Evening star., 1942-10-19
Flood Loss Cut
To Half Million;
River in Banks
Bridges and Roads
Open; Police Report
300 Evacuated

S5O0,000, following reports made by
precinct commanders to Superin.
tendent of Police Edward j. Kelly
The total damage in six precincts
according to Maj. Kelly, amounted
to S3o8,380, including the washout
OF the B. IL o. roadbed along the
c. g. o. Canal, although it is be-
lieved the overall figure would be
slightly under $500,OO0.
Maj. Kelly reported that rs civil
ians and 725 soldiers were evacuated
from flood areas by police, the Red
Cross and other agencies. A cabin
cruiser valued at $4,000 was sunk
and nine other smaller craft with
q value of $4,000 were destroyed
when swept from their moorings by
the flood.
Heaviest Loss in No. Z.
Estimates by precincts were: No
3, $3.50; No. 6, $75; No. 7, $376, $50;
No. 9, $500; No. II, $500, and the
harbor, $4,005.
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 q
36-hour period ending last night.
The Wisconsin avenue gauge in
Georgetown read 46 feet above
mean low today at 8:15 am. Shortly
before pm. yesterday the river
had fallen below flood stage at that
point, where 7 feet above mean low
is considered flood stage.
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.
D. L. Norman, general passenger
agent for the B. & o. Railroad, an
nounced that the line is now fur
nishing normal service over. all
routes. For time westbound
traffic out of Washington had been
held up.
Debris Moved From Road.
National Capital Parks employees
labored through the forenoon clear
ing masses of logs, crates and other
debris from Memorial highway.
Home owners along the c. & o.
Canal we're 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 it 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 inches
to a foot.
The Watergate Inn at 2700 F
street NV. will reopen tomorrow
night, it was announced today.
Flood workers removed all equip
ment within an hour and a half
after warnings. Damage was con-
fined to the floor, which was covered
with Ia feet of water.
porH Doliro rerorfaJ p,,11y v,,;,,or
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-fighting 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, 10, 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
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
saying damage was con-
Cellars Pumped Out.
At Winchester, orchard spraying
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
we're put out of commission but
service has been restored.
Seven homes and large bottling
works suffered considerable damage
1t Harper's Ferry, w. Va, when the
Potomac reached near-record flood
stages.
The Norfolk e. Washington
Co. announced yesterday
hat regular service between here
Ind Norfolk would be resumed to-
morrow. Service was interrupted