Evening star., 1936-02-14
RAIN FLOODS CITY,
BRINGING DISTRESS
TO MANY SECTIONS
Streets and Cellars Under
Water Because of Ice.
Choked Sewers.
POTOMAC RIVER THAWS,
BUT NO DANGER is SEEN
More Rain or Snow Forecast for
Tonight, With Temperature
About Freezing.

While the Weather Bureau allayed
fears Of an immediate flood in the
Potomac today, hundreds of cellars
were flooded in low sections and
streets all over town were deep in
water where openings to catch basins
were still choked with ice.
With distress calls pouring into the
District Building, the Fire Department
was kept busy pumping out cellars
and relieving inundated areas.
Sewers Declared Adequate.
The sewer department expressed lit
tie concern over the situation, officials
holding the city's system would be
adequate to carry off the flood waters.
Street cleaners and w. p. A. work.
ers were stationed throughout the city
to open up cutters and sewer en-
frances.
Although the foot-thick ice covering
the Potomac thawed slightly in the
upper reaches under the rain, experts
expressed the belief there is little
danger of a serious breakup in the
next few days.
Not inclined to treat the situation
lightly despite the fact there appeared
to be no cause for alarm, Mai Robert
G. Guyer, District engineer for the
War Department for the Washington
army of some 1000 men to combat any
flood menace here.
River Rises Only Foot.
The rivers and flood division of the
Weather Bureau reported there had
been a rise of only foot in the Po-
tomac at Sycamore Island during the
past "a hours.
Under cloudy skies, the mercury may
climb slightly above the freezing point
| today. the forecaster said, but it is not
expected to rise enough to cause any
appreciable thaw on the river.
More precipitation, either rain or
snow. was in prospect for tonight as
disturbance sweeping in from the
Southwest approached the city. The
minimum tomorrow morning will be
about %, but with daylight it will be-
come colder. Tomorrow probably will
be fair
Barricades erected at many en-
frances to Rock Greek Park last night
when roadways became too slippery
for travel were left up this morning
as the melting snow turned the high
ways into small rivers.
Under nearly IL inches of water,
the Park Road Bridge leading through
Rock Greek Park was closed to trafhc.
The water settled on the bridge when
snow packed on either side kept it
from running off.
The flooded condition of the streets
resulted despite the fact hundreds of
men have labored with picks and
shovels for the past four days to open
cutters and keep sewers clear.
Although chiefly caused by the rain.
the thaw occurred when the mercury
rose slightly above the freezing point
yesterday and stayed there overnight.
Police Supt Ernest w. Brown
ordered precinct commanders to in
struct their men to notify the Refuse
Division of any food conditions
brought to their attention.
Standing by at Bladensburg.
The Maryland State Roads Com
mission ordered its staff in Prince
Georges County to stand by with all
equipment and be ready to aid resi-
dents of the Bladensburg and North
Brentwood sections to evacuate their
homes in event of high water. Hard
ships resulted in those areas about
six weeks ago when the Northeastern
branch of the Anacostia River over
flowed its banks.
Traffic along the Seventh Street
Pike in Montgomery County was de-
layed for a short while this morning
by three poles which fell across the
road near Wheaton and a deep pool
Of water which collected in a drop IN
the road near Woodside Church.
Both distractions we're quickly
cleared, however, and traffic resumed
its normal flow. The poles. it is said,
were pulled down by wires heavily
laden with ice.
Eight machines stalled in Dorset
avenue, Somerset, Md, when they at
tempted to negotiate pool of water
in that thoroughfare. Other motorists
who proceeded cautiously after the
eight cars we're stalled managed to
get through.
A drainage route was opened this
morning and the water flowed of.
In addition to flooded cellars, home
owners also were experiencing roof
troubles as ice-clogged cutters refused
to carry off the melting snow.
Traffic was partially paralyZed and
lSee RAIN. Page 81