Evening star., 1936-03-20

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trucks: the shore piled high, as 1t Is
all the way to Hams Point, with tim
bers, barrels, trees, oil drums and other
debris.
Southwest-Water falling fast in
Water street, where it ran deep near
the harbor precinct and morgue yes
terday. Street car service on Seventh
and Fourteenth was still suspended
but it was believed it would reopen
this afternoon. Bus service substi-
tuted.
Navy Yard-Fire apparatus was still
pumping water from the power plant
but the rapid recession of the Ana
costa removed danger of irreparablt
damage to the giant generators and
mechanical shops. Some water still
in the basement of the Administration
Building.
Benning The Potomac Electric
Power Co. plant was safe. Backwater'
from the Eastern Branch, which made
Defense Highway and Bladensbure
road impossible, we're expected to fall
with the tide.
Potomac Park-Water three to foul
feet deep at Hams Point. Road along
edge of the park still submerged, cut
ting off traffic from Highway Bridge
to Lincoln Memorial. Road around
Tidal Basin still under water, al
though police radio cars were able tt
get through in several places.
Statue Seems on Island.
The water at the foot Of the Johr
Paul Jones statue, by the Tidal Basir
at Seventeenth street. had recedeo
enough to leave the naval hero on ar
island instead of apparently standing
in the middle OF lake, as he was yes.
terday.
The Rock Greek Parkway from the
Lincoln Memorial to I street was still
under water, although passable. Brown
sticky silt was deposited over the curb
ing by the river and In some spots II
covered the road.
With the danger passed, the Weather
Bureau, United States Engineer once
and National Capital Parks planned q
conference for rehabilitation Of the
flood control army" and removal OF
the sandbag dixie thrown up behind
the Navy And Munitions buildings. Six
inches of water eddied against the
levee this morning.
For the second day in succession the
Norfolk boat was unable to dock at Its
Seventh street wharf, and passengers
were taken ashore in small boats.
Near Key Bridge, on the upstream
side, damaged boats torn from their
moorings were piled in wreckage.
Stavedin sides, smashed pilot houses
broken glass and ripped hulls were to
be seen on most of the craft which
survived the current but were battered
by debris.
Community Abandoned.
Between Fletcher's Boat House and
Chain Bridge a cottage community
along the Potomac's edge was aban-
doned. All but one Of the 10 small
houses was either broken to bits by
the pounding of the water or swept
downstream in the current. Mr.. and
Mrs. Charles Diwiddie vacated their
cottage with the three children, one
IA months old, yesterday just a few
hours before it succumbed to the fierce
river. With their house went new fur
niture and all their belongings.
Joseph c. Fletcher lost two boat
houses valued at $4,000 floating on
RATS off dock. Cottages belonging
to the Red Triangle Club and Thomas
Reynolds were in the path of the flood
and ripped from their foundations.
In many places the ties and earthen
embankment Of the nine-mile B. g. o.
railroad spur running from above
Chain Bridge to Georgetown were
washed out. BY the bridge, where the
tracks cross the Chesapeake & Ohio
Canal water was let out of the canal
to permit repairs to the tracks.
On the Maryland shore near Syca-
more Island, cottages were wholly de-
stroyed If not washed away. Two
Eastern High School teachers, Misses
M. Louise Underwood and Marge
Hardy, came close enough to their cot
tage to see that only the chimney was
left. They turned back to Washington
without looking farther.
Canoes and Boats Lost.
Property loss Of $500 was reported
by C. M. Capper, who lives by the
District end of Chain Bridge.
The worst Is over" he said. But
I've lost 81 new canoes and boats
worth $500, not to mention $4,000
worth of other property. And I
haven't slept for 48 hours"
Throughout the night at the Sew
enteenth street dixie crossing, six G..
C. c. boys, working In two shifts,
kept a close vigil. To keep themselves
warm they built a bonfire.
Pumps have been working in a Navy
Building wing since 4 pm. yesterday
to protect a generator and o storeroom
by water backing up through
a small sewer intake.
Damage to the three boat houses
above Key Bridge is estimated at be-
tween $1,000 and $4,000, although,
with the water still almost up to the
ceiling of the first floor, any accurate
estimate Of the damage was impossible.
Coating of Mud Left.
The water left q coating Of mud
about 2 inches deep on the second floor
Of the Washington Boat Club. The
dance floor will probably have to be
replaced, officials said. To prevent
air imprisoned by the rising waters
from lifting the ball room floor on the
second story, several holes were
chopped in the floor.
The water rose to height Of about
2 feet in the women's locker room and
some damage Is expected to be discov-
cred to personal effects. All of the
canoes and racing shells, totaling sew
eral thousand dollars in value, were
removed to the banks above before
the water swept over the landing float.
Although q survey was not possible to-
day, officials do not expect to find
much damage to the foundation or
lower portion Of the building.
The Dempsey Boat House Jared
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