The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-15
THE GREA7 FREsMr ON THE HUDSON
Immense amor nat Of Property Destroyed
nj AlDany- loss DstimAfed st SlOO,OOO
IRON she Albany Argus, Feb 14.1

NJ AlDamy-' .oss Estimated It 800, 900.
The warm, ossy weather Of The pas. few days, to-
gether with rain that fell Monday admonished our
citizens ths an nundatcn Of than ordinary extent
was mpvldng and those who owned property lying near
tie river took every precauton TO guard against do
The result proves that they did hour
every thing like merchandise In the warehouses,
that not able 10 aod that the nundaton has
During tuesday and Tuesday night ganrs Of men were
mployed on the piers and docks removing everything
hat movable 70 places Of safety, and by daylight
was thought by every body that when the anticipated
freshet came would find less destructble property
within reach than had been the for many years
Every body everything seemed TO be quite prepared
ior the worst but unfortunately the greatest damage
has etulted TO class of property that on similar occa
SONS, escaped with little or no injury.
morning portion Of the docks were submerged.
s there were few who had any idea that the ice would
during the day. 1t was SO thick and strong (un-
usually for SO late IN the seasoD) to give the impress
that it capable of understanding for day or two
longer at least any pressure that the ice from above
might tax with. The passengers for the trains leaving
East Albany at seven O'Clock crossed over in perfect SO
curity eghs and even half an hour later as many
as fifty loaded teams to be at different points
crossing and fro. But few after that hour
oil changed and the Hudson, instead OF lying pacdy
under heavy sheet Of oe presented fearful scene as
ice into pieces ana sweeping away everything movable
that in ITS course along the docks on both sides Of the
river
During Tuesday night information was received here
that the Mohawk river had broken that rush
ing INTO the Hudson with fearful rapdity. AT later
hour intelligence brought that the river rising
ut Troy, and that the docks there submerged.
About midnight 1t was ascertained that the ice had
moved ut Troy but again stopped; that this stop
page had thrown the water back and that the river
rising there ut the rate Of four feet hour Early
yesterday morning the again started Off ia the vi
cnlty Of Troy, coming down banked up just above
Bath, forming an immense dam, which extended from
shore to shore and the island in front of the lum
Der district For two three hours this barrier with
stood an immense pr essure from above-the river at
that point beng several feet higher than 1t was at Bath
although the water found vent through some narrow
passes Of the land But about ten minutes past eight
O'Clock this barrier yielded with terrible crash, and
passed down the river When opposite the Boston de-
pot IL was stopped by the ice which had during the
winter formed a roadway 70 the railroad depot This
sioppage caused the water to rush through the Cut
posie MaiSeb lane and the upper PIER with such
force as TO carry all the craft IN the Middle basin with
it, greatly damaging boats and bridges and thus caus
ing the loss of a large amount Of property.
The barrier opposite the city now speedily yielded TO
the pressure this doubt saved the storehouses
the pier from beng demolished for experienced river
assert that at that time had the water been one
loot higher power earth could have prevented the
moving the steamtugs, barges and canal boats down
the river They would have necessarily come In col
son with the buildings the pier, which could not
have resisted the Of the ice and water and boats
Within twenty minutes after the ice moved in front of
the city the water four feet, and within sixty
minutes six feet Coming up at this fearful rate, citi
occupy ing Easements on Broadw had little time
to remove their goods and furniture and we know Of
which, in the aggregate must reach several thousand
dollars.
miles below the city. About ten O'Clock barrier formed
at oly leland mile below the city but before the
the Abbey, thence along the dyke near Van Wie's
Point, and on the opposite shore through the
schodaek :, creek Below Van. Wie's Point and
very thick and the principal barriers TO river naviga
ton between these places, doubts entertained of
there being sufficient fieshet now to carry it
them.
