Evening star., 1936-03-19

of the Georgetown Hill across
the river. floated away.
Bodies of two unidentified vic
Tins OF the flood were seen float
ing downstream by Key Bridge
early today.
One was sighted by w. w. Wright
and William Snow, and the other a
boatman on the District side OF the
river.
Seven thousand members Of the
American Legion stood ready to render
any flood assistance needed, James
Pistario, captain OF the Guard OF
Honor OF the Legion notified Com
missioner Hazen at / o'clock.
19-Foot Level Forecast.
The expected food level is only G
inches below the record set in 1889,
when waters swirled up Pennsylvania
avenue and caused 81 ,000, 900 in dam
age. was forecast by the Weather Bu-
reau in its latest bulletin. The OFF,
cial bulletin follows:
THE Shenandoah fell rs feet be-
tween 6 pm. Wednesday and 6 am.
Thursday.
THE Potomac above Harpers Ferry
is falling.
AT Harpers Ferry the crest was
36.6 feet at am. today. At 8 am
the river was falling at Harpers Ferry
"The Sycamore Island, Nd, stage
was 26.4 feet at 8:l5 am. and rising.
High water at Key Bridge made
readings there impracticable at am
The estimated stage was l6 feet. A
reading will be obtained as soon as
possible by use of a level.
THE Potomac River will rise until
about, 6 pm, going to about 10 feet. II
$500 Men Build bikes.
To combat the power OF the swollen
river and protect the public buildings
which lie in its flooded reaches, 1,50G
men from the w. P. A. rolls, the
National Capital Parks and the C
C. G. worked through the night an6
morning to build the dixie along the
north edge o. the rejecting pool from
Seventeenth to Twenty-flrst streets.
The levee is 6 feet high on IT.
foot rise and is expected to keep back
q flood stage Of 81 feet. feet higher
than forecast.
The peak is forecast to come on thu
crest of high tide.
Evacuate Georgetown Homes.
As the torrent tumbled wildly dowr
from the mountains, where it left
inundated towns and homeless thou
sands, go persons, dwelling in frams
homes sandWiched between the Ches'
apeake a. Ohio Canal and the river IT
Georgetown, hurriedly evacuated ths
houses.
Many of the homes in this area
were entirely under water, some o.
them swept away. Cottages could bt
seen today floating past the Wash
ington water front.
Elaborate precautions were taken u
insure electric light and power for the
District. The Potomac Electric Light
g. Power Co. last night laid dixie o.
sandbags and steel forms around 1t!
Benning plant, which lies in o Low
region of the Eastern Branch.
The company arranged to tap pow
er from an old Consolidated Gas d
Electric Co., Baltimore. plant In TIT
event its own station goes out and ths
lines from Takoma Park through to
Susuuehanna power center fail.
As long as the service lines re-
main dry, the city will have light
authorities said.
The Washington Gas Light Co. re
ported its services would 60 on un
checked despite its pumping plan
at the Georgetown station going ou
Of commission.
The Capital Transit Co. early toda.
began to move It's cars and EQUIP
ment from the Southwest car bari
near the War College.
Washington commercial airpian
lines, forced to desert lnundate'
Washington Airport, set up temporar
headquarters at Logan Field, Balti
more. They will operate their service
out of that point until the water
recede. BY 8 am. the Potomac ma
flooded the airport up to the ADMIN
istration building.
Boiling Field, from which the Arm
moved its planes yesterday, was Gov
cred with water from 2 to feet oeeI
The Naval Air Station was hoode
and water was in the hangers. Plane
were moved yesterday to Norfolk, Bal
timore, Dahlgren and Quantico.
The District water supply was com
| ing at its usual rate down the condul
from the Dalecarlia filter plant.
Policemen Standing BY.
The $50 policemen who went 0,
duty at 8 am. were ordered by In
spector L. !. H. Edwards, assistau
superintendent, to stand BY for IN
| structions.
Special details of police patrolled tn
| critical areas all night long. divertin
trafic from danger points and heipin
families endangered by HOOD TO NOV
to safety.
All street car service to 6outhwes
below Pennsylvania avenue was dis
continued. Fear that the waite
would cover the terminal OF Tn
Fourteenth street Bureau OF EngraV
ing line at Water street southwes
caused Capital Transit ofncials TO 81
range to suspend service below VI
avenue and substitute buses.
To protect priceless Governmen
documents q bulwark was throw
around the Archives Building, Con
stitution and Pennsylvania avenue
and Seventh street.
Records were moved from base
ments of the Navy and Nunitiou
Buildings II upper hoors.