Evening star., 1924-03-31

lTOIIl rlESI HdSe.p
hold on overland transportation, by
motor. The national highway to Ha-
gerstown through Hancock is under
eight feet of water Immediately east
of Hancock. A bridge was swept
section of the road, flooding the
boulevard.
Autoists Are Marooned.
Scores of automobile parties bound
east from the flooded zone are ma
rooned today in the little town of
Hancock. with their only hope of
reaching the east in n detour of one
hundred miles through Bedford. Pa.
over thirty-one miles of clay gumbo
any time as the mountain streams
continue to send down water.
East of the Western Maryland Rail-
way station three days ago stood the
lumber yard of OSsa & Co. Today
nothing remains OF the yard but two
piles of lumber still standing and an
immense pile of miscellaneous wood
scattered against the piers of one of
the railroad bridges. This damage is
estimated at $4,000 alone, and was
done when the river crumbled away
the embankment separating it from
the Chesapeake and Ohio canal and
rushed through into the canal.
Travellers through Cumberland to-
day were detained indefinitely. with
no assurance that they could get to
outside points.
Mud i'm Retail stores.
When the food receded early yes
terday morning after remaining in
possession of the business section for
eighteen hours. a scene OF general
Mud washed down by the Potomac
covered floors of business houses and
merchandise. private papers and
streets to a depth of many inches.
For eighteen hours Saturday and
early Yesterday every munlcipai
building in the city was flooded. The
Jail. city hall. central fire department
and electric lighting plant were COW
cred by the rushing waters OF the
river. The electric plant OF the Po-
tomac Edison Company went out Oh
commission early. leaving the teie-
phone company and the street car
streets the only utilities in operation.
and for hours ii was touch and go
whether telephone communication
would be cut off.
Food short for While.
Many amusing incidents and lew
instances of real tragedy accompanied
the food. In the business section
one man was leaning out window
passing merchandise to another in
hip boots. He leaned out too far
and both fell into the muddy water.
The entire staff of Cumberland's daily
newspaper, The Evening Mail, was
marooned for hours, but kept in touch
with the outside world by telephone.
Boats were requisitioued in the
downtown streets to carry 1000 TO
those imprisoned in their homes un-
til the fiood subsidized. The gas sup
ply was cut off in many places and
kerosene took its place for cooking
and lighting. The food problem was
serious in some cases. Many persons
were cut off in their homes without
food for Saturday night or sunday
morning. In one instance an i'm
promptu breeches buoy was used to
transfer food to men on duty in d
public enterprise.
Cumberland's leading hotel. the
Fort Cumberland, stands today with
it's basement and lower floor flooded
and with costly carpets and n&tures
covered with brown mud. The guests
were marooned for hours, but food
; discomfort was felt.
Police Forced to Move.
The police department headquarters
were transferred to the city hall when
the food swept into the basement and
started up to the first story of the
building, occupied by the police. The
fire department headquarters were
! l.. Ha ~
hall was just on the rim Of the down.
, town lake of food water.
Chief Eyerman of the police de-
partment called out a hundred citi-
zens and impresSem them into service
to protect the town against looterS
, and to prevent citizens during the
night from going into danger zones.
Fire apparatus was being used to-
day to pump out cellars and base
mentS of the most important build
ingS in the downtown section.
/ From the semi stores as
! the flood waters Subsided 4 stock of
ruined merchandise was being car
ried to the sidewalk, most of 1t to
/ be ca rted away as junk. Feverish ac-
! tivity was everywhere in evidence.
Every one took the calamity philo-
soDhically and rolled up their sleeves
, this morning TO get to work at the
I salvaging. This attitude Of the peo-
other considerations at this time.
/ Bakery Was Submerged.
Before Sunday morning numerous
! articles were in high demand and nc
I supply Rubber boots. bread, boats
: and prescription liquor were sought
, for vainly by scores. The bakery that
! supplies much of Cumberland's staff
: of life was submerged and the bread
! had to be imported. Boats were
/ wanted by those desiring to cross the
: inundated business section: liquor by
! those who believe that alcohol and
) quinine is an effective remedy for
J cold
F., With the arrival of Sunday after
noon the waters had gotten back into
their accustomed channels, seething
land boiling along, swinging debris
down the river with resisless power
Sightseers came out. Garages did q
rushing business.
J The center of attraction for sight
,seers was the Western Maryland and
IB & Q. connection bridge, where
ione car still hung a portion of the
way over the breaking point Of the
bridge.
Reservoir Seems Safe.
1t was about 4 o'clock on Sunday
| morning that the last voyageur ar