The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-10-01
THE FREsHET.

." VAC Spy Vi sept IL, We gave SOME detallS
OF the damage sustained by the late freshet !
Since that time further accounts have been re- I
coiVed from various quarters. In Vermont the !
destruction of property has been very great !
From the papers of that State we gather the
following additional particulars:
In Mortified, two bridges on Dog River,
and all the mills at the upper village, were
swept away; and Paine's woolen fac
tory sustained much injury, about 10000
bricks having been forced from one corner
/ of the building.
! In Barre, Days lower woollen factory,
with ITS valuable machinery, on Thwing's
Branch, was entirely destroyed. Mr. Keith'sl
factory, and Days upper factory were ma
terlally injured. Several buildings in the
whole in Barre, were destroyed, and the
entire current of the branch in many places
passed through new channels.
At Middlesex village, about five miles
from this, on Onion River, all the mills in
GLIDING grist and saw mill, oil mill, and
wooilen factory, were swept off at once,
carrying with them the bridge across the
narrows. Mad River bridge in Moretown
was also carried away.
In Montpelier, the water rose about four
feet higher than 1t was ever before known
to have risen by the oldest inhabitants
A barn with about five tons of hay, foated
maJestlcally from its moorings, and made
sale harbor about two miles down the river,
without even disturbing the fowls in their
4 nests. The two lower bridges on the North
4 Branch, were carried away.
In Mlddlesex, most of the bridges on the
smaller streams are swept away. Much
no ySf oc.
on the rich intervals, as they were entirely
overfiown. The impetuons waters literally
rolled down our mountain sides in torrents,
and meeting in Onion River, sweed it to
an unaXampled height.
AT Hazen's Notch in Westield, between
Kelleyvale and Montgomery, an avalanche
started from between four and six hundred
feet above the road and carried with it trees,
rocks, and earth, in immense quantities, into
the valley below, filling the road 10 or IL
feet in depth, and for eight or ten rods in
withdrawing it entirely impossible for
any kind of carriage, and it was with the
utmost difficulty that our informant coult
| pass round through the woods with single
horse. Such appears to have been the force
and velocity of the slide, that large hemlock
and spruce trees were thrown beyond the
resting place of the earth, &C. and were
left with their roots in an opposite direction
to that in which they would naturally have
fallen. The earth is so entirely stripped
from the rock as to leave but little chance
for danger in future. At short distance
flom the above slide, rock evidently weigh
ing II or 800 pounds, fell from the extreme
point of the mountain, and leaving but an
occasional touch upon the rocks below,
bounded directly into the centre of the road,
a distance of between and 600 feet, and
nearly buried itself in the earth.
In Bradford, heavy rain fell on the Sd
and 18th ult. At about O'Clock in the after
noon of the 4th thunder shower came IN
from the southwest; and at sunset it settled
down into "a steady rain and SO continued
till 4 o'clock next morning when Egyptian
darkness seemed to cover the earth ; and
for the space of an hour, the waters liter
I ally poured down from the heavens. At
day light the whole village was in amaze
ment. Tremendous excavations were open-
ing IN almost every direction. The small
brook IN the village became an irresistible
torrent-tearing up its cli foundation to the
depth OF from two to ten feet; driving
FENCES. logs, stumps, stones, and even rocks,
lurlously into the gulf of the river below.
Four bridges, blacksmith's shop chaise-
makers shop, stone factory and paper
mill were all swept away as with the hand
4 OF Omnlpotence. Not bridge, mill or dam
remains uninjured in the town. Nothing
like the CULTS in the roads have been known
netore. The damage is estimated from 20
to S3O,O0O. The adjoining towns have wit
messed similar scenes.
In st. Johnsbury, early on Friday MORN
ing, the work of desolation began. Besides
all that injury to highways which might
naturally he expected, the damage done to
bridges and buildings was very great
| Five blidges over Sleeper's river, the west
branch of the Passumpsir, were swept away
IN the town; and the three remaining ones,
were so much injured as to require expen-
sive repairs, if not rebuilding. Many indi-
viduals were in imminent danger, and Mr..
George Emerson of Barnet, clerk in the
store Of Emerson & Howe, was drowned.
( In Royalton, the bridges over the small
streams are almost wholly swept away
The turnpike bridge over White River near
Fox's, is so far destroyed as to be ilnpassa-
BILE, and must he wholly rebuilt. The mills
on Broad Brook are much injured. One
barn filled with hay and grain carried away
One flock of 40 sheep lost One saw mill,
belonging to Mr. Prescott destroyed.
Up White River in Bethel, one grist mill,
SIX saw mills, and one potash lost entirely.
The factory rendered useless. The bridge
across White River gone. One flock of
% sheep lost. Loss in Bethel estimated at
$4,000.
In Stockbridge, two bridges across White
River, one grist mill, one clothier's shop,
and two saw mills gone.
At Chelsea, one trip hammer shop, one
bark-mll destroyed, and the factory in the
upper village much injured, the bridges all
swept off, and the gardens considerably
damaged.
At Randolph, on the Sd branch Of White