Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 29, 1995 TAG: 9506290099
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RICHARD FOSTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BIG ISLAND LENGTH: Medium
As the James River overflowed its banks Wednesday morning and many creeks did the same, Georgia Pacific Corp.'s paper mill lost a day of production, and at least one family fled its home.
The brown, choppy waters of the James swept through the Georgia Pacific employee parking lot into low-lying administrative offices, where it flooded basements and forced out employees.
"It is the fastest rate of rise in history, I'm told from some of the old-timers," said Mike Robinson, Georgia Pacific's human resources manager. "It's got us quite concerned."
Shifts were shut down entirely during the morning and early afternoon, he said. Construction on the paper mill's $100 million expansion also was halted for the day. Employees' cars were moved before they could be damaged, and they filled every available parking lot along U.S. 501 near the plant.
Though the water didn't reach the production area, it did damage some key electric motors outside, Robinson said, and the mill was shut down as a safety precaution.
The waters had receded somewhat by midday, and afternoon shifts returned to work. But Robinson estimated it would take at least 12 hours to restart equipment and get the plant running again.
Northwest of the paper mill, near Rockbridge County, creeks swelled to capacity and at least one family evacuated their house in anticipation of flooding.
Earl Spiner and his family have lived through three floods on the banks of Peters Creek in the 18 years they've been in their small house on Virginia 600.
"I was flooded out here for two days in '85. The house was under water. You couldn't see nothing but the chimney sticking up," he said as neighbors helped his son, David, load the family's belongings into pickup trucks.
Wednesday morning, water had covered the gravel road to the Spiners' house. Though the creek began receding in the afternoon and never made it to the house, Spiner decided not to take any chances. "You never know what's going to happen between now and tonight," he said.
Even though this flood didn't appear to be as bad as earlier ones, Spiner said he has had enough. "We're moving up the hollow into a trailer," he said. "There's too many floods here. I got high blood, and my wife does, too. This here water is something else.
"All you can do is try to stay out of its way."
by CNB