Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-07
Abnormal Tide, Gale and
Melting Snow Send Water
Into Poor Sections.
CROWN JEWELS GUARDED
AS FLOOD ENTERS TOWER
House Of Archbishop Of Canterbury
Partly Inundated-Many
Believed Trapped.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, January 7.-Overwhclmed
with startling suddenness, 20 persons
were drowned in the London area early
today when the most devastating flood
in the history of modern London swept
the Thames River over its banks.
The flood of water poured over the
Mver banks at several places when
an abnormal tide. whipped by a heavy
gale, met flood waters pouring down
from the interior early this morning.
The rush of water was so sudden that
hundreds Of persons sleeping in base.
ment rooms were driven from their
beds, at least 20 being trapped and
drowned, with the possibility that
there may still be further victims.
AS the tide went out the Thames re.
turned to normal this morning. but.
fearing a recurrence of the disaster at
the next tide. engineers worked franti.
cally to build temporary barricadcs at
places where the embankment col.
lapsed.
The deaths thus far reported were
as follows: In the Westminster area.
Is; Putney, 2; Hammersmith. 2. and
Nottingham. /.
Crowds Watch for Tide.
Crowds. undaunted by the catastro.
phe. gathered today along the EN-.
bankment to see whether the devas.
tating high tide would recur.
The port OF London authority Is.
sued a warning this afternoon that a
repetition of today's devastating
Thames flood Is possible during the
next few days.
The tides will be Of increasing
height until Tuesday. and as storms
are forecast and food conditions from
Christmas SHOWS prevail In the
Thames Valley. the danger to London
continues.
The danger was past for today
when the ebb tide began at 1885 pm.
The river was foot above normal.
The next high tide IL at 2:1s o'clock
tomorrow morning.
Thrilling and tragic stories OF mar.
row escapes were received from all
the districts running from the Thames
Estuary to Teddington, where the
Thames lock system begins. Base
ments and ground floors in thousa nds
OF houses were flooded by the sudden
rush "a waters which nWept over the
Thames banks for 90 miles from the
sea.
Father Saves Four Girls.
The most pathetic story was the
drowning Of four sisters. The sisters
aged IL. 10. s and were the daugh.
tiers Of workman whose eight
children were trapped by the rush
OF waters. Harding heroicaliy saved
four OF his children. but the others
dfnwnAd be- -
them. Maddened with grief and TEN.
porarily out OF his mind, he watched
the police and firemen take the bodies
to the mortuary.
The Thames at noon today was still
In the flood stage above the locks. At
MoseIy sailboats were navigating the
streets. While at Maidenhead the un.
employed were reaping n rich harvest
rescuing derelict automobiles from
the flood waters. Punts were plying
Tor hire like taxicabs. ferrying people
about town.
The low lying part OF East London
from the Tower Bridge to Limehouse
ana the Isle OF Dogs. was a scene of
desolation this morning. The streets
In the tenement district were flooded
from one TO four feet deep and cleo.
trio lights failed. Many of the inhabi.
tants OF the thickly populated dis.
tricts became panic stricken fearing
that ships and barges biliowing In
the river might break loose and crush
tho houses along the banks.
There was great distress among the
poor and the lord mayor issued
statement that relief measures would
be taken Immediately.
No estimate Of the damage caused
could DO made today. but II was stated
that there was FL 900 damage In the
Thate Picture Gallery. where several
thousand Turner sketches contained
In 100 portfolios were reported to have
been ruined.
Victoria Embanlsment Holds.
The granite wall along the Vic.
torta Embankment held against a ter.
rific volume OF water. preventing a
more serious catastrophe In the center
OF the city The water rose TO the
top OF this wall. which In I feet wide
ana runs for a mile and half from
the city proper TO Westminster street.
At some points the waters overfiowed,
but the wall itself held against the
rush Of the waters.
At one point beyond the West.
minister end OF the emba nkment an.
other wall burst. The waters rushed
through the gap. delugink the streets.
Two people were drowned there. The
Easements OF many houses were
flooded,
Crowds gathered along the Victoria
Embankment al noon u sae whether
tho abnormal high tide would reeur.
Among the noted buildings which
were flooded were the Tower OF Lon
don. where the military garrison
turned out to protect the royal Jewels
and other property: Lambeth Palace,
residence of the Archbishop Of cantef,
bury; II. Thomas Hospital. where all
lights were put out.
The hardest hit district Of London
was 1rosvenor road from Lambeth
Footbridgs To Vauxhali bridge. Here
every house was flooded and II was
feared that several bodies might he In
the Easements. where many families