Evening star., 1934-03-05
CITY MAY ESCAPE
SEVERE FLOOD AS
ICE Goes QUICKLY.
Potomac Shows No IncIina
tion to Overflow at
Chain Bridge.
ROCK CREEK is FREED
WITHOUT ANY DAMAGE
Springlike Weather Expected to
Be Marred by Lower Tenn
perature.

Possibilities of severe flood in
the Washington area appeared remote
today as nearby rivers and streams
rose slowly. swel.ed by gradually
melting ice.
Sizable ice foes were reported
still unbroken in the upper reaches
of the Potomac, but in general the
frozen blocks appeared to be dissolv-
ing quickly when they cut loose and
f1oated downstream.
At Chain Bridge there was not a
block of ice to be seen, and the
river showed no inclination to over
flow its banks. Ice was still to be
seen at the Key and Arlington
Memorial Bridges. but the conditions
there are expected to work out harm
leSsly
In the city, Rock Greek was freed
OF its ice jams and carried off the
burden without serious overflows.
Flooded streams which on Saturday
night blocked B,adensburg road the
main Washington-Ba Baltimore highway
have subsided and the thoroughfare
Is again open for use.
Springlike Temperature.
The thermometer yesterday reached
Springlike levels, standing at 69 de-
grees at 100 pm. Last night the
minimum was 48 above, and pros
poets we're for continued warmth
today. This evening, however. will
be cloudy and the mercury is expected
to go to ~ or lower followed tomor-
row by fair and slightly colder
weather.
The Bureau of Lighthouses Of the
Department of Commerce is faced
with one of the most serious losses
effected by the ice foes, Large num-
bers Of its navigation buoys were
swept away when they became frozen
in heavy ice packs in Chesapeake
Bay and the Potomac during the past
few days. Several lighthouse stations
also were put out Of commission
either because there was no need for
them while traffic was ice-bound, or
because the ice damaged them.
The lighthouse service has been
impaired at many points along the
coast and its cutters are in constant
action attempting 10 straighten out
the tangled situat ton. Buo-s carried
away in ice in many cases later have
been freed and remained at points
where they may constitute hazard
to water traffic.
A service tender Is expected to turn
up the Potomac within the next few
days. where it is known buoys at
Barnes Point Shoal, Higgins Point
Lovers Point. BuZZard Point, Church
Point. Lynch Point and Tobacco
River Falls have been rendered use
less. Many others are believed tc
have fallen victim to the foes also.
In Chesapeake Bay the Havre de
Grace light was temporarily discon-
tinued until navigation is resumed
and the buoys at Porpoise Point, Wi
comico River, Wingate Point, Mount
Vernon Flats, Clay Island Shoal
Bishop Head Shoal. Knapps Narrows
East Entrance and many other locali-
ties were lost.
Fcgs over the bay and river yester.
oay, last night and this morning alsc
impe6ed movement Of vessels wherever
channels were sufficiently clear Of ict
to permit weighing anchor. The mist!
cleared rapidly today, however.
At Baltimore it was reported the
Standayd Shipping Co. steamer Jane:
A. Moffett. jr. was forced by fog tt
anchor on Tangier Bar in Chesapeake
Bay and the Coast Guard cutter
Apache was driven back to dock al
Fort McHenry as the mists closed in
Several bay boats bound for Norfoll
were sent out more than six hours
ahead of schedule to take advantage
of clear conditions. Bay ferries die
not operate.
Two Collisions Reported.
The second collision within 48 hours
near Norfolk was reported. The Ex.
port Line steamer Examelia and the
tug Nassau, towing three barges. col.
lided a short distance from Thimble
Shoals light The Examelia was only
slightly damaged and proceeded to-
ward New York, but the tug turned
DdCk 10 NOTlOik dlIeT dnCIOIlIlS Tit
three barges. The barges later were
recovered by another tug sent by tht
Nassau's owners.
The steamers Alssund and Peter
Kerr resumed their journeys yesterday
after anchoring overnight a short
time after they collided about 80 miles
south of Baltimore
At Martinsburg. w. Va, employees
of the Potomac Dam power plant re-
ported the water slightly below dam
level, with ice covering the still stream
from bank to bank. Rivermen there
predict extremely high water or ab-
normal temperatures will be neces-
sary to cause a quick break up of the
jam.
A locomotive was derailed at Ches-
tertown, Nd, yesterday when soft
ground gave away beneath the tracks
The river stage at Key Bridge this
morning was feet, rise of 0.4 OF
a foot since yesterday morning Flood
stage on the bridge gauge is 8 feet
Watchmen there reported the District
fire boat had plowed into the ice some
distance below the bridge and opened
a channel.