Evening star., 1915-02-03
Mercury Is Expected to Slide
Down to About "a Degrees
During the Night.
STORM REPORTED HEAVY:
REACHES INTO VIRGINIA
Heavy Current on River Caused by
High Water in Tributaries.
Bladensburg a Sufferer.

Clearing weather. with lower tenn
perature, is to follow the snowstorm
that struck Washington this morning.
according to the weather bureau Off
Gals The mercury may be expected to
slide down to about "a degrees above
zero during the night, and Indications
are that tomorrow will be fair. The
fair weather, the forecaster said today,
Will continue through Friday night.
with rising temperature, and some time
Saturday another disturbance attended
oy rain and rising temperature may be
looked Tor. This storm, todays weather
map showed. was central over Wyom-
ing. and was rapidly progressing east
ward.
Ioday's snow was put over on the
weather bureau, which expected rain
today. A slight fall in temperature,
hardiy noticeable. changed the rain to
snow. however. The snowfall was re-
ported heavy over this section, extend
ing to central Virginia and northward
LOIS or people today were jubilant
over over the fact that the sun failed to
SHINE In this part of the country at any
time yesterday. There may be moth
ing IN the ground hog superstition.
tney held. but 1t was just as well to be
on the safe side. Viewing this morn
lngs snowstorm, however. one indi-
vldual remarked that Somebody must
have turned the electric light on the
ground hog yesterday, SO he Just had
to see his shadow" A ruralite. how
ever, who evidently intended to play
absolutely safe, declared that he had
outwitted Arctomys monax.
Tests Ground Hog Theory.
"a week ago" said the ruralite. .I
found Mr.. Ground Hogs den in woods
filled up the entrance to the den. so
that no matter whether the day was
bright or cloudy he couldn't get out
Now We'll see whether we have an
early spring or not
For the third time In the past four
weeks a heavy current, caused by
high water in the streams that feed
the Potomac about its sources, is
racing in yellow flood past this city
and though the current started run
ming but yesterday evening, it's
strength is today felt at Marshall Hall
and below. This morning as it rolled
in big swirls under the Highway
bridge It looked as If it were moving
at speed Of about five miles an hour
and was strong enough to give the
tugboats going up to Georgetown trou-
Bile in lighting their way against it.
Some few logs and fence rails are
river by the rushing waters, but moth
ing like the quantity brought down
by previous freshets.
This morning the water in the river
was somewhat higher than usual. being
over the top of the sea wall about Po-
tomac Park, and all the lowlands about
the city being under water a foot or
more. AS soon as the winds shift to
the northwest the water will fall and
the river level return to normal.
Streets Covered by Water.
Several inches of water that covered
the main street of Bladensburg yes
terday morning did not seriously in
terfere with traffic on that thorough
fare that is SO much used by residents
of this city and Prince Georges county,
Nd. The water did not reach the depth
of the high water last month, but the
frequent high water in the town is
not appreciated b. persons residing
there.
Late in the afternoon the water re-
ceded and left the road entirely uncov-
cred. The cement road was not dam
aged. Residents of Bladensburg at
tribute the high water to the new
bridge constructed over the Northwest
branch between their town and Hy-
attsville, the cement pillars. they be-
lieve. serving to hold back large
amount of water.
1t is believed that the construction OF
the new bridge changed the course of
the water to some little extent and
caused the strong current. Residents Of
the town are discussing the question
of asking the county or state authori-
ties to make an effort to relieve the
situation, and Gov. Goldsborough may
be appealed to in order to get the
question properly before state officials.