Star.
London, England, 1830-09-01 00:00:00

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DETAILS OP 7115 DErAsTATio.v TILE (;•••••A " 7
NORTHRPN PLOoD.
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(From an Americ.n Paper.)
The Middlebury Standard, which arrived this morning, coin eins
the following melancboly but interesting detail of the cts of the late
Storm at New Haven. (Tt) •
One of the most terrible floods that ever desolated this or any other
country, carried ruin and death through the valleyof New I I ,ven river
on Monday night the Stith inst. The New Haven river ha. its source
among the mountains of Bristol and Lincoln. its source is very rapid
until it reaches Inland village, when it emerges from the mnuntains
and winds with a fine rapid current through an open country, forming
line and beautiful intervals until it reaches New Haven W.,. mils,
or Beeman's Hollow, where the stream is narrowed by rugged and pre.
cipitous banks, which continue about one mile, when it enters Otter
Creek. The weather the week previols bad been fine, warm, but dry.
Saturday the wind blew wrong from the South, hut the weather was
sultry. it began to rain on SaturJay night, between eight slot nine
o'clock, and rained pearly the whole night. Sunday a great deal of
rain fell, and the mountain streams were very much swollen. Sunday
night, and tbtoughoet the day of Monday, there were frequent and
very severe showers. About sundown. on Monday, a very dark,
dune cloud, settled around Bristol Mountain, and the lightning was
for two hours incessant and vivid. The raid poured down in torrents
on the devoted valley, and the lofty mountain. that cast their rushing
waters into its bosom. The water ran with uneraelded rapidity.
Before twelve o'clock the water bad rose from ten to twelve feet
higher than was ever lumen to the oldest inhabitants. The dams in
Lincoln and Bristnl gate way.
At New Haven Ben Mills' the dam. bridge, and all the mills were
torn away. From the East Mills to the West Mills in New Ilaven,
Is about four miles. 41 the West Mills the hanks are high, and the
river just above the Mills and below the tippet bridge, mike. a short
tent to the North, and a small rocky island divide, the river at this
spot Into two channeis, the East and West, which unite again above
lO'llarnes Mills. 'Ti. cluster of buildings were chiefly situated on the
East side of the Rime, on a piece of high Intervale. which commences
soon after the streams turns to the North. John Wilson's house and
the house occupied by Mr. Stewart, a blind man, were several rods
from the river on the flat, and near each other. A few reds below
the Wtl.on's Mins. which were situated on the lower dam. the stream
turns short to the West. and dashes tistough * narrow passage in rocks,
called the Narrows. There was a narrow bridge over the Wilson's
Mills. Between ten and eleven &clod& 'itt filet. tbsintir rising ra-
pidly. the Wilson became alarmed for their property, and some of the
neighbours collected to assist in its preservation. Miles Farr and his
son crossed the river for that purpose, 'before the bridges went off.
While they were at work about the mill for this purpOst, the water
was rising with fearful rapidity. The miner bridge went, together
with the girst mill and clothier's works. The floating 111^6S pained a
moment at the lower bridge—that gave way and 11.. 11 was thrown nu the
InWer mills and dam. When Jobb Wilson and his son, and 'he two
Parrs, gave up attempting to save anything from the mins, and went
to John Wilson'ehouse, they found, to their astonishment. that a rapid
and powerful current of water was sweeping along between the house
and the high ground beyond. They attempted to ford it in vain. The
two Farrs crossed to the Stewart-house, where Lemuel B. Eldridge.
Esq. and his son, a young man about twenty, an! a Mr. Somers, •
hired man of Mr. Eldridge, bad already arrived. Mr. Eldridge rode
a horse through the current to tby Stewart house, hut considered that
it would be very hazardous ro attempt to return the same way They
immediately commenced building a raft at the end of the wood-house,
with • view to take off the Stewart family. They had previously left
the house, and taken refuge In The barn, which rood on a little high
ground.
Juseas the raft was completed the wood-house started. and was swept
away by the current. They could no longer boil the raft, and the nun
who was holding it when the wood-house began to move. was oblier.l
to jump on the raft and go with the rest. There was on the raft when
it started. Lemuel B. Eldridge and son, Miles Farr and son, Mr. So.
men, and one of the Stewart boys. They were hurried along tow rods
the Narrows, but all kept on until they reached that frightful
ebarnel house. In a moment the raft wag scattered, and every oneon
it precipitated into the water. Mr. Parr seized a plank from the raft
with his right hand, and soon found some floating substance to grasp
with his left. Holding firmly by these, the current carried 61m down
to the fiat abort half a mile below the mins, where he lodged against
a large pine stamp. He let go his planks, thinking be had found
something more safe • but in a moment a quantity of flood wood came
against the stump, and be was again driven down the con'ent.:He was
nearly exhausted and discouraged. He, however, made one more
effort for life, which proved successful. He succeeded in clearing the
flood wood, when the stump again grounded, and he remained holding
on to it until taken off in the morning. Mr. Eldridge was carried
nearly through the Narrows, when he seised a board which proved of
great assistance to him. He was carried near Mr. Farr, and on to a
piece of corn ground, where he could touch the bottom, and where, by
holding on to the corn, he could withstand the current. Mr. Farr's
son and one of the fftewart boys lodgeff on a point a little a )ffe.•-•
Eldridge. The young men caught a clap-beard and some t f
flood wood, and, by cutting up their suspenders and laahi
togetbei, they at length estricated Mr. Rldritire,-end, -
light, Mr. Farr.
