The Washington times., 1924-03-31
| 0SSESOFi
MILLIONS, ]
WITH z
DEAD
Torrents Top Park Walls
Here-Scores of Small
Craft Gone.

With high tide at o'clock -
day, the Potomac river will reach
it's greatest possible height in
the present flood menace. From
that hour on, the danger Of
floods in Georgetown and along
the river by the Speedway viii
gradually abate, and by . late
hour tonight, veteran rivermen
confidentally believe all danger
Of damaging flood will be gone.
Slowly receding waters today
left tons Of debris in its wake.
The river front from above the
Three Sisters down to the end of.
Haines Point presents a scene
that leaves no doubt of the near
ness Of a devastating flood.
Threatens Communities.
Lashing out ,angrily with its
swollen body, the erstwnile placid
Potomac is raging, gripping tor
ISILJ LAICdtSuhl6 at oAAAOSS MAY
minute to tear down the stout sea
walls and wreck it's vengeance on
every community from its source
in the mountains to Alexandria.
Washington has felt but lightl'
the hand Of the floods. In the
upper regions Of the river, who
towns have been inundated, live
have been lost, and great proper
damage has been done. go
One Man Drowned.
One life was lost here and the
property damage will not run abore'
SO 1000.
J. Bowden Duryee. thirty.three, of
Cherrydale, Va, lost his life last
night on the float at Dempaey's
boat house when he was dragged
into the river as pole which he
was ,warding debris from the float
SHARED in q tree and he was dragged
overheard.
His body was never seen. The
swift waters carried 1t rapidly un~
der the surface and even the power.i
full police launch built for duty In
turbulent waters, was unable t0i
lend a hand in locating It. At
tempts will be made today 70 To-
cate It. though the police are I'M
clined to believe that 1t has floated
far down stream with the 20-mile
current.
Towns Badly Damaged.
Harpers Ferry. Williamsport, Nd.
Cumberland and other nearby towns
have borne the brunt Of the flood.
At Williamsport a twenty.foot rise
in the river left behind it a trail
Of wreckage, mud and darkness,
having flooded the 100000 power
plant Of the Edison Potomac Com.
pany, swept away $4,000 Of coal,
and SO wrecked the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal that officials expressed
serious doubt that it can be re-
paired.
Spreading far beyond the canal
in Harpers Ferry, the floods in
vaded the town, and water in many
homes was reported. While resi-.
dents of Harpers Ferry moved out
as the tides crept in, thousands of
spectators came from nearby com.
munities to watch the flood.
Darkness Increases Terror.
Power plants, virtually all of
them on the river banks, have been
put out Of commission. The waters
have extinguished the furnaces, and
darkness at night is adding to the
terrors OF the people.
Rail service between many points
on the upper Potomac has been
given up as hopeless because Of the
washing out of the tracks.
In Harpers Ferry most of the
phones were out Of commission
and outside communication, except
for single telegram wire, was
impossible.
Between Cumberland and asIlkins,
conditions on the Western Maryland
railroad are considered practically
demoralized. Bridges and wires are
down and communication has been
severed between the two points. A
Western Maryland train was stalled
thvee miles west OF Keyser. w. Va.
49, tfiClals OF the Baltimore AMI
sDhas reported the sarvice crfpplsd