The Washington times., 1924-05-13
WA IS
REACHING
CREST

CONTINUED from First PACED
Hood was in 1850 with more than
10 feet. N
The flood was not unexpected, but
residents along the Potomac were
not prepared for the great rise in
the river which has taken place In
the last twenty-four hours, The
river was swift and rising gradually
last night, but there were apparent.
" no indications of q great flood.
Reaches 8 Feet at 3 "A. M. n
At Q o'clock this morning the river
rose to nearly eet-almOst the
flood stage.
The flood il largely the result Of
. great onrush Of waters from the
I neighborhood Of Harpers Ferry, w.
Va, and Cumberland, Md. At Har-
sDerB Ferry the waters rose to nearly
30 feet. according to reports shortly
after noon.
Great crowds gathered along tho
Potomac river and on the Key
Bridge TO watch the waters. Up
% Chain Bridge, the water swept in
torrents against the supports OF this
driveway connecting the District
with Maryland.
Fear that the water might cover
Che railroad tracks, along the canal
led to their removal TO safety today.
Engines were put to work this
morning and by this afternoon
every one Of the nearly 100 freight
cars along Canal Road had been
pulled to place Of safety.
Hard to Estimate Damage.
II is impossible to estimate the
damage. Canoe clubs, and boat
houses win suffer q great loss. In
several Of these houses. several
rows Of canoes were flooded under.
The water in some 1nstances passed
the first floor and almost reached
to the second story.
Residents along the river front
were particularly unfortunate.
Many Of them renQYed their house
hold belongings early today, but
for the second time were forced to
move when the river rose higher
than they expected.
One man built wall In front
Of his home and canoe house to
prevent flooding, but today waters
rushed over the top. He says his
damage win run to thousands Of
dollars.
River Full Of Debris.
The river was swift It carried
with it all sorts of objects.
Washington viii recall the darn.
age done some years ago when Ice
gorg&s damned the water front.
Ice gorges are not classed as floods
I by the Weather Bureau, and itswas
SAID today that the ice has caused
the river to rise more than ter feet
within recent years. Today's dam.
age is expected to exceed In dollars
tho damage done by the ice gorges.
The Weather Bureau Is keeping
N constant touch with river condi.
lions and warnings were sent out
all along the river last night. Re-
ports OF the rise Of the river are
1ecedved hourly here from Key
Bridge.
Sea Wall OverfIOws.
The sea wall along the Potomac
around the speedway Is overlooking.
water front in southwest Washing.
ton. Police launches spent the day
patrolling the river and recovering
boats.
Captains Of many Of the big
steamboats, which ply the Potomac
reported today that they were de-
Ayed In returning to Washington
BY the swift running waters.
Summer camps along the POtO.
mac, on both the District and Vir-
gtnia shores were practically swept
away. Hundreds Of camp sites are
covered with five and six feet Of
water.
In the upper Potomac there were
no boats on the river. When a
boat would break loose from its
mornings, no attempt to rescue IL
would be made. River men declared
the waters were too dangerous.
Small houses, hundreds Of logs,
and floats Of every deecrition are
coming down the river. They are
causing considerable damage as thew
crash into lighthouses and homes
along their path.
Geedway ThrOngs.
All along the river around the
Speedway the water early today
swept over the sea wall, attracting
Thousands Of motorists. No damage
In this section Is expeced, however.
The death Of q man fifty miles
east of Cumberland on the Potomac
was reported. He has not yet been
identified.
Canoe clubs along the Potomac
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