Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-09-02
Electric Train Service Tied
Up AS Result Of
Storm
PHONE SERVICE HIT
Strikes Chimney.
and Floods Home OF
Peter Young :.


in fortv-four years, Alexandria to-
dav IS cut off from the outside world
both by train and telephone commnn-
cation Up to noon, today not
single electric train had eeen able
to get beyond Union station where
the water is backed up to depth OF
from four to six feet. The electric
line from St. Elmo to -Four Mile run
is under five feet of yater and rall-
wav officials give little hope OF es-
tablishing train service before late
this afternoon and noc then unless
the weather clears. ...
The weather bureau estimates
placed the fall in ) hours at 5.1 inches
the heaviest since 1878.
From 100 to 500 automobiles are
tide up along King street unable 10
nroceed on account Of water ana
mud which covers the ground Tor
hundreds of yards. The only outlet
70 Washington was through North
Washington Street and Potomac.
Yards. Even this route was cut or
until nearly noon. Not even could
the Good Roads government car get
through the high water. One OF tnese
trucks ran into the mud lrst North oI
the Washington street bridge ana
completely blocked traffic for more
than four hours.
The local telephone exchange which
does not break records for speed IN
normal times was as badly crippled
Inv The storm as was the electric
line Because several thousand peo-
nla who work in Washington were
unable TO reach the national capltal
an abnormal number of calls were put
in for the city across the Potomac.
The local company was unable 10
cone with the situation and hundreds
of people were uanble even TO get
an answer from the Central opera
tor. One business concern tried Tor
more than a hour to ge5 a reply ana
fnallv sent a messenger TO the local
manager before it was possible TO
connect with the local central office.
Traffic on the steam roads was not
interferred with as much as the elec,,
fric line But trains were delayed
from four to five hours because OF
washouts and inundation OF tracks
between Alexandria and Orange. Out
M Camera Run and "a. f. Crossing
where the Southern and the Rlch-
mond Fredericksburg and Potomac
lines cross, the water was so hlgh
that it was impossible to operate
trains until a late hour this morning
More than three thousand commu-
ters lined the route of the electric
line along King street for 81, hours
waiting for trains or a friendly au-
tomobilist to take them to their work
in Washington. Those who were not
fortunate enough to find friend with
an automobile are still in Alexandra.
Rodger b Adams, train dispatcher
in the Southern's local Office. whose
residence is in Rosemont, stated TO
Gazette reporter that he had never
seen such a flood as that which
greeted him when he started to his
office this morning.
Water is backed up from four TO
six feet deep for more than mile
from King street down the electric
car tracks towards Del Raw. Out IN
the Potomac yards the water is not
so deem but even there one would
have to make use Of boats in order
to move around among the thousands
Of cars which block the yards since
the shopmen strike was inaugurated
some sixty days ago
The rain started some time soon
after midnight and coatinued almost
in cloud burst capacity until nine
o'clock this morning. Old residents
of Alexandria say they have never
Witnessed ANYTHING like it. House
holders and business alike suffered
from the torrential dOwnpour. Gel
lars were flooded and in some IN
stances the heavy down pour caused
roofs to give way. Fortunately no
one has been injured, the police re-
ports indicate. -,
Reports from Del Ray and st. FL
mo and vicinity indicate that thous-
ands of dollars damage has been
done by the flooding Of cellars and
water coming through windows ana
faulty roofs. Indications are that
some of the surbarities and the coun-
frv folk who usually DO their Satur-
dav bnving in Alexandria will be
compelled to eat canned goods for
their Sunday dinner There IS smal
| chance of MANY Of those who do their
/ Saturday buving in AleXandria. Delng
able to reach their "tavorite stores
/ mere.
Many small river craft in and
around Alexandria felt the effects OF
/ the storm. Craft on Hunting Creek
were swept from their moorines.
REPORTS indicate that considerable
DAMAGE has been done to the river
men men by reason of the high wind and
/ water
Lightning early this morning
strrck the chimney Of the residence
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