Evening star., 1936-03-19
FAMILIES WATCH
HOMES ENGULFED
Potomac Banks DWellers
Flee to Safety as
Waters Mount.
BY WILLIAM A. BELL, JR.

The tie that binds people to their
homes tethered handful of families
along the banks of the Potomac above
Key Bridge today as they watched
flood waters engulf their houses.
The Potomac at Chain Bridge had
risen more than eight feet since 2
am. and was splashing over the
bridge flooring where wind-whipped
waves struck the pylons.
The roaring water already is at the
doorstep of one of the homes just
above Chain Bridge. 1t also was
threatening residence several hum
dred feet farther up the river.
Engineer Commissioner Dan I. Sui
tan visited the bridge area about 9
am. and said there was always a
possibility" that the bridge might be
washed out while the water is in its
present turbulent state. He did not
believe this would happen, however.
unless large amount of heavy
debris smashed against the bridge
pylons.
Lumber, trees, bits of houses and
boats were carried on the tossing sur
face of the Potomac, which, at this
writing, looked more like an angry
sea than river. Wooden steps lead
ing from Chain Bridge to the space
formerly between the c. g.. o. Canal
and the river were torn loose at the
bottom.
The river and canal were even more
indistinguishable at $50 am. than
during the 4:30 am. high tide, and
Col. Sultan said the canal would be
found to be non-existant over much
of the area between Key Bridge and
Great Falls after the flood has re-
ceded.
While most of the dwellers between
the old Chesapeake g. Ohio Canal
and the river had fed to other shelter,
q few camped within stones throw
of their submerged cottages and dis
dained police warnings to seek safer
havens.
We're going to stay right here
unless they chase us out" chorused
group huddled by fire alongside the
Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad tracks.
Beside them were heaped mattresses,
bedsprings. furniture and-chickenS,
some roosting contentedly on chest
Of drawers.
There's nowhere else to CO." put in
Mrs. G. L. Follis. Her eyes were
smarting with acrid smoke from the
impromptu camp fire, but she worked
buSily at stove, preparing coffee and
bread and butter sandwiches for the
''men folk"
Filling Up Like Bathtub."
Mrs. Follis said she had never seen
the river behave that way. Her house
was filling up with water like bath
tub. Some of the men called from the
darkness that 1T was worse in 1--we
had ice to fight then, too"
A hundred yards farther upstream
another group was camped by the
railroad tracks, and at another point
a black-haired girl sat under trellis,
a sleeping police dog cushioning her
back.
That's my boy friend in there"
said she, pointing to lighted house
on somewhat higher ground than the
rest. Hes moving things up to the
attic. The waters never cotton into
that house yet"
The water was just about to get in
that house when she spoke Boy
friend" had canoe tied to the front
door step.
Through the darkness and above
the flood could be seen a house roof,
the only visible sign of home which
had been occupied few hours before.
The water was within six feet of the
camper groups. Less than IS feet
above them, the canal sloshed at its
banks and at a spillway roared
angrily, sending up a sheet of spray
and boiling through an exit to the
river.
Owners on Boats.
Many houseboat owners were still
aboard their craft, police said.
The Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad
took by box cars to Bethesda for
temporary safe-keeping several loads
Of furniture which the diSpoSsessed
river-siders had got to safety before
water poured into their homes.
The ancient gates in the canal
locks were opened to lessen pressure.
Police under Inspector William E.
Holmes patrolled the river banks In
night-long vigil and, with the aid
of firemen and their apparatus, moved
women and children to safety. The
men of the riverside families re-
mained in most cases to watch their |
homes disappear, working until halted
by the rising water to salvage their
few belongings.
Inspector Holmes estimated so or
60 persons had been moved. The
haste Of departure prevented an ac-
curate count. Some went to stay
with friends, but most sought refuge
Mt the Salvation Army post at 1075
asefferson avenue, Georgetown. There
1t was said the refugees had been fed
and to some extent afforded sleeping
accommodations. None were panicky
and the younger children regarded the
whole business as something of lark.
Solemn distress at the calamity to
homes and belongings was registered
on some faces, however.