The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-05-02

: ments of the Little Bridge, and those of tn
e main bridge required constant care and unre
mlttlng efforts for their protection. n
teams were allowed to pass over it, and bu
few individuals had the temerity to cross i,
trembling as it was with the shock Of tn
J surging flood.
Below the village the water had commenc
ed in the morning to undermine the railroad
track. and it was with difficulty that the Bos
ton train was able to pass about nine o'clock
After that the breach rapidly enlarged and
soon the pent up waters began to cover tina,
large tract of valuable land on the "Dummel
Farm" owned by David Goodell. MIR Good
ell was able to get his cattle out of his barn
upon the high land in the rear of his house
his colts upon the scaffold and the top of the
hay in the bay, and to secure a few barrels
IN his cellar and articles on the lower floor of
his house, when the waters rushed in upon
him, filled his cellar and his house on the
first floor as high as the windows. His fam
lily escaped through the windows in boat,
in which they were rowed across the mead
ows to the dry land. The dwelling house
was LETT untenanted save by the sheep and
pigs yarded in the attic for safe Keeping
The Brooks house on the same meadow, but
nearer the river, was also depopulated with
the exception of widow Brooks, an old lady
who has lived to see all the freshets on the
river for the last fifty years, who persistently
refused to leave the house, although it Was
surrounded by and partially filled with water,
! but declared her intention to remain and
share the fate of her favorite abode. The re-
suit shows that her confidence in the stability
of the building and in the ultimate su5sid-
ence of the hoo9 was not misplaced.
Early Sunday morning the flood, which
had increased slowly until about twelve O.
clock, eliminated. The scene presented was
one of desolate grandeur. From the railroad
bank to the foot of the mountain on the op-
poSlte shore, was one vast expanse Of mov-
ing, seething water, bearing down on its an
gly volume, logs, trees and debris collected
during its long and troublesome course. The
Island was entirely covered with the single
exception of the point of the abutment at the
east end Of the main bridge The little
bridge had been swept away. The Oldest
house on the Island had toppled over and
two or three others were undermined and
broken. The bridge from Westmoreland
that had lain on the Island more than twen-
ty-four hours had disappeared. The water
was five feet deep in the foundry owned by
ueu. Newman a co.. ..eor the image, ana
the current was passing the broken windows.
From the situation of the tops of the trees
that skirted the Island it was evident that
the land was giving way at the banks; and
the new channels that had been cut across
by the current were bearing volumes of wa
ter that must wash away acres Of fertile soil
The main bridge yet stood firm on its abut-
ments and intervening pier, but the force Of
the current against its upper sides had bent
each span more than a foot down the stream.
About noon the toll. house, a two-storv build
ing near the east end of the bridge, swung
from its moorings and sailed off down the
river. This was soon foll,wed BY the dwell
inghouse occupied by Mr. Bingham, which
was undermined the day before. At this
point the waters commenced to subside but
so slowly that for some time the diminution
was scarcely discernible. The change in the
weather from Friday night to Sunday morn
ing doubtless was the occasion of this subsi-
dence, for the hills are yet nearly covered
with the material for another flood.
The damage caused by this unprecedented
flood is large, although small compared with
what it would have been had there been any
ice in the river. The Hinsdale Bridge Com.
pany have lost one bridge and their toll
house, which, with the damage done to the
abutments of the bridges will amount to full
$4,000. But this is but small part of the
real damage sustained by that corporation
The Island has been so washed away and the
road destroyed by new channel cut through
it that it will be impossible to establish ;
safe and permanent crossing without build
ing an entirely new bridge and abutments
besides the one in place of that carried away
1t will require at least $4,000 to restore th'
facilities for travel to as good condition a
before this freshet If this outlay is no
, made, the present bridge, erected five year
, since at an expense of $4,000, will be of littl
public use.
TIE Island in the river which was connect
> ed with the main land on either side by
, bridge, contained about twenty-five acres @
t land under high state of cultivation. Thi
l land with the buildings then standing there
} on, with the exception of the toll house, wa
, purchased few years since by MIR n. F
2 Cabot of this village, for about $1,000. Th
e new, large and excellent barn erected just be
e fore the property passed into Mr. Cabot
: hands alone remains, the house and othe
!, out buildings having been washed away
: The Island Itself is well nigh ruined. Th
lodgment of bridge on the upper end FIR
day evening diverted the water into sue