Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-03-26
LOCAL, 1NTELLrdE NCE.

such rapidity to flood the entire valley oil the Con
necticu river and cause great damage to the bridges
and the adjacent railroad embankmens. The rise in
the river against Brattleboro very sudden during
Friday night and the forenoon of Saturday. During
the morning the river partially filed with frag-
ments OF floating ice Of moderate dimensions, until
about haf-past nine, when the quantity and size OF
the cakes suddenly increased. One large mass bear
Ing upon It's surface the marks of travel indicated the
breaking up of the crossing at Putney, and the COM
pcte opening Of the river far rs Bellows Falls
After its passage no fears entertained Of the
safety OF the ne bridge. During the afternoon the
river continued to rise slowly but the amount Of ice
greatly increased. The ponderous fragments with
their corners worn smooth from continual atrition
came floating down, jostling against each other with
terrific violence. They barked the trees the banks
of the river, and dashed against the abutments and
pier OF the bridge until the whole structure vibrated
with tho shock.
The heighth attained by the water at this place
was nearly foot greater than has been witnessed
during the last twenty-five years. and had the present
bridge been higher than the one destroyed two
years sincc II must inevitably have shared like fate
The Island partly under water and the road was
covered TO the depth OF two feet from bridge tobrdge
The meadows in the Of the Asylum were entire
ly submerged, the water reaching to the barn. The
Foundry the bridge had nearly two feet Of water
the first floor, and many Of the cellars in the place
looked very much like reservoirs. But we are happy
in not being able to chronicle any serious damage to
property in Bratteboro
The new bridge in process of erection over the Con-
nectlcut river, between Westminster and wapole be-
ing without roof floor was blown over by the wind
about nine o'clock Saturday morning, and swept Off
by the stream Most of the structure landed on Put
uey meadows but considerable fragments passed this
place during the afternoon This disaster must in
volye the contractors, who belong in Caremont, N.
H. in a loss amounting to $4,000 or $4,000.
The ice injured one Of the trusses OF the large
bridge over the Connecticut river ut Bellows Falls,
belonging to the Sullivan Railroad Company, and also
started the bridge from its place. rendering it impass
able for trims. We have not learned the estimated
damage done.
The toll bridge the Connecticut between Charles
town and Springfield carried away early Satur-
day morning, and during the day the tol-brdgc over
the same river at Hartland met with similar fate
The entertainments the railroads above here are all
injured but nowhere to extent sufficient prevent
the regular running Of the trains
Below here in Franklin county, Massachusetts,,
bridges, roads, and mills have suffered badly In
Leverett, Montague, and some other towns, several
roads have been seriously damaged, and rendered
temporarily impossible. bridge near Goss's, Mon
tague city, was swept away, together with the en-
bnnkment OF the canal. portion of Benchley's mill
dam in Montague washed away, and the mill
suspends operations for the present. bridge across
Millers river between Erving and Wendell was car
red or and Large quantities of lumber along the river
have been swept away, together with the bulkheads
Of dams at Orange and Athol depot.
The Greenfield Courier says the Montague bridge
the Connecticut though left standing had nearly
all Of the boards the south side and nearly all Of
the strngers and braces torn out by the ice leaving
the bridge wreck. The first span from the west
abutment is only held up by one brace the inside
and is liable to fall at any time. The bridge is not
passabe except for foot passengers and the damage
to it cannot be less than $4,000 to $4,000.
The railroad bridge between Northampton and Hol-
yoke was injured, portion of it being swept away,
by the frcshet Of Wednesday. Still further damage
was done on Saturday. The Northampton corrcspon-
dent Of the Republican says;
At Northampton, the Connecticut river rose on Sat-
urday till at the OF five inches an hour and
from that time I'LL Sunday morning about three inch
es an hour, when the meadows were completely sub
merged, and presented vast expanse Of water
ing point only twelve inches lower than the food of
1854 which illuminated at a. m May LIST, eighteen
| inches higher than the flood Of 1913. The water
stood nearly stationary all day. having fell but trc
at night The Saturday evening train from Spring
held reached Northampton about 10 O'Clock. It was
sgnaled near the pile bridge in the meadows, about
mile below Northampton, where the embankment had
commenced to wash, but passed slowly in safety
The engine Bmttleboro under the carge Of engineer
Smith, which followed the train, along about 20
minutes later and also signaled and passed eau
tously over the bridge but had not gore more than
fty feet from it, when the track on tho west side set
tied, and the engine precpitated into the water which
was nearly up to the track, where il lies, topsy
turvy, complete wreck. The engineer was throw n
some distance from the engine into the water and
barely escaped drowning by swimming TO the en-
bankment. Fortunately he was but slightly injured.
The railroad embankment, south from Northampton.
for nearly two miles more or less washed by the
waves dashing against it on the west side and some
thirty rods on each side OF the pile bridge the track
was on mn angle Of nearly 46 degrees pitching to the
west.
AT Hartford the highest point reached by the food
was rs feet inches above low water mark The
Hartford Prsss and 1es thus describes affairs in tina,
city on Monday:
| I'VE took a boat ride up Commerce street tbi,
morning. and found the grocery business quite dull on
that thoroughfare and the residents summing them
selves Mt the second story windows. The chambers
and garrets were crnmmed with human beings, pro
visions and furniture, while tables chairs and beds
that could not be moved up stairs floating IN the
rooms OF the first story. Slkmen were serving Their
customers from boats and dozens Of pro tempore fer
rymen were making good thing OF H. BY ferryine
passengers about the streets. Sunday afternoon and
this forenoon, men with horses and lumber wagons
were making from IS to $40 hour in carrying peo
pie over tee water in Morgan the bridge and
back again, at five cents each way. MANY house,
were flooded to the second story and some nearly te
the eaves-not only damaging houses and furniture
but in many cases placing the Inmates in peril W.
have not yet heard of any loss Of human life, though
many Sninals have been drowned Travel is mt 1
stand except by boats between East Hartford and thu
city; and the arthest dry bridge the East Hartford
causeway gone and the nearest the great bridge
Also Portions OF the causeway are washed awayo
Acres in extent north Of the causeway are covered
with floating ice and several feet of water. Some Of
the houses are In very prccarious situations and In
many places the streets and roads be distinguish
ed only by the rows Of trees their borders rising
from the water" "e
The ffeshet on the Ashuelot river was quite severe
and did considerable damage. In Hinsdac the pane,
mill Of ROBINSON & Cook was undermined on tn,
river side and settled eight inches; most of tn,
stock and machinery had to be moved The waite,
came near washing completely around the mill, ant
was only prevented by the cries of 're and "water
which collected the inhabitants about o'clock Sum
day morning. when by the of logs paper rags, &c.
the breach was closed. Some of the other work