The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1841-01-19
GREAT FRESHET.
CROTON DAM, NEW YORK, DESTROYED,

Tile particulars ofthe destruction OF Croton wa.
ter Works we copy from the New York Courier
We are sorry TO say the most serious in jury has
been caused to the works on the Croton River, BY
an unprecedented rise of its waters, and unfortu'
natety aot unaccompaned by loss of human life
The ain which commenced falling on Tuesday
evening and which continued without inermsson
till Thursday al driglrt, added to the melting OF
snow, which about eighteen inches deep when
the thaw began, SO sweed the river and created
such torrent Of water, that it has carried away
aboni one half Of the Croton dam an' the
bridge across the river above the dam.
These works erected under The superintendent
of The water commissioners, and tho city will expe
! rienco severe loss by the injury they have su"
tanned. The mason work part of the dam remains
but theearhern embankmeni with the heavy stone
protection wall OF twenty feet thickness as its base
is all carried away.-Upward Of two years have
already been expended on its construction, and it
all but completed last fall.
Three bridges below the dam, one of which
crossed by the N. York and Albany post road. and
several mills, we'll as dwelling houses, both a
hove and below, have also been swept away, and
we regret that l!ce indi, iduals who were inmates
of the latter have lost their lives, The flood came
in the middle Of the night, and with such rapidly
the people had scarce time TO escape from their
beds and seek refuge in the tops oftrees.
From the Sun Of Saturday.
The country below the dam exhibited
Of devastation. fragments Of houses, chairs, bed
stcads trunks and other furniture weie floating
down the stream, thrown upon the inundated
fields in pron,iseHous confusion.
We are unable to obtain full list o. this sufferers
and can only parlcularize a few. Tonpkins bridge
was Carried away Baileys wire and rolling ms
chine was totally destro $50 uso were IloIm"ns
Mills Quaker b, idac, aud Pines. In addition
20 these about 60 houses or shan,ees, occupied by
Irish laborcrs, were carried away The inmates
surprised were obliged fly for safety, without
saving any thing, and some being unable 10 escape
otherwise, were compelled to climb trees in tho
midst of the water.
The Newark Turnpike, Beleyille and Oqna
mock bridges, in New Jersey, have all been swept
away. The damage by the riso of the Delaware
is said to be very great Lumber to The amount Z"
$500 600, il is presumed fioated down the river
Every bridge across the Delaware between Tren'
ion N J. and Easton, had been swept away and
fragments of household furniture and barns to-
gethcr with large quantities of grain and hay were
seen floating down the Delaware
At PhiadeI phia the damage has aIso been great
The shops and cellars and lower stories of dwell.
ings were filled with water The damage L"
wharves below Market street bridge was very
great, and all The wharves have suffered more o.
less a..t
FRESHET
The damage done to the Cro,on water Works
surrounding lands, buildings, &c, according to inc
es innate of the reporter for the N. Y Herald, VINO
visited the scene Of devastation, is laid down az
$672, 500-and it is stated that this estimate IL
| supposed to be far below the actual loss. Ihe1o
| were three lives lost, and others were saved o"E
by the most strenuous exeriions
The Newark Daily Advertiser states that ''u'
bridges across the Passac have gone VIZ ,"s
viilc, and the old Newark bridges. The ra"'',
bridges stand firm, except the Trenton, a" ~
Albany road; the bridge at Pine Brook at Cau"',.
and the bridge across the Rahitan, at Bound Dro,"
have also gone, and property the margins Oh wv
river has also suffered
The Nashua N. II. Telegraph says the danlas'
on The Soulhegan has been considerable Luz
bridge at East Wilton village was carried away
and we understand drove Of about 81 sheep "'.'
drowned on the bank at Fletchers tavern III -"
herst. l..
A good deal of damage has been done On ~,
Merrmac. Both bridges at Concord, N. L. .k
been carried away, and also saw mill at raw" ho
ct falls, Lowell Some of the small bridges ."
Concord river have been swept away. Inc I'D
nec,cut rose to great height, at NorthamPto" '''