Evening star., 1934-12-02
RAINS |NUNDATE
VIRGINIA ROADS
Some Bridges Washed Out.
Flood Dangers Decline
As Storm Passes.

Serious floods in parts Of the Upper
Shenandoah Valley we're arrested last
night with the cessation of the rains
which had caused the Potomac River
to rise rapidly above Washington.
From Richmond and other sections
of Virginia, however, came reports of
bridge washouts and inundated roads.
Property damage was not great, 1t
was said.
The Potomac, between Harpers
Ferry and Chain Bridge, is scheduled
to reach its peak tonight, and prob
ably will overflow few feet, accord
ing to reports.
The Weather Bureau, meanwhile,
predicted fair and colder weather for
the Capital today.
Temperature Drops.
The rainfall since pm Friday was
120 inches. go of which fell between
8 am. and pm. yesterday. The
mercury dropped from 68 at 10 am.
to "A at 10 pm. and was expected to
go several degrees lower.
Evacuation Of the thickly-populate ted
DoNh SlCCh area, Jltot oOdti oA
WayneSboro, Va, was halted when
the huge Northfork Dam, at the
junction OF two tributaries of the
Shenandoah River. was reported out
of danger Of bursting
The dam has been nearly completed
by the Government in the George
w. ellington National Forest for the
purpose Of making an artificial
recreational lake, and during the past
few days the tiny Blue Ridge Noun
tain streams had been turned into
roaring rivers.
Flooded roads made 1t impossible
to reach the dam early yesterday, and
rumors that it was giving way had
caused considerable apprehension,
families in that immediate section
being warned to prepare to vacate.
A group from the Robertson C. c. c.
Camp finally managed to make their
way across the swollen streams to
Sherando. at the foot Of the Blue
Ridge below the dam, and reported
that the water was receding after
reaching height of 18 feet, and the
dam was safe.
Bridges Damaged.
Associated Press dispatches from
Richmond said the State Highway
Commission had reported damage to
bridges in several sections of the
State. Bridges destroyed were princi-
pally on secondary roads, but some
primary route bridge approaches were
under water.
The Weather Bureau at Richmond
reported that at Columbia the James
River had reached a height of % feet.
as compared with 27-foot crest in the
1882 flood, and that the crest scheduled
to reach Columbia around midnight
was expected to approach 80 feet.
When the bureau made its observa-
tions the Richmond sea level gauge
stood at around IS feet. compared to
17-foot peak in 1892. Chief Meteor
ologist F. N. Hibbard predicted that
on the basis of past experience the
top would be around 20 feet and
would reach Richmond some time
tonight.
Approaches to the Pemberton Bridge
over James River were under water
and those of the Maidens Bridge were
at water level and expected to be
covered before the flood crest had
passed.
There were similar reports from
! Amelia. Powhstan. Mecklenberg and
Brunswick Counties. the Culpeper
Lynchburg and Staunton districts and
other sections.
Water Reaches Warehouses.
Goods stored on the first floor
| levels of city warehouses on the
Richmond dock we're moved in time
to prevent them from being damaged
bv water which swirled through the
| buildings. Streets leading to the ware
: houses we're covered by water which
as 1t continued to rise. threatened tc
/ become impossible except in boats.
Mr.. and Mrs William Lee Elliott
and their daughter were forced tc
abondon the cabin they had occupied
for six years on tiny island at Rlch'
mond between a creek and James
River as the food waters threatened
| to carry the structu way. In hooo
two wears ago Elliott was stranded
| until a new bridge could be built te
J get him to the mainland.
The Charles Town, w. Va. race
| meeting. scheduled to open yesterday
| was postponed until Thursday when
| it was found the heavy rains nae
washed about six holes in the track
| The sun broke through the clouds
| at Cumberland. Md. yesterday fol
the first time in five days. Between
; and 4 inches of rain had fallen
! in drizzling showers during the
| week. No flood threat or damage was
reported, the Potomac Icing only about
three feet above normal.
Damage in Thousands.
| Hagerstown also was believed out OF
danger, although the river was still
| rising last night at the rate of
| inches an hour and had reached IL :
feet above normal at Williamsport.
From Keedysville came reports o.
thousands of dollars damage to high
ways, bridges and property in tht
section south of Hagerstown. Rura
| highways were blocked most of tht
day and were washed cut. while hun
dreds OF cellars were flooded.
The flood threat at Frederick, Md.
also seemed averted following precip
itation of 13s inches yesterday
Monocacy River was rising foot al
hour, but State road officials reported
all roads leading into the section wer'
open.
Near Martinsburg, W Va, streams
began to return to their banks atte
the peak Of the water from 3.1-incf
| rainfall in a 24-hour period hat
passed. Both the Potomac and Shen'
andoah Rivers at their confluence a.
Harpers Ferry showed rises OF severa
feet, but no serious damage was an
ticipated.