Evening star., 1938-07-25
RU|NOUS FLOODS
CLAIM Z LIVES
Clearing Skies Bring Hope
Of Re|ief-New England
Hardest Hit.

Clearing skies today in many Sec
tions gave hope of an early end to
ruinous floods and transforms which
took IL lives and caused property
and crop damage totaling millions of
dollars in a dozen States, according
to the Associated Press.
With rains apparently past here.
the Weather Bureau announced that
the total precipitation in the District
for July was 3.75 inches, which is OIL
of an inch more than was recorded
up to this time for July last year. The
late morning forecast was mostly
cloudy" tonight and tomorrow and
warmer tonight.
Nearby States Hit.
Severe damage to crops was reported
from Maryland and Virginia A del
uge early yesterday around Cam
bridge. Md. caused heavy damage to
the Dorchester County tomato crop.
Water that reached the running boards
Of automobiles covered the State road
for nearly half a mile between Church
Creek and the Blackwater Bridge. in
Dorchester.
FIVE feet Of water was reported in
the streets in the business section of
Oakland, Nd. Boys from c. C. c.
camp helped clear away the debris,
after an estimate Of damage was set at
$4,000.
Virginia tobacco raisers also suf-
Tered from the rains. The James
River was expected to reach a 12-foot
crest at Richmond some time today.
The record height at the Capital is
358 feet, set in 1885.
New England was hardest hit by
Week-long downpours. which sent
rivers out Of their banks all along
the Atlantic Seaboard. The damage
was conservatively put at more than
$3,000,00O
Tobacco Loss Heavy.
The tobacco crop loss in Connecti-
cut was reported as $1,000 900. and
similarly heavy tolls were eyacted
of crops in Massachusetts and Rhode
Island.
Textile mills were shut down in
many towns, throwing thousands of
persons temporarily out of work.
Hundreds of families were homeless
in Massachusetts,. Rhode Island, Con-
necUcut and New York.
The storms claimed four lives in
New Jersey over the week end. Three
persons were killed by lightning in
Ohio.
Heavy rains brought new food
threats today to the Southwest Texas
hill country, sending fresh rises down
swollen streams that had started to
subside. g
The San Saba River. which dropped
to 81 feet yesterday after reaching a
record height OF As feet Saturday.
rose rapidly this morning after rainfall
Of A inches.
One-Third Of Town Flooded.
With one-third of the town of San
Saba under water. the rain continued.
More than IA inches have fallen
since last Tuesday Brady and Menard,
wool centers which were flooded Sat-
urday. also reported heavy downpours
last night.
San Saba was completely isolated
this morning when the approaches to
the last remaining bridge were washed
out. State officers said they believed
all marooned persons had been rescued
Twenty-three were taken from roof
tops and trees yesterday.
An early estimate placed damage at
$4,000 900
An unidentified hero swan the rag
ing San Saba River at San Saba
to secure wire lifeline saving score
OF persons marooned on rooftops.
Earlier the river had claimed two
victims. Thirty houses were swept
away, leaving 300 homeless.
South Is Uneasy.
Continued downpours were forecast
IN North Carolina. Georgia. Louisiana,
Mississippi and adjacent States, but
little immediate danger of widespread
floods was seen. The South's chief
fear was for its cotton crop. since
the boil weevil fattens on rainv
weather.
Swollen by weeks rains. the
Roanoke River left its banks near
Weldon. N. c.. but no extensive dam
age was reported
New Jersey authorities estimated
crop damage in that State at $780,
600. and Eastern Pennsylvania farm
ers suffered sl.o0o,O00 loss. Twelve
hundred flood refugees in West Vir-
einia taxed rescue facilities. Crop
and property damage was estimated
at 5000 900.