Evening star., 1918-02-14

~ river was rising rapidly. swollen
M the water from flooded creeks ana
tributaries farther up. Tne Dig Jan,
nt Seneca, it was stated, broke about
Midnight
Immnese Damage Feared.
N in believed that delayed reports
/ sfrnTn the lower Potomac and Patuxent
rivers and Chesapeake bay viii tell OF
an immense amount OF damage done py
eral lighthouses have abandoned their
posts because of fear of the structures
being swept away by the ice.
Capt Q, O. johnson; keeper r,oane;oo OF Goo
river, was forced to abandon his post
when the structure listed to such an
extent as to make 1t seem probable
that a movement of ice would sweep 1t
away. He went ashore at Rock point,
where hundreds of Washington anglers
enjoy fishing trips during the summer
season.
of the Washington sportsmen, carried
ashore practically all of the movable
contents of the steel structure and
stored them at Rock Point hotel, IL
was also learned at Rock Point that
the keeper of the lighthouse in the
deep water off Maryland point had
deemed it advisable to seek safety
ashore.
There was only slight movement
of ice in the Wicorico river yesterday;
not enough to drive ashore the oyster
men who were working in an open
space covering twenty acres of Ian
casters bar. where they made fairly
good catches of oysters that were in
good condition
Note Speed of Rushing Ice.
Persons at Rock Point Yesterday
about noon witnessed the passing down
the river of the steamer Southland on
It's way to Norfolk They were able to
see that the channel was open and
that the broken ice was being taken
. down the river at lively pace.
F. y. StoncStreet of Rock Point this
morning telephoned that the destruc-
ton of Cob Bar lighthouse seemed
! practically certain. The structure al
ready has listed to a considera BILE ey-
tent he stated, and ii is believed
breaking of ice in the Wiconico and
the movement of ice from shoal water
of the Potomac surely will carry it
away.
The slight movement of ice in the
Wicomico yesterday, he stated. gave
hopes of an early clearing of the river.
but there was not wind enough to do
the work that is so much desired.
What is needed to clear the river. he
said, is strong nor'wester. Fifteen
motor boats have been damaged or de-
Il
Several of them were recovered from
the ice and repaired, while others were
0Amaged beyond repair.
3 Rock Point Wharf Thought Safe.
Residents of Rock Point believe the ice
VIII not carry away the wharf there. Both
the freight and passenger wharveS at Co
lonial Beach have been wrecked by the
dee and high water and portions of both
structures were washed across the Poto-
most in front of Rock Point Hotel. Heavy
timbers rested on the ice for several days.
but the ice finally gave way and they
disappeared beneath it
Tf6s morning at Rock Point a dead
calm did not give much promise of break
ing the ice in the Wiconlico, but residents
e that place expressed the belief that the
leo will be gone by this time next week
Then the oyste,17aen will turn out in full
1orce and try TO earn money they lost this
season through enforced idleness brought
about by the weather conditions
OyHtermen in the vicinity of Rock
Point as we'll as those at other sections
OF Maryland. are deeply interested in a
6lH introduced in the. legislature by
state Senator Parsons for the purpose
OF engthening the season for oyster
dre4kers this season. 1t provides that
the season close March 2S instead Of
42rtt Is. The few additional days, it
fs stated: will give the ,oysterrnen an.
opportunity to earn money during the
Lenten season. when oysters are in
great demand.
Ice Still in Channel.
Vile the Ice from the upper river is
caniAs. down under the influence of a
sOw1f current of muddy water from the
{ snezdwaters OF the Potomac, Washing.
ton channel in front of the city proper
~ still ice covered. and from the looks
Of the Ice it will be several days before
Il is gone There IS nothing 70 make
current in Washington channel. and
The ice will lie stiIl, except where it
- broken up by the Norfolk steamers,
until it meats away or becomes SO de-
cayed that it will break up of its own
weight
On the tidal basin the ice shows but
few signs of softening, and it will
probably be two or three weeks before
and carries it off. While the managers
OF the river line steamers have made
no plans for resumption of service, it
- stated they are ready to send their
eoats out as soon as conditions will al
low. This may be within the next day
sorSEo or it may be a week.
Residents of Occoquan, Va, on Occo-
GUAM creek, are on the anxious bench
Eney do not know whether or not they
VIII be Hooded out of their homes by
the rising waters of the creek. Tues
DAY night the ice in the creek broke
under pressure of water coming from
me mis- dioIS It's heaQWaterS, and the
Ice, carried down stream, went past
the village and formed a jam at the
Masnington-Southern railroad bridge
This damned the waters in the creek.
ana yesterday it was out of its banks
ana the lower portion of the village
! was 1nder water, the creek flowing in
q swift and muddy stream through the
principal street. Reports received from
Snere state that piles of railroad ties.
lumber and wharf piIing, which were
lying on the shore, were surrounded nv
water, but had not moved. though
fears were felt that much of the ma
teriaI which is largely owned hy
away.
At noon today T-ammell & Co At
Great Falls. reported the water had
risen to within foot of the doorway
o. the Trammell house. or about ten
1eet Heavy ice. 1t was stated, was nass-
1ng down the river, though there Jas
open water along the Virginia shore AND
no indications of a jam at the govern
ment dam. The river. it was stated, was
still rising. O."
Early this afternoon the rising wa.er
along the Georgetown river front was
within foot of the floor level of the
powerhouse Of the Capital Traction Com
Coal dumps along the river front thera
were submerged. and the flood Threatened
She Arlington mills and other rnanufac -
front