Evening star., 1942-10-19
Potomac Falls
ToNorIlla| After
Record Flood
Bridges and Roads
Open; Loss Estimate
Ranges to 5 Million

$5, 100000, an accurate report was
expected today from Supt. of Police
Edward j. Kelly. Loses were ex-
pected to be considerably less than
results from the 1923 flood, author
tiles said.
The Weather Bureau announced
this morning that the river, which
rose to an all-time high of 17.56
feet above mean low water early
Saturday, had returned to normal
today after dropping 10 feet in a
36-hour period ending last night.
The Wisconsin avenue gauge in
Georgetown read as feet above
mean low today at is am Shortly
before 8 pm. yesterday the river
had fallen below flood stage at that
point, where feet above mean low
is considered flood stage.
Three Precincts Report.
Incomplete reports from three
precincts this morning placed the
damage in Georgetown, along por-
tlons of the Anacostia River and
along the Potomac between Rock
Greek Park and Fifteenth street
NV. at $388, 300. The seventh pre-
clnct estimated property damage at
more than $376,0O0 between the
river area from Chain Bridge to
Rock Greek Park. Included in this
figure was the washout of the B.
& o. roadbed along the C. & o.
Canal, where two freight cars were
thrown into the swirling Potomac.
While the harbor precinct had not
completed its survey, an officer said
damage was slight along the WASH
lngton Channel water front.
The third precinct reported the
major damage suffered in its area
was to the Washington Gas Light
co. pumping station at Twenty
sixth and G streets NV, which was
completely surrounded by water at
the height of the flood Saturday.
Only few roadways in the vicinity
OF the Water Gate and East Poto-
mac Park remained closed this
morning, while in Maryland and
Virginia virtually all main and Sec
ondary routes were reopened. The
Highway Bridge was reopened about
noon yesterday when the Potomac
receded from its approaches. A
short time later Memorial highway
between Highway Bridge and Alex
andria was opened to traffic.
'ttl Debris Moved From Road.
National Capital Parks employees
labofed through the forenoon clear
ing masses of logs, crate and other
debris from Memorial highway.
Home owners along the G. & o.
Canal were busy through the day
digging out from under tons of mud
and debris left in the wake of the
flood. Many had removed part of
their belongings to higher ground.
At the Sycamore Island Club most
OF the property had been moved
to second floors where 1t was above
flood level. Canoes there and at
the Potomac and Washington Boat
Clubs also were salvaged Layers
Of mud left behind in the upper
Potomac area ranged from 6 inches
to a foot.
Park Police reported only minor
washouts along roads which had
reopened this morning. The polo
| field in East Potomac Park remained
closed.
Thousands of sightseers thronged
the river front yesterday, the ma
| jority of them on foot. Police said
the crowds resembled those at
cherry blossom time
Fires Under Control.
| In Virginia, gasoline and fuel
fires which ragged along the Rap
pahannock River were brought un-
der control last night by special
oil-fghting squads from Norfolk.
Earlier in the day the bodies of
two persons known to have lost
their lives in the hard-hit Freder-
icksburg areas were recovered from
the Rappahannock.
John T. Underhin, 43, construction
engineer from Syossett. L. l., lost
his life when his automobile plunged
into the torrent of Little Falls Run
near Fredericksburg. The body Of
Nathan Gardner, 18, local truck
driver, was found in the same vicin-
ity.
Through the night soldiers armed
with rifles and tommy guns pa
troled Fredericksburg streets to
prevent looting. Local firemen were
hampered in battling the oil fires,
which ragged for nearly 48 hours,
because of dwindling water supplies.
Damage to the apple crop which
was just about to be harvested in
the Shenandoah Valley was re-
ported to be serious. The loss in
other crops, livestock and poultry.
when the Shenandoah River over
flowed its banks likewise was heavy.
Front Royal, Va, appeared to be
hardest hit in the valley, town
authorities saying damage was con-
siderable"
Cellars Pumped Out.
At Winchester, orchard spraying
equipment was pressed into service
to assist firemen in pumping out
flooded Easements. Stocks of mer-
chandise in cellars of business
places were badly damaged.
Heavy damage to homes of war
workers and to the equipment of
the Pittsburgh Limestone Co. at
Charles Town, w. Va, was reported
today. Twenty homes there were
flooded to the second story, and
in another area 10 had to be aban-
doned. Electric, generating plants
were put out. of commission but
service has been restored.
Seven homes and large bottling
works suffered considerable damage
at Harper's Ferry, w. Va, when the
Potomac reached near-record flood
stages.
The Norfolk & Washington
fSteamship Co. announced yesterday
that regular service between here
and Norfolk would be resumed to-
morrow. Service was interrupted
Friday, and the steamer moved into
Washington Channel for safe
keeping.