The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-08-12
TIE NORTHERN FLOOD.

this morning, contains the following mel
I ancholy, but interesting detail ofthe effect
Of the late storm at New Haven. (Vt)
| DRrApFUL CALAMITY One of the
most terrible foods that ever dcsolated this
or any other country carried ruin and death
through the valley of New Haven river on
Monday night the 26,h inst. The New.
| Haven river has its source among the
mountains Of Bristol and Lincoln. Its
source is very rapid uutil il reaches Bristol
village when it cmergss from the noun
tains winds with fine rapid current
through an open country, forming fine and
! beautiful intervals until il reaches New
Haven West Mills. or Beeman's Hollow,
when the stream IN narrow by rugged and
| precipitous banks which continue about one
mile when il enters Otter Creek. The
weather the week previous had been fine,
warm but dry. Saturday the wind blew
| strong from the South but tho weather was
sultry. II began to rain Saturday night
between & aud 9 o'clock and rained nearly
the whole night. Sunday great deal Of
! ruin fell and the mountain streams were
very much swollen. Sunday night and
throughout the day of Monday there were
frequent and very severe showers. About
sundown on Monday very dark dense
cloud settled around Bristol Mountain, and
tho lightning was for two hours incessant
and vivid. The rain poured down in tor
rents on the devoted valley. and tho lofty
mountains that cast their rushing waters
into its bosom. Tho water ran with mex.
ampled rapidity. Before twelve o'clock
the water had rose from ten 10 twelve feet
higher than was ever known to the oldest
inhabitants the dams IN Lincoln and Bris
tol gave way.
At New Haven Fast Mills, the dam,
bridge, and all the mills were torn away.
From the East Mills TO the West Mills in
New Haven is about four milcs.-At the
West Mills the banks are high and the riv
er lust above tho Mills and below the up
per bridge makes 8 short turn to the North,
and small rocky island divides the river
AT this spo, into two channels, the East and
West, which unite again above Wilson's
Mills The cluster orbuildings were chief.
ly situated on the East side OF the river, on
a piece of high intcrvale, which commences
soon after the stream turns TO the North.
John Wilson's house and the house occu.
pied hy mr.. Stewart, a blind man, where
several rods from the river on the fiat and
near each other. A few rods below the
Wilson's Mills, which were situated on the
lower dam. the stream turns short 10 the
West ana dashes through a narrow pas.
sage in rocks called the narrows. There
was . narrow bridge above the Wilson'S
Mills. Between ten and eleven o'clock at
ngh,. the water rising rapidly, the VIII.
sons became alarmed for their property, and
some Of the neighbors collected to assist in |
its preservation. Miles Far and his son |
crossed the river for that purpose before
the bridges went of. While they were at
work about the Mill for this purpose, the
water was rising with fearful rspidity.
The upper bridge went, together with the
grist mill and clo,hier's works. The float
ing mass paused a moment at the lower |
bridgo--thai gave way and ali was thrown /
on the lower mills and dam. When John /
Wilson and his son and the two Ears gave
up attempting To save any thing from the |
mills aud went to John Wilson's house,
they found 10 their sstonishment that a rap
id and powerful current Of water was
sweeping along between the house and the
high ground beyond. They attempted to
ford il in vain. The two Ears crossed 10
The Stewart house, when Lcmuel B. Ed
ridge, Esq. aud his son young man about
twenty. and mr.. Somers. a hired man Of
mr.. Eldridge, had already arrived. Mr..
rode horse through the current
10 the Stewart house but considered that
I would be very hazardous to attempt TO re-
urn in the same way. They Immediately
commenced building q raf, at the end Of the
wood house with . view to take of the ,
stewart family. They had previously left
he house and taken refuge in the barn 4,
which stood on a little high ground. I
Just rs the ran Was completed the wood q
'cuse started, and VISA swep, away by the q
urren'. They could no longer hold the {
sft, and the man who Was holding IT when