The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-09-18
Rockingham
Hard Hit By
Flood Water
100000 Damages
Two Dams On P e. De e
Break; Cape Fear Ris-
ing At Fayetteville

n.s estimated in the excess of
$4,000 S in the wake of flood waters
.oIeased when two Pee Dee river
Jams broke yesterday, according
y. first reports reaching Whining.
ton last night.
Sheriff Carl Holland, Of Rocking
,sm county, reported that Led
hotter , Dam and Pee Dee Dam No.
had broken after continual rains
# the past five days inundated
ssctons of the county and caus-
ms such a sudden rise in the
waters ,rS that E. Bert McLaurin and
his son Joe Mack McLaurin, op-
GATORS of the McLaurin Ice and
roal company, were trapped on
the roof of the building for four
snd.ope-half hours before being
removed by a rowboat.
In the Fayetteville area, the
rain.swollen waters of the Cape
Fear rampaged out of their banks
last night, cutting off virtually all
highway communications from that
section to other parts of the state.
Fayetteville police reported that
some sections of the city itself
lad been flooded by creeks feed
ing into the river and the Fayette-
lille office of the State Highway
Patrol said that residents of. low
living areas of the Cape Fear
watershed had been advised to
move to higher ground.
Authorities predicted that the
Cape Fear, which had already
risen to the level Of the railroad
bridge leading into Fayetteville
would reach a flood crest there OF
from SIS to Sc feet at some time
around midnight last night.
A check with the U. S. Lock
and Dam No. 1 at Kings Bluff
last night, revealed that the river
was only four feet above a 16
foot normal stage but Queen City
Coach company spokesman said
that he understood that Highway
No. 17-74-76, directly across the
river from Wilmington, was under
water though still passable.
He also said that bus service be-
tween here and Charlotte was
continuing via shuttle arrange
ment, although authorities in
Rockingham said the area was
practically cut off by highway and
that flood waters in some places
had nearly covered substantial
sized buildings. GAP. dispatches
reported Highway IA closed from
Charlotte to Wilmington with
water covering the road at a
number Of points.)
Weather Bureau officials could
not be reached last night for an
opinion on the effect here OF the
upstream flood conditions but
veteran rivermen stated that a
similar situation had left the
Water street section of the river
front here several feet deep in
wate- causing some damage IN
low-lying warehouses and business
establishments, several years ago
The crest expected at Fayette-
vile tonight, should take from
z 10 10 hours to each the lower
Cape Fear section, where, aug
mented by rains accompanying
the tropical disturbance when
passed west of Wilmington yeste-'
day afternoon, it is expected to
cause flooding of some sections
Meanwhile, Durhamites were
salvaging furniture which floateo
in houses in some residential areas
when choked storm sewers caused
flooding of some sections.
Associated Press reports sa1o
that the wate~ was six feet deer
in some parts of the city.
Wilmingtonians called the Oh
flee of the Wilmington Star last
night for information aoou'
weather conditions at nearly
one-per-minute rate with over zo'
calls being handled in less thar
five hours.