The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-14
THE FRESHET AT ALBANY.
The City OF Albany Flooded-Ve sseIs
Driven Ashorc-Great Destruction or
Proporty-Damage TO the Canal, sc.

ALBANY, Feb. 1a, 1861.
The broke up in front Of the city at eight O'Clock
this morning, causing great destruction to property
Steamers bargcs and boats were driven on the
docks and into the streets by the bodies Of ice
State street bridge is q complete wreck Hamilton street
is partially destroyed, also Columbia street bridge
Several stores along the piers dock have been par
italy demolished, well canal boats lumber slaves
and offices have been carried down the river
The basin presents extraordinary scene as boats
and buildings all janmed in together 1t ia impossi
BILE TO approximate the Of loss damage but II
must be very great. The rising very rapidly
indicating that the ice has damned up below We have
anticipatons Of great freshet occurred in
1857 The telegraph lines between here and Troy
all down.
ALBANY, Feb. I3-lP.M.
The commenced moving the river at quarter past
eight this morning Opposite the city the break up
sudden and attended by noise like thunder. Within
twenty minutes after the start the water four feet
and has been rising SINCE until at present the rise
Is about seven to eight feet. The destruction
property is large, the ice being blocked below
the city. The damage in the basin Ia roughly
estimated at $4,000. Boats, propelers and
other craft driven up by the force Of the ice.
heavy towboat and other boats driven through tn
the whole front being knocked out, and the building,
which Is very long and two stories high, Is much
damaged. Two brick machine shops, Ownoi by Mr.
Punch, were destroyed in a similar manner, at the
foot Of Hamilton street propeller driven through
the wall Of the Dudley House, which stands on
sion in store is Comparatively small AT the dock the
men had strong force during the night, in anticpa
ton of the danger The water some places is up
Broadway and in Maiden lane reaches already the
Of Stanwx Hall and the cellars and Easements
high Green tire are % At there III
been broken to pieces and partially swept away and among
ss Tns pr sns
present give any adequate idea Of the damage
but the destruction has been sudden and rapid than
that Of though the water has not yet reached near
We have no intelligence yet from Greenbush but the
flood the Hudson River Railroad side Of the river must
be heavy.
NASHUA, N. H.. Feb. 10, 1851.
The thaw has caused reshet in the Souhegan river,
plipg ice ana water to great depth on the railroad
track between here and Won stopping the passage Of
all trains.
HcHFsDAIE Pa, Feb. l3, 1861
The dam OF large reservoir Carleybrook, owned by
the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, broke away
this morning, destroying in its large sswmil
and tannery, owned by Henry Bunne, together with
glass and bottle factory and other buildings owned by
Serious damage has also been done to the Delaware and
Hudson Canal Companys property In this vicinity The
loss is not known.
until the entire business portion Of the city Of Broad
way inundated and business wholly suspended The
water several streets running Win TN, sne ryer
and many families have been driven TO hasty retreat
In number Of instances families have been obliged at
last to remove by means Of boats from second story
windows.
South Broadway, from near the Atlas and Argus ONCE
down to the steamboat landing navigabIe by boats
The Mansion House. late the Commercial Hotel is On.
trely surrounded by water
Tasp the ice went out two had a narrow escape.
They saw The breaking up Of the ice when in the middle
OF the river, ana ran for Hamilton street bridge On
reaching there they were overaken by the Hood and
skating park on that part the river and carried
down. but they against the South ferry Slip ana were
rescued by means Of ropes
of the disaster.
Steamboats, propellers ferry boats, vessels and canal
boats are jammed together in pr omiscuous heap Of
All the bridges are less injured.
The and cellars of all the buildings for some
distance west OF Broadway are filled with water
There are at present signs Of a fall in the flood
our ALBANY CORRESPONDENCE.
Albany, Feb. 10, 1861
We had an entertainment this morning not down on
the i:al programme of the Legislature. Everybody
expected night that the river would certainly break
up morning. the ice bridge give way and crossing
the river madel Impossible Morning, however, came,
and teams still crossing the ice The passengers on
the Dmornng trains for New York at half-past seven
found their way the river without any trouble bu
i~.ar a rumbling sound was heard in the dis.
4 few minutes -o~~ding like the roar
tancc, gradually coming 'more near, "a.
Of Niagara. Still the came, and was Soon
cened that the noble Hudson had broken the ice letters
placed around her by the monarch Of winter ana tn.
Of the mighty waters but her effort to release
herself from the grasp which had long held her in
slumberns silence At length the cakes Of Ice could be
pushing and grinding against each other IL
longer able to control their anger Rapidly they crowded
onward and at eight O'Clock the ice in front Of Albany
gave way to the pressure The water longer willing
remain within its prescribed bounds rushed every d
recton, bearing upon its bosom the Ice
they in turn graphing ferry and canal boats and sweep
ing them along with the tide. The rush great
that the water and ice unable TO push forward fast
enough in the channel Of the river rushed into the canal
basin, carrying everything before it. This basin
filed with canal boats, both horse and steam, well
a number Of towboats all bound tight within the ice;
but this solid anchor not enough them they
the foot Of State street The bridge across the basin al
the foot Of that street swept away and In It's place
lay crushed canal boats piled on top OF each other and
the ferry boat Transit ON top OF them, with its bows
the street,
BY this time crowds had found their way to the
wharvce the cry went forth that there several
families in the canal boats. skns procured and
efforts at once made TO rescue them from their perious
children were seen emerging from the boats and were
announced safe, when general shout went up
from the excited crowd Mules and horsee were also
turned cut Of the boats and they In turn found their
10 dry land.
An along the wharves the canal boats were thrown
by the pressure upon the DOCKS the leo piled up
against them, and in less than hour the
water bee 10 set back IL II had been damned up
below then could be seen hurrying 70 and fro In the
storebouses and stores along the river Cartmen
called into requsition and goods carted of as fast as
possible the several hosting apparasuses worked to
their capacity to place the bales, barrels and
every movable article in the upper stories OF the build
npes. Such busy times had not been for many day.
All this time1 the excited crowd rushing back and
forth TO see the rush OF water and Ice; the ice
was carried onward, crushing and grinding aga,ns,
each other, at a rapid rate ON il rushed
down tho river, carrying with II lumber, canal
boats and everything that within its
grasp. At ten O'Clock the ice began 10 slackcn ss
hiatt had h~u m Qd
up Arpspy and that the love. portion OF tho city
sure 10 be Hooded and great damage done 70 pro
perry The only question then left was for all 70 pre-
six inches per hour with prospect Of abatng FOR
time 70 come Those qualne TO Judge assert that me
= rshy. 80"
Iu
The water Is rapidly rising, and the prcs,, e ram
manifested as to the lnal end. large number md
lies have been obliged 10 leave their homes in skis,
ere moving what little furniture they In that
The Harlem Is the only train that has arrived from New
York, and the passengers that brought 10 Alba
ny by the way OF Troy The afternoon train that road