The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-07-23
Railroads Suffer Washouts and
It is Necessary That
Trains are Detoured
ALL RIVERS ABOVE
FLOOD STAGE
Meteorologist Says Rains Will
Continue. Stock Men Worried
to Save Cattle

Al inches precipitation for the
past three days in the Piedmont and
middle section OF South Carolina, has
enabled the Santee watershed to boom
at flood stage, with ruin to crops
and some damage to property. The
rivers should reach the crest of the
flood tomorrcw, contingent, however,
on the continued rainfall.
Richard H. Sullivan, meteorologist
i'll charge of the local United States
weather bureau. stated tonight that,
in his opinion, there would be rains
until the middle OF the week, but as
to their precipitancy he would not
forecast. He was of the opinion.
however that the present rain would
not wreck anything like the havoc of
the disastrous floods of 1915 The
foods in that year were the result of
quick heavy qownpours, while the
rains this year have been gradual. In
1916 the waters came down SO fast
that the rivers could not take them
over and they banked. This year they
are rushing through their regular
channels to the sea and spreading over
the lowlands. However, the soil is
saturated and today's heavy down
pour rolled into the rivers.
So far the material damage to :he
railroads has been small A fifty-foot
section of the Atlantic Coast Line at
Sims, a small station just below Co
lumbia. washed out. and near Shat
place the trestle of the Southern Rail
way at Childs was washed out by the
release of inlpounded waters when the
dam of nearb: mil!pond broke. The
Southern Railway ran out a sl1fttle
train and the passengers from the
Coast Line train from Sumter were
transferred and brought into Colum-
bia. An official said that the Coas'
Line train to Wilmington was detour-
"a over the Southern to Sims. anG
the passengers of the road for Char
eston were placed on the Caroline
Special" which was detoured by va!
| f Blackville because of the washout
t Childs. The Coast Line had suf-
:ciently repaired it's track at Sims to-
light at o'clock. said an official. to
,llow the operation Of passenger
rains. and expects it to be in conli-
ion to run frcigh. trains over it by
omorrow
The Southern Railway reported
hat water was in six feet Of its tracks
It Chappells, between Alston ane
ireenville. but did not think the line
would be tied up because Of the rise
n the Saluda. The trestles at Ca
tawba on the Columbia line Of thf
Southern near Charlotte and at Broad
liver on the Gpartanburg line of the
Southern were reported safe and nc
apprehension was felt for them.
The Seaboard Air Line reported its
'ight-of-way in good condition, but
lie Wateree river at Camden was still
Using. Officials Of the road though
was safe. but his feeling Of securit..
was contingent on whether there
would he continued heavy rains.
The line of the Columbia Railway
-as and Electric Company to Camp
Jackson suffered somewhat. the traci
approaching the camp being washed
out in several places, so much so that
the street car service to the camp
was discontinued. Tonight the new
concrete bridge over Hampton creek
md large stretch Of the new paved
'oad to Camp Jackson is threatened.
because of the rush of waters in the
creek which skirts the camp.
The rear of brick store building
on the 1900 block of Main street
owned by Walter F. Jones. Of this
city. caved in this morning and
crumbled to the ground. causing sew
oral thousand dollars in damage. No
one was injured. There was some
excavation going on next TO the struc-
IRE, preparatory tc building an an
nex to the adjacent department store
and it is supposed that the rain ate
'nder the foundation of the Jones
Hulding, causing it to crumble. It
vas one Of the oldest structures on
Main street. 1t was erected shortly
after the War Between the States.
Reorts from various sections Of
corn are ruined. that the rushing
vaterS of the past few DAYS have
eaten deep gullies into the soil.
Bridges and roads likewise have Suf
fered. In Lexington county scvcra
bridges are reported gone and the
roads are in bad shape. Supervisor
Owens stated tonight that a number
Of bridges had been washed out in
Richland county, including a stee.
bridge on the old Camden road about
six miles from Columbia. The roads
have been badly cut up.
This morning at l l O'clock the local
weather bureau sent broadcast a food
warming, urging the farmers to get
heir stock out Of the river bottoms
The warning relative tot he rise of
the rivers said: "Catawba river at
Catawba. near twenty feet by morn.
ing Of 21st; Wateree at Camden near
.hirty-six feet by night of 21st; Broad
liver at Blairs. will reach crest at
about seventeen feet by morning of