The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-08-11
GREAT FREsHET.

al the North, continue to BIO received. From
them We have selected and condensed the fol-
lowing additional particulars:
From the .Mddiebury Republican.
The freshet which has prevailed in this
vicinity, has been unparalleled-sucha as has
never been witnessed by our oldest inhabit-
ants. The streams swoln to an unwonted
degree burst over their barriers and inun-
dated the whole country round about.
Many of them have been turned entirely
out of their channels in different places, and
the scene which is presented along their
banks is scene of desolation and rain.
The devastation and destruction, not only
OF property but also of human liUes, is APP
palling in the extreme. Seldom do we
hear of any calamity so distressing as the
one we are about to record.
| Two families by the name of Farr were
taken from their houses on RATS, one of
them in the midst of the storm and dark
ness, from the windows of the second story
of the house. The family of Col. VIM. P.
Nash, whose wife was confined to bed by
sickness, remained all night in the upper
Tooms of the house, while the lower part
was filled with water, and without all was
darkness and doubt. A state of suspense
and dread more horrible cannot we'll be
imagined-placed in the midst of food
threatening to sweep all before it, danger
and death staring them in the face, without
any means or any possibility of escape.
The situation and escape of Mr.. C. Claffin
was still more fearful and singular. Mr.. C.
was aroused in the night, and upon going
to the door found the water had already
I risen to such height around the house as to
prevent his escape from it. He according
ly took cord from bedstead, and having
conveyed his children into the top of an
elm tree, which stood near, fastened them
to it by means of the rope. He also sue
ceeded in getting his wife and a young in
! FAINT few weeks old, into the same place,
where they awaited in agonizing anxiety
for the return of light. They were rescued
| from their situation with much difficulty
the next morning.
The circumstances in which those who
were carried away were separated from
their friends and neighbors were heart
rendng in the highest degree. Mr.. FL
bridge and his two sons, with Mr. Somers
and one-or two others, went to the assist
ance of Mr.. Stewart and his family in the
house. The water rising rapidly they all
fled from the house to barn which stood
on higher ground, and while engaged in
preparing raft Of the barn doors and such
other materials as were at hand, the barn
was carried away by the force of the cur
rent. Some, it is supposed, were killed by
the fall of the barn-all, with the exception
OF one boy who caught by bush and was
subsequently saved, were carried down by
the stream, till the river meets with Otter
Creek, where Mr.. Eldridge and one son,
and one or two others, with great difficulty
escaped. AT two or three different times,
Mr.. Eldrldge had his son, who was lost, in
his arms, bat was torn from him each time
by the violence of the current and the
wrecks of the buildings.
Cries OF distress were heard by those
who were upon the banks of the stream,
aB&n Win f6s TIE cGffent The deep darkness
of the night and the fury of the inundation
shut out every thing from their sight and
precluded the possibility of affording anv
assistance, and they were compelled to
hear, IN silent agony, the shrieks and sup
plIcations of their perishing neighbors and
friends without being able to afford anv
succour. Mr.. Wilson at the time his
mouse began to give way before the water.
the chimney having already fallen. was
standing with his son near door-the re-.
malnder of the family were above, and as
the building fell into the current. his SON
and himself plunged into the water and
swan towards the land while the wife and
children were hurried to destruction bv
the rushing torrent. Mr.. Wilson heard
the cries of his family as they were swept
away and swallowed up by the deyourino
Hood. A separation more agonizing is be-
yond conception.
From the Montpelier Watchman.
We have just experienced the greatest
and most destructive freshet which has ever
visited this region. In consequence of the
large quantity of rain which had fallen for
some days previous, on Monday the waters
OF Onion River and North Branch commenc.
ed rising rapidly at O'Clock, P. NJ, most
OF our streets were inundated. The water
continued to rise until about O'Clock. Tues
day morning, at which time it was three to
tour inches higher than the great freshet of
1873. AS far as we have heard, the prin-
cipal damage Is as follows:
In this village, two bridges on North
Branch, the office Of ]. Y. Vail, ESQ.,! a bar
ber's shop, and a woodshed belengino 70
Mr.. Samuel Abbott.
In the east part of Middlesex, a saw mill.
belonging to }. Howes, Esq, and one bridge,
At Mlddlesex village, saw mill, an oil mill.
grist mill, woollen factory, school house. a
barn, were swept away, and two DWELLING
houses overturned. The bridge across the
narrows, which stood 60 or 70 feet above
low water mark, and the arch bridge about
a mile below, are gone.
Or little village in Moretown, consisting
OF sixteen buildings, six only are left and
we further learn that all the mills except
one, and most of the dams, together with a
great number of dwelling houses and barns
on Mad River have been swept away. Not
bridge on Mad River is left standing.
In Waterbury village, the water was
from to 8 feet higher than ever before
known, and many Of the houses were mum
dated and much property DESTROYED M ono