the flood OF the
early '70's. The river may be expected
10 he back In Its banks some time dur
ing the night. unless something unex-
pectcd should occur to keep the water
up.
Every plant in the upper and lower
basins was put out OF commission for
the day. at least. by the rise Of the
water, fully 1000 people losing work
for the day by reason of this condition.
The property less. which les practically
Impossible to estimate a: this time, is
estimated az high as $4,000 by snS1e
business men This may be too high
and 1t may prove too low. II the rail-
way bridges below the city are found
10 have been hurt TO any extent b.
the waters.
The lower Island bridge OF the Nor
folk and Western Railway was partly
submerged while the upper bridge
was weighted down with train OF
eighteen gondolas laden with coal
Neither or the railways was able To
turn a wheel over their main zines
trafic tomorrow the officials here VIII
consider themselves fortunate. The
Chesapeake and Ohio has not moved
a wheel since yesterday afternoon. but
me Norfolk and Western WAS able to
move through freight over the Con-
cord Forest belt line as usual while
the passenger service was detoured
over that route, the trains losing about
an hour in covering the extra distance.
The first tidings OF the impending
freshet came early last night, when
the Weather Bureau issued "A warning
that the river would reach the Hood
stage during the next twelve hours.
about midnight the rise began to be
very rapid, and along about O'Clock
men who were at work saving prop
erty In the lower basin declare the
rise was rapid az two feet an hour
for several hours, SO rapid was the
rise that in q number OF instances men
were caught In plants and could not
get out without wading or leaving IN
boats None of these. however. as far
az can be learned. was in any great
danger. for the water at no time went
nigh enough IN the plants for men
10 have been drowned because they
could not leave the buildings.
Tracks Under Water.
The tracks OF the Chesapeake ana
ohio Railway were under water Tor
,liles. and representatives OF that com :
pany stated this afternoon that 1t
would be impossible for them to form
:he slightest idea when iraric could be
restored y long trest!c on the main
line near the plant OF the LyEchburG
Foundry Company. which had not been
loaded with cars. noated from the Pill
inG this morning. and at 20 o'clock was
easily four feet above the surface OF
the road
E, portion OF the lower island bridge
Of the Norfolk and Western had been
Knocked out of plumb by the hood.
All night long the Chesapeake and
ohio had force OF men moving goods
from it's jefferson Street warehouse,
and all OF this was gotten out or the
way with but little damage.
The water went UP into Jefferson
street at the foot OF Washington
street and in front OF the Chesapeake
and Ohio freight warehouse. 1t was
this water that put three shoe facto-
ries out OF commission FOR the day.
Representatives OF the Norfolk and
Western and Chesapeake and Ohio
Railways had no reports up TO / O'Clock
,his afternoon from the six Mile
bridges and there WAS no way 10 learn
ANYTHING about either or them. Both.
however. are thought to have been
covered with water. The Norfolk and
western had through freight train
stranded between the island yard and
the six Mile bridge. This train could
not go back and cross the SIX Mile
bridge because Of its dangerous condi-
lion. while il was impossible for Il TO
reach tho Island yard. because n por-
tior Of the bridge leading to the Island
was submerged this forenoon
The brick yard plant Of Adams
Brother-Paynes Company, located down
the river. was put out OF commission
during the night. throwing 1925 men ont
OF work. The entire brick yard and
clay bank were covered with water.
and the report this afternoon was that
The steam shovel used in the clay bank
has been turned over by the flood. {. s.
Adams president of the company. said
he did not know how much loss his
firm has suffered. and this could not
be arrived at until tomorrow.
The Island playground of the y. NJ.
g a. suffered. the heaviest loss being
the washing away of the bridge. which
cost $4,000 to construct year ago.
The major portion Of the Island was
under water mt the time OF the crest
of the freshet.
Families Have Narrow Escape.
Four families living on the Amherst
side Of the river had narrow escapes,
being taken from their homes during
the night, all of them getting TO safety
without loss OF life.
The mower house Of the Lynchburg
Traction and Light Company at Reu-
sens was rendered helpless early last
night by the rising waters, and the
power for the city to-day was gen
Grated at the steam substation on
Blackwater Street.
The Diamond Ice Company's factory
was flooded. and the company started
its upper plant last night, being able
10 supply Ice without trouble ThH
large MI at tho east end of the Dia-
mond factory has been washed bad
ly. and the indication at noon to-day
was that practically all OF this will
be carried out by the strong current
there.
The backwater In Blackwater Creek
went over the top OF the canal aquc-
duct the waters of the river min
Cling with those Of the canal at tina,
2lace, while Blackwater Creek was
nacked up far beyond the gas mouse.
At o'clock this morning orders
we're issued at the island yard OF
the Norfolk and Western for the is-