The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1853-12-15

~ "e Cas'' Inc following extract OF letter from
Derby, Conn.,, the place where bridge was swept
away and four persons drowned, gives more mnuteI,
the particulars Of the sad catastrophe. We cor,
from the New Haven Jourraal:--
DERBY, Monday morning, Nov. Il.
Last light was the destructive and awful nrh,
ever witnessed in the Valley Of the Naugatuc On.
ring Sunday afternoon, the water in both the Uousa
tonic and Naogatuc rose rapidly, and before nigh,
came on, small buildings were floating down tho
fiousaionic river, amoug which was hat hop from
which some twenty hats were taken at this place. by
approaching Il with boat The river was filed
with iloating timber, broken bridges, &c.
The bridge at Ansonia, on the west side of the
river abued into high ground, and an ON that side
were safe, while through the village Of Ansonia and
between the houses and the east crd Of the bridq,
the water running rapidly and at srea, depth
people were crossing from the western shore on the
bridge 10 the eastern end 10 the rise of water
around the houses in Ansonia; some had gained the
eastern abumen and others crossing, when sud.
denly the centre pier gave way, the bridge broke and
ie aud all then upon il thrown into the stream
and all must have persisted; several caught upon the
bushes that stand upon the eastern shore Of the river
proper, distance Of forty rods below where the
bridge stood, and there shricked for help. Ii was
sometime before they discovered, but there was
no boat there TO aid them. and the probabilities were
that no boat in this vicinity could live reach them
! On citizens driving there and ascertainny
The state Of affairs they Immediately their horses
for Birmingham where boat was instantly loaded
and horses driven at the top Of their speed to the
scene, distance Of some two miles. During all this
time their shreks for help heart-rending. The
boat was immediately manned and four brave fellows
AT the imminent risk Of their lives, pushed into the
madicned stream, anoug floating trees, bridges and
timber. All was excitement as we watched the light
in the boat darling down the stream like an arrow
aud for moment it seemed that they too must be
lost. Soon they bad crossed the current and
then the air was rent with shouts Of Joy, Cor we
| thought AT least the boa;mcn safe and they
would vet thc drowning. They landed AT the
Eastern abutmcnt, and loand ten fifteen per-
there hemmcd in by flood of water and the
heavy walls Of the abutment every few moments fall
ing. AS the wafer could be cleared from the
boat, they again started for the relief Of those that
clinging to the bushes, bu: before they could
reach the place, tired nature had yielded, they had
been swept from their grasp BY floating timber, and
more. For some two hours and a half they
had shreAed for help, and could save them, al
though they were not ten rods from
There were four supposed 10 be upon the bridge
and there may have been many more, it is impossible
ID tell who is gone, as there is communication be-
tween the two shores Of the river. Georgana Bar
tholonew, young lady aged Is years, is known to
he one, and her shrek and wall tor help was heart
rendng, and there stood her poor mother listening to
each appeal, but poweri,ss TO help. Mrs Hartholo-
NEW gave me the names Of Charles Victory, John
Alien, about 10 years OF age. and Andrew Finch, a
boy aged about - ears, boa ders in her family, who
were with her daughter on the bridge. and undoult.
cdly drowned. Those who Witnessed the awful
of last nie this place, can well picture to
their minds the t,ohtul and keart-rcnding scene at
Niagara Oh, that may never again hear such an
appeal tor help without power to render assistance.
No estimate OF the damage 10 property can be giv-
en-. Oar factories and Il great May dwelling houses
and stores had many feet Of water their floors.
The foll-w;ng additional particulars from the Der
by Journal, will be read with painful interest. The
bridge had been swept away and several persons
in the shrickus for help:
"Two,' saws the Journal, .'and perhaps MORE
went down the stream to all island rods below,
which is parity covered by clunps Of alders will
lows, and which thea over.lowed--the water be-
ins the island about six feet deep. They cling to
the bushes and shouted for hep-the frantic sh Ks
being heard at this village, AM, half miles dis
,ant. Their situation perilous in the extreme,
Eucl, If any, less than that oG the recently
the island above Niagara Fails. Indeed the
quite p1ialcl--as The island is in the middle
OF the river, forming part OF the dam: sections Of
which each side OF it. Word bl ough: 10
;hs place of their desperate si.ltiun and numbers
npcl'i i, anxiety, went rp to the bridge 10 ascc.
tam then fate, or render assistance. boat was
also taacn up 10 the scene in wagon, by Mr. Hart
who made every cXeron In his power To- render tins
! II.
Frederick Smith and Ilenan Ruinp, uron whose IN
trcpidiiy and generous courage 100 much piase
not be bestowed. In order 10 gain tie island it
necessary the current above the site of the
bridge, and descend The stream behind below the
east al,utn,cut, which remained
The DANGER Of this crpssn. cannot be adequately
conceived bv those who did not witness it, The boat
was fail, fiat -boltomed sbel--hardy pas>;ibe in
quiet wafer; aud IN ioirent like this, where the
whole river was confined to a narrow channel.
through which it rushed with lightning swness, the
sur face being unduatcd It'll pmense surges, filled
with floating timI>crs and fragments Of brjdses-m.
mensc dark masses OF which protrdiag several feet
above the water, were dartlng past every few minutes
ia the night, and with dam just bec w--,he at
tempt really desperate hazard, and the success
Of the crossing was an extreme good fortnne. They
ventured boldly, yet calmly determined to reach their
desired point. Striking into the current some dis
above, they shot down like arrow, and bare
~ succeeded in placing their boat (Which had in
crossing been stuck by floating TIMBER viii, led
three times around, and partly filed with water,)
beyond the rapid portion Of the stream, 1t was
10 and the unfortunate beings bad been in the
ter three hours during all the time their cries for
help and assistance pi!eous and heart-rending;
but they had grown fainter, and were nov scarcely
heard; and soon not all. Still the daring Of
the boat did not despair Of reaching them la time
Another boat, Of better build, being adapted to the
surf, which had been brought up on the Derby side.
also approached the spot. They fastened their ropes
TO trees and attempted TO cross the current to the
Island but failed. Finally the Of the snif-boat
by hazardous venture, succeeded in reaching
the head Of the Island, which they thoroughly search
cd from end to end bat without either discovering
the lost ones or their bodies. They had chung to the
bushes rs long as they able, until at last, ex-
hausted and abandoning all hope, they swept
rapidly down.
The names of those lost are Miss Georgiana Bar
thodensew. aged IS, John Allen, aged 10.
III. ~ f,fnl nfop NJ
O'Clock on Tuesday morning in the rubbish on the
wooded island, Just below the up town bridge, near
where the Ansona bridge lies, broken in two parts
In addition, says the Derby Journal, the wreck Of
dwellings, shops, barns, fences, &c. came floating
down. and d,.abess have been swept away. Hats,
some fniske and not; feather beds, bee hives,
cider Barrels wash tubs, &C., noticed IN the
water, and some of them caught IT is impossible at
this time get any approximate estimate OF the dam
age on tie Housatonc---a few DAYS will determine
We have heard Of no lives lost in this direction
The damage done to the town Of Danbrry is csti-
mated at SIS, 900. To the town Of Seymour, Derby