Evening star., 1936-03-19
UPPER POTOMAC
DAMAGE MILLION
Fresh Rains Raise Fears
After Flood Waters Be-
ain to ReCede.
BY JAMES Z. CHINN,


FREDERICK, Md, March 1s.-
Flood waters in the upper Potomac
Valley slowly receded today, leaving
in their wake more than $1,000 900
in property damage, but fresh rains
raised the fear of a recurrence OF the
deluge.
From Hancock as far down as
Point of Rocks distance Of about
so moles-the waters continued to
rage on their way to Washington,
taking with them bridges that crossed
the Potomac at Harpers Ferry and
Point OF Rocks as well as scores Of
homes that lined the two banks Of
the river.
The only automobile and foot bridge
over the Potomac from Maryland to
Harpers Ferry was smashed early this
morning and short time later six
of the eight spans Of the bridge at
Point of Rocks were carried away.
Railway Bridges Hold.
Two Baltimore & Ohio bridges across
the Potomac at Harpers Ferry, an
chored with loaded coal cars. remained
standing, as did a bridge at Bruns-
wick, although the waters Seeped
through its floor boards and a mass of
floating debris ground and crashed
against the ever-weakening structure.
Fears for its safety had been aban-
doned, however, due to the slowly re-
ceding waters.
The little town of Point Of Rocks,
about 35 miles above Washington. bore
the worst brunt of the rampaging wa
ters At that point the Potomac is 40
feet over It's banks and about 26 homes
and business establishments are near
ly submerged. The towns only two
churches-one Catholic and the other
Methodist-as well as the post ONCE
are under water.
The railroad tracks are covered and
the 3. a. o. tunnel under the noun
tains at that point cannot be seen.
Many families who we're forced to
evacuste their homes took refuge in
the towns only public school, which
was safe from the flood waters on a
high hill overlooking the river. Ameri-
can Red Gross relief workers are ad-
ministering to them.
Above Point of Rocks, at Bruins
wick. the water also has completely
covered the B. g. o. Railroad tracks
and hundreds OF freight and tank
cars. as we'll as business establish
ments along the waterfront. are
partly submerged A number OF Sum-
mer camps between Harpers Ferry
and Brunswick have been washed
away.
Twenty Homes Destroyed.
The entire water front at the little
town of Knoxville, between Bruns-
wick and Harpers Ferry, is under
10 feet of water and virtually all
homes that were in the path of the
rushing waters have been carried
away or smashed against trees. 1t
is estimated that more than 20 homes
were destroyed in that section.
At Sandy Hook, few miles above
Knoxville, where the river narrows
into a gorge. ocean-like waves, feet
high, hurled masses of floating tim
bers and debris against the mountain
side.
AS the waters receded at Williams
port. 6 miles outside of Hagerstown,
the toll bridge across the river-the
only one left standing north Of Bruns-
wick-was open to automobile trafic.
The waters that frightened Bruns-
wick added little human interest to
the situation when a woman, in an
effort to save her chickens, put them
IN a box car near her home. During
the night the car was moved and she
has appealed to broadcasting stations
and Brunswick police to help her 10
cate the poultry.
Another woman at Brunswick re-
ported the loss of q cat. 1t was dis
covered this morning in the top of Q
tree out in the middle of the raging
river Several attempts were made
by men in small skiffs to rescue the
cat, but the current forced them back.