Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-04-23
ELLSWORTH (MAIxE.) April 10.

ELLSWORTH (MAME.) April 10.
Great Calamity This place was visited on
Tuesday last by one of those tremendous fresh.
cts which torn an era; and to the inhabitants oil
Ell,~ orth the food Of 1888 will long be remem.
bersd by the disasters brought in It's train. l,
commenced raining on Monday about noon and
continued Nth increasing violence until Tues
day morning, when it poured down in torrents.
The snow which fell in unusual quantities during
last winter, had become decomposed by the pre-.
vious rains and warm weather, to such degree,
that it became Immediately converted into water
and swept down with violence, which, but Tor
the extensive meadows back, that form receiv'
ing basin, would have Immediately deused the
town and carried every thing before It. Inc
main boom, which has stood every freshet Tor ior-
ty.two wears. was renewed last winter and every
thing done, which vas thought necessary Tor Its
preservation; as IT had resisted many heaVy
tre,hets in a decayed state, 1t was thought the
thorouoh repair il had undergone would enable 1t
70 Withstand any freshet which might ensue.-
The food came so suddenly and Unexpectedly, that
the chains and cables, which il was customary to
bend ON the boom m case of danger, could not
he procured in season. aud all that could be done
was to wait with anxiety the rapidly rising wa
ters. The degree of fear which was felt, may
be conceived from short description OF the loca.
ton OF the town and river. The town Is situated
at the head of the tide waters and quarter OF
mile below the boom and mills, snugy enscon'
sed between surrounding emnences which follow
the course Of the river. From the mills, extend
a succession of falls for three quarters OF nile,
when the meadows commence; these form In
mense reservoirs for the water, and although
they prevent sudden overflow. they cause an IN
crease of the freshet for several days alter IT has
ceased raining. From these circumstances, and
the rapid rise, and great height. which the river
had already attained, the Inhabitants had little to
hope in regard to the safety OF the boom, and
great fears Of the destruction OF property which
might ensue in the village. Under these aPpre
hensions every one was ON the look out; at length
the chains which held the western end OF the
boom, snapped with a loud report. and the piers,
three in number, were swept down and overturn-
ed without resistance, and twenty thousand logs
started Win irresistible force. crushing the mill
dam, and on a current which ran at the rate Of
fifteen miles an hour, moving towards the village.
This happened about nine o'clock, and the wa.
ter rapiliy rising. The conclusion. when they
struck the bridge, was tremendous. No one
exDected it would stand for moment; but the
strength of the workmanship, and the circum-
stance of its being founded on rock which
constitutes the main BODY Of the middle pier, en-
abled il to withstand the shock. 1t was expect
ed that the logs would Jam between the piers,
and that the waters would consequently overflow
the village; but they came with such tremendous
force, that they went through between the piers.
like corn through hopper, filling the whole
snace from the bottom of the river to the string.
ers which support the plank. The water rose
about Eve feet in the river above the bridge. but
the body Of logs soon passed, and immediate dan
ger was then over, but the logs came down in
large bodies during the remainder Ut the day
Much damage was done TO the bridge and mills.
All attempts at throwing booms below, were un.
availing, but it Is hoped some logs will be saved
on the islands aud shores OF the bay, and 1t IS to
be expected that considerable exertion will be
made, as the proprietors Of the logs have offered
a GOOD premium ON all which shall be saved
The whole number Of logs which are lost. amount
to between thirty and forty thousand; the total
loss and damage cannot be estimated at less than
S65.OOO Those logs which were cut last win.
ter remain for the most part in the small branch.
es Of the river and against bridge about Tour
miles above the village Considerable aPprehen-
sicns are still felt by the Inhabitants lest the
bridge should give way, Of whichthere IL some
Hanger, as Tue water nAs i'Se" s'"se N's ""'
broke, about three feet, and we have every pros
pect Of ano,he, violent storm. 1t was fortunate
circumstance that the boom gave way 50 soon.
for if il had remained until the height OF the
freshet, it must inevitably have given way, aud
probably carried the bridge and part OF the vii
iage before it The roads are much damaged,
and the small bridges mostly destroyed. We
have as vet, received neither news nor mat, fur
ther East than Cherry6rid. where the mills and
boon have been carried away. We wait with
anxiety news from that quarter, a. the storm
seems TO have been more violent to the Eastward
than it was in the Western parts.
SpRINerIELD. (Ohio.) April IS.
a Terrible Tornado.-On Thursday afternoon,
between five and six o'clock. our citizens we're