Garrett County, not much damage, 3-19-1936

OAKLAND ONLY SLIGHTLY TOUCHED BY FLOOD WATER

Garrett County Lowlands Covered, But Not Much Damage Reported—Snow Covers Earth

TRAIN SERVICE HAMPERED

With flood waters covering more than fifteen states of the East, Garrett county was only slightly touched, although the streams and rivers did overflow their banks and threatened considerable damage for a time.

All lowlands were flooded by waters of the Upper-Potomac near Kitzmiller; Wilson Creek and the Little Youghiogheny River, near Oakland; the Casselman River, near Grantsville; the Big Youghiogheny River at Friendsville and Selbysport, and other small streams.

The sudden rise of the streams was, caused by heavy and unceasing rains on Monday night and Tuesday. Cellars in Oakland were flooded on Tuesday and backwater from the Little Youghiogheny was within a foot of reaching Route 219 at Weber's. It reached the level of the rear of the Garrett National Bank building, but at this point the waters began to recede.

Waters from the Potomac flooded low areas in the Kitzmiller community but from reliable reports, very little damage was wrought. At Grantsville the water in the bottom land out the Bittinger highway was over the guardrail skirting the road at one time and the road was impassable. Several of the homes in that section had to be evacuated and water was only 3 feet below the new bridge over the Casselman at Little Crossings. Electricity was cut off at Grantsville Tuesday night and telephone communication there greatly impaired.

As the waters in the county reached the crest the rain that had been falling for many hours turned first to sleet and later to snow and more than six inches of snow covered the ground last night. Temperatures meanwhile remained slightly below freezing, with a thaw in sight today.

Train service has been severely curtailed and yesterday Oakland was without a newspaper from the east. Only a few West Virginia newspapers were obtainable. Telephone and telegraph communication were impaired east of Oakland. All telegrams were routed through Cincinnati, Ohio. Telephone communication was cut off from Cumberland several times yesterday but was resumed today. Train service, however, remains at a standstill.