Of Mr. timers and the son of Mr. Eldridge nothing is known ; it
Is supposed they were drowned soon after the breaking up of the raft.
The rest of the Stewart family, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Stewart
and four children, were thus left in :he barn without the least hope of
aid or succour. The raft, their last hope, with their kind neighbours
and their eldest son, they bad seen hurried away to what appeared in-
evitable destrection. The scaffold upon the barn in which they bad
taken refuge, soon followed the raft, and was crushed to Weer, in
passing the Narrows. All that were in it perished, except a boy about
14 years old, who was miraculously preserved by drifting against the
top of a tree, to which be clung until taken of the next morning. He
says be had hold of his mother's hand in passing the Narrows, and she
spoke to him. Shelves confined by some kind of timber, probably
some pan of the barn which feU on her. They were soon separated
by the torrent or drift wood. In the house of John Wilson was hist-
self and wife, and a sister of his wife, a son Erskine, about SO years old,
a daughter Anna, and two young children. Mr. Wilson, when first
alarmed about the safety of his family, made, with his son, several in-
effectual attempts to escape. Finding it was in vain, he told his son
they would go into the chamber, and, if they must go, they would all
go together. They bad been in the chamber but a short time when
they heard the cellar wall giving way, and, almost instantly, the chimney
fell. and Erskine was precipitated into the cellar. He was severely
bruised, but coming out of the water with which the cellar was 41Ied,
Dear the place where be fell in, he was extricated by his father. Per-
ceiving the water was fast undermining trse house, Mr. Wilson went
with his son to the door which looked towards the road. While slang-
ing at the door a moment they felt the house move froth its fOundaripn
and both leaped into the stream, and both reached the shore After
getting to the shore, Erskine distinctly saw his sitter Anna with the
youngest child in her arms, on what appeired to be the chamber floor,
and distinctly he ord her call his name several limes, and begged bins
to save her and little Sarah. He to'dber to throw tie child lowan).
the shore, as far as she could, and jump herself. She did not bear, or
saw no chance of escape from such a course. In the meantime the
flood was carrying her fast towards the Narrows. The brother and
father ran along tbe shore as fast as possibli, hoping the current would
I bring her so near the shore that they might save her, but they bad to
make a considerable circuit, and they heard her frantic cries fe t help
when none but an A sysoityv arm could have saved her. They saw
her enter the rapids, but did not see her more !
The plain unvarnished tale of this terrible calamity is enough to melt
a heart of adamant. We saw the remnants of the little village on
Tuesday at noon. The stream had fallen more than twelve fret, but a
vast column of turbid water was still rushing through the very ipot
where the horse, and gardens of these unfortunate people had stood
the night before. s'o'ds can convey but a faint idea of the frightful
desolation that areeared on'every side. There were in all 14 persons
that were ion, and 21 buildings tattled away, with all their contents!
All the streams having theft source among the mountains, ran higher
than they were ever known to before. On Middlebury river, the
crops are entirely destroyed. Champion's stone-dam and holm Wele
swept away, and himself and wife very narrowly escaped. The clam
and mills, weed by John Foot were swept away, and the forge of
David P. and Wen. Nash greatly injured. The road on the riyer, fee
a considerable distance. is entirely swept sway, and cannot be repaired
without great expense. Lemon Fair was raised near its junction with
the Creek, to an extraordinary height—the Creek, by the height of
its water, sending a strong current u ' the Fair. Two bridges were
carried away, and floated some distance up the stream. Mr. Hurd,
of Weybrid.e, toy more than 100 sheep, that were drowned on the
flats. Freeman Parkell, of Cornwall, also lost a fair flock of about
100. It is estimated that the prliate damage sustained in this county
is between 50 and 60.000 dollars.
Many have lost every thing, and are reduced to poverty. Those
whose property has been p ed are under the highest ohNption to
come forward and relieve their unfortunate neiebboors. We hope an
effort will be made worthy of the melanclaply aceadon, and the cha-
racter of the county.
We mistreat old that the remains of the following persons have !len
found :—Mr. Nathaniel Stewair, Polly Stewart, Mary Ante 'Stewart,
Miranda Stewart, l)orastus Phinpey, Mrs. Wilson, Jane Wilson,
Cynthia Wheelock, Loyal bldrklipt. reef Somers.
In addition to dwelling-Annie', there have been destroyed a 'treat
number of shops, barns, and other notbeildisgs. Large quantities of
handset have been carried ova', with the saw mill'.
We make no rnim,te of the damage so roads and bridges—only
stating that there hair been swept away on New Haven River, br-
eading its brandies, St? ktedgcs ; nn fktler Creek one, and on Lesarpn
Tali one.
In all of the above town,, crops of every description. in she vicinity
of she dyer, hays been s-verely nmipy eves entirely de.
strayed; and the soil itself swept away.
We speak most undeniably within the !Indic's( truth, when we esti-
mate the whole amount of private damages at between SO and 40.000
/Wises.