Evening star., 1936-03-22
VIRGINIA CLEANUP
WELL UNDER WAY.
Flood Damaged Homes,
Plants and Highways At
tackled by Workmen.

BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND. Va. March 2l.-The
task of rehabilitating f1ood-damaged
homes and plants, cleaning away debris
ard reconditioning highways was well
under way In Virginia today as the
highest waters in half century sub
sided throughout the State.
Fears Of a renewed assault by swol-
len streams after heavy rains In the
Shenandoah Valley Friday night ap-
peared unfounded today, but some con-
Germ was evidenced over water sup
plies and health conditions.
A staff of sanitary engineers, headed
by Maj. Richard Messer, headed into
the valley Of Virginia, under direction
of the State Health Department, to
assist localities whose water supplies
had been flooded.
Residents Of the communities south
of Harpers Ferry. which appeared most
seriously affected, were advised to boil
their drinking water and were prom
ised supplies of typhoid serum.
Richmond Water Receding.
Richmond, which was among the
last points in the State to feel the full
effects of the roaring James, mean
while enjoyed rapidly receding water
that gave promise Of return to near
normalcy by Monday.
Boiler fires were started in the city
gas plant, inundated along with many
other plants and warehouses in low
lying areas. and prospects were that
residents of the capital would be able
to eat fully cooked meals tomorrow.
The river was a dozen feet below its
high mark and still subSlding. Two
bridges, closed as a safety measure dur
ing the peak of the food, were re-
opened, and streets previously under
several feet of water were handling
their regular traffic.
While damage was held down con-
eiderably by dikes, raised with the help
of more than 1900 C. C. c. workers,
the cost of the high waters was ex-
pected to be at least half million dol
lars to manufacturing plants alone.
Electric power and water facilities
were not endangered in Richmond.
A cold northeast wind and clearing
skies today put to rest fears of pos
sible new disaster in the Shenandoah
Valley, although streams were up
somewhat. Snow 10 inches deep cov-
cred Ekyland, in the Shenandoah Ma
tional Park, and Panorama was under
q sheet of ice and snow. A wind esti-
mated at a 40-mile velocity whipped
Roanoke at the gateway to the South
west, but damage was limited to ripped
awnings.
Miners Return to Work.
Coal miners in the st. Charles
fields, meanwhile, returned to work
after being idle since Tuesday on ac-
count of record SHOWS. Schools there
will reopen Monday after likewise clos
ing because of the Wintry blast.
Most Virginia roads were open to-
day, but routes SIS, between Riverton
and Strasburg; 8, between Riverton
and Front Royal, and II. between Lu-
raw and Elkton, where bridges and
approaches were washed out or dam
aged, were still blocked. There also
was some question as to the condition
of route 40, threatened by the Motto
way River, in Southside. Va.
All bridges over the James, except
at Scottsville and Howardsville, were
open.
The Norfolk g. Western Railway was
not operating passenger trains on the
Shenandoah division, largely on &C
count of an undercut bank at Weaver's
Bluff, but expected to resume schedules
Sunday.
The Pennsylvania Railroad contin-
ued to operate over the Norfolk d.
Western lines from Lynchburg to Co.
lumbus. Ohio, because Of floods In the
Northern AIleghanies.
Manufacturing plants and other
business establishments, as well as
homes, In areas Of low elevation, found
the structures covered with spongy
blanket Of mud as the waters subsided,
but forces went to work Immediately
In an effort to put machinery in shape
for resuming operations at least by the
first of the week.