Evening journal., 1917-04-06
CAUSEWAY SECTION
IS FLOODED TODAY
High Tide OverflowS River
Banks and Drives Families
From Homes
ROW BOATS ARE
MEANS OF TRAFFIC

water and hundreds Of persons are ma
rooned as the result of record high tide
which swept up the Christiana. Brandy
wine and Delaware rivers last night.
Br.dgetenders and boatmen say the tide
which attained its maximum shortly
after midnight. was the. highest in more
>than year.
Many of the wharves were covered.
For time last nigth it was impossible
TO get within block of the Wilson Line
dock. The water had seeped over the
dock before the last boat came in, and
planks had TO- be used in getting the
passengers ashore dryshod. As it was,
many got wet feet.
The trouble was mitigated today
but little. Even at low water the low
lands were covered and jewellers in
the southern part of the city could not
leave their homes. Workers at the
Artillery Fuse Company plant had to
80 to work by way OF Third street
bridge, as the causeway just beyond
the Market street bridge, was flooded
TO the depth Of more than foot at
low tide.
As early at 10 o'clock this morning
il was impossible for the largest au-
tOmobile TO push through the cause
way, as the water reached to their
radiators One machine ventured
forth, but became stalled after pro-
ceeding about half a mile and the driver
had to be removed in a rowbOat. The
machine was pulled out by team Of
horses. Horses continued 70 use the
causeway until after 10 o'clock, when
the increasing depth of water made
further passage almost impossible.
There were grotesque scenes in the
flooded districts. From nearly every
house faces wreathed in worry lines
peered forth from the second story
windows. The first floor of many Of
the structures was flooded half way to
the ceiling. Some of the dwellers had
taken points of vantage upon the roofs
Of their homes and were conversing
with neighbors not far removed
In some instances the interior of
houses located near solid ground
could be seen. Chairs and sofas were
floating about in close proximity to
ire ceiling. Everything was in
glorious disarray, and the upper floors
were jammed with the better pieces of
furniture, which had been carried to
safety when the food started.
At one time five chickens manned a
raft and were To be seen strutting
about it like true sailors. After a
slow passage the raft grounded and
the birds jumped ashore, the rooster
growing as though they had just dis
covered America.
The majority Of the houses affected
are occupied by colored families In
many of them more than one family
lives. Judging from the faces at the
windows, quarters were extremely
cramped. 1t is understood that IL
some Of the dwellings provisions were
scarce and the jewellers we're break
fasting on short rations.
More than half a dozen row boats
cruised about the submerged struc
lures this morning and persons who
wished to reach the city were g ver
free transportation. AT high tide
which occurred early this afternoon
the water reached above the first
floor window stills in many instances.
LasNevening the water was so deeI
at Christiana and Heald streets tha
the motors of several of the trOllel
cars. trying TO effect a passage, be
came wet and burned out. The
stalled cars had to be towed to dry
land by others sent to the r rescue.
The excessive weight of water caused
break in the south bank of thu
ChTistiana river east of the Minquin
dale Home and as a result the waite
swept over the Hare's Corner road
tearing out a section of the road three
feet wide, half a mile west of where
il turns off of South Market street
The Hare's Corner road wa
damaged in a low place and was re
ported TO County Engineer Jane
Wilson's office as being impossible
Levy Court Commissioners, James G
Shaw. of New Castle, got in cOmmuni
cation with MI Wilson early today an
temporary repairs will be made a
once stone for permanent repair
to this road has been ordered for som
time.
high tide which the strong cas-
wind blew up the river, coupled wit
the heavy rainfall, caused the brea
in the bank of the Christiana an
the flooding of the causeway. Tn
Brandywine was not unusually higl
was the report received from the cit
pumping station lat Sixteenth an
Market streets. The water wa
muddy and turbid this morning an
The pumps were shut down ten
porarily.
Several small cabins or shacks
the vicinity Of the Eleventh stree
bridge were foated from their four
dations and moved a few feet dow
the stream, but were rescued befoT
they got away
No damage was done to any of Oh
boats tied up there. The tide di
not affect the Brandywine TO an
appreciate extent. was the report.
On the trolley line between Ne
Castle and Delaware City the traC
was washed out in two places, in OF
Of which thirty feet of tracks WI
affected. II was necessary to discol
tinue traffic last night, and two ca
which had gotten beyond the bret
had to remain in Delaware Cit
Traffic was resumed today, cars beiI
operated to the break, which is ju
south of Dobbinsville 81 this poi
the passengers had to walk to anoth
car which was waiting beyond Il
break Cars had no difficulty in ope
ating between Wilmington and Ne
Castle
heDIlpV DADE cICEcQc