The damage is immense, and comes at time when our
citizens but lily able to bear IT, Some estimate that
I'm fall CHI rtnfn N,l
lars. but II B utterly impossible at tho present time to
form any idea of the actual loss Nor will be
known until the flood has entirely subsidized. The Pier
Company is heavy loser by the destruction OF the
bridges and the Of the several lots viii have
sustain heavy tax for their reconstruction
The Basin, between the Columbia and Hamilton street
bridges has been during the winter completely filed up
with river and canal craft most of which have under
gone repairs and in readiness for the opening OF
spring business Soon after the ice moved the steamers
barges and boats presented deporabe looking sight,
jammed into each other and carried upon the dock and
the abumens of the bridges II appears that by the
rush Of water and ice through the Cut the vessels
carried against the State street BRIDGE when the super
structu es of the bridge way This caused the
sells from above to break from their moorings, and
general crash ensued.
the vessels stranded the abumens may be rescued;
others, however will be lost they now In a sink
ing condition. The same may be said Of the vessels
driven on the DOCK some Of which laden with produce
and merchandise.
Some Of the boats were not only loaded with mer
chandse, 1t being impossible to find storage for their
cargoes last fall when they laid up, but several
of them families had lived during the winter and in
these the had also wntered their horses Tho
nundation too TO admit OF removing either
their families horses and the people compelled to
remain Oh board for hours after without much danger
however, after the first great crash Up to last evening
could not learn whether any OF the boats having pro-
duce board injured to extent sufficient to
eopardize their cargoes but IL Is than probable
that some of them are.
Columbia street bridge is rreparably damaged We're
IL not for the loss that the Pier Com susans by the
general disaster few would regret this fact II has long
been in miserably diapda.ed condition. and has time
and again we believe been presented by grand ures
nuisance. Its two principal spans, which rested on
stone and earth foundations, were carried away.
State street bridge fine structure Of ron resting
iron pers suffered most damage Indeed 1t Is doubtful
whether any portion OF It, save the PIERS remains 1t
seems that these piers afforded substantial foun-
cation. During the great inundaton Of 1857 con-
sideraby damaged by the leo crowdng away its abut
ments
Hamilton street bridge was a comparatively small
affair IL had swing span Of iron, and this has been
carried or
The canal line of steamugs and barges suffer conside.
rably Two OF their steamtugs wore In the basin-the
Austin and 0ho-and were whred around at frightful
rate during the crash. The latter reported have
been drawn upon sunken boat, and is considerably da
mayed, but the former is not materially injured. Be
ing OF the Marshall, Monteth, John Adams Tompkins
Lewis Roberts, Clinton and Ontario. -Four or i've Of
these forced npon the dock and two Of them into
the freight house recently erected by the Central Rail
read between Columbia street and Maiden lane.
Between Maiden lane lad state street four canal
are on the deck Of which forced against brick
warehouse occupied by Mr. Lee Chambcrlin the cor
heT OF fAcnangc sUeot, with sucn violence
away portion OF the southeast of the building
In which there soreGa large amount Of property The
extent Of the damage TO the building not fully known
but II thought to be In very dangerous condition
The steamtug l.. d. Collins carried upon one of the
abutmehts Of the State street bridge, where lay in
imminent danger Of being broken IN two Payne's mud
machine and threcor four canal boats also forced
upon the abutments. One OF the canal boats contained
three mules and the boat being likely to be destroyed
the owner attempted to get them on Two OF them were
safely landed upon the unbroken ice and the third was
dragged out Of the water.
The raced ferry boat Transit from Brooklyn, which
was being converted into barge for the transportation
q merchandise between this city and New York was
forced upon one of the abutmens of the bridge, where
she lies Ia a critical condition
The fronts OF the buildings occupied by the line
on the pier forced in by the ice, but they are
hot valued the loss will be trning The front wall OF
pubshon's machine shop, the quay, forced Ia By
the bow OF lake boat The boat crowded through
the wall and 10 tho first floor and the lar thus caused
forced out the frtnt wall OF the second story.
portion Of the Central Railroad yard is under water
and the large temporary freight house facing the basin
sustained considerable damage.
No delay Of the Central trains IL occasonod by tho
froshet though for A. short distance on Montgomery
street the water Ia out two feet the track causing
some little trouble with the engine fires when a train
passes through, but no delay OF any consequence