Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-05-01
More About the Freshet.

AhoIo ADOuJ INC rFeBneI.
We are in possession of some particulars
relating to the late freshet, additional to those
given lat week, which serve to show more full
ly, if possible, the force and volume of the
enormous flood Of water that poured through
the valley of the Connecticut river for two or
three days.
At Bellows Falls the waters rose to an un-
usual and alarming height. As early as Friday
the works on the Canal were obstructed and
injured. Then the attention of the inhabitants
was directed to preventing the water from flow
ing through the railroad tunnel, as upon their
success in this effort depended not only the
preservation of the railroad at that place but
the safety of the entire village. All the land
in that immediate vicinity is based on quick
sands, formed by the action Of water in the
valley in past ages and a current cut through
in the tunnel woull have soon left he entire
village as empty as the basin of Runaway Pond
i'll Glover; and the main channel of the river
would then have flowed in its former bed under
the houses and gardens west of the hill. The
tunnel was damned at its northern entrance
and only 10y the most persistent and unremit-
ting exertiors night and day and the free use
of all materials within reach, was it saved So
imminent was the danger for twenty-four hours
that the contents of nearly all the buildings in
the vicinity Of the tunnel were removed to
where it was supposed they would be safe SO
lively was the concern of some Of the people
that even houses on the hill were emptied.
Every available vehicle was put in requsition.
It was only when the waters began to subside
that the people recovered from their fears.
The Vermont Valley Railroad Corporation
suffered largely from this freshet, chiefly in
Westminster. In five places in that town the
embankment was cut through and washed away,
and for more thar four miles the top of the
embankment or ballast was washed off from
four to twelve indies in depth during the period
OF its overflow. In many other places the
height and force nf the water caused large slides
on the river side Of the establishments to such an
extent as to render repairs necessary before
single engine could pass over in safety. The
management also lost full fifteen miles of fence.
over Ice cords Of wood, and number of ties.
The breaking through of the railroad TN
bankment at Westminster in so many places
and It's overflow Ia such an extent, filed the
lower par; of the village nearly full of water.
a large number Of families were compelled TO
move temporarily and seek safer and less moist
quarters. John Leach moved his family and
the stock from his BAN; his house, furniture
aud hay were considerably donoa,d b! the IN
giess Of water IIarland I. Fairs house was
SO much threatened tina: early Sunday morning
his family were conveyed of on raft, his wife,
having child only three or four DAYS old a
bedstead and bed Was placed on the raft and
she was removed upon it. Mr. Farr also re-
moved most of his stock putting his sheep and
lambs on the scailold of his barn. His wood
was taken from lis she'd by the water and dis
trihuted over the meadows. f. Bingham. Ply
ny Fisher Nathan Fisher and Daniel c. Wright
were all compelled by the advancing flood to
remove their families ard secure their stock
They all found hospitable quarters at the house
of Capt Theodore Cole, late Of this village
whose buildings fortunately keptabove the water
/. IL
| lected for building a new house, some of which
was lost John V. Farr lost some of the lum,
Der collected for building new barn. the re-
mainder he secured and saved. The Island
owned by Asa Coombs was badly cut up and
considerable portions Of it were washed away
Generally the fences upon the meadows are al
swept away. and this alone must be heavy los'
to most of the farmers.
In Putnev on the Meadows much damage wal
done to the farms, farm. houses, outbuildings
crops, &c. ]. V. Shaw was the greatest suffer
err, he having lost tWo barns, corn-barn, 15I
bushels of oats, 80 to 70 bushels of corn, wagon
sleigh, farming tools, grain bags, &c. Hi
wood-shed and carriage-house were moved from
their foundation somewhat damaged. His los
is estimated at $500 or $1,000. VIM. Parke
and Col White, Tor Colonel Whites farm los
a years old steer and some pigs besides hav
ing the corn and oats wet and damaged. w
are also informed that several acres of the farm
were washed away. Mr.. Watkins and the Low
ell heirs, at the upper end of the Meadow, sui
lered to the amount of 5000 by having thei
land washed away, besides rendering it NOR
liable to damage from high water in the future
NIessrs. j. & G. Underwood, near Putney vii
LACE, suffered to the amount of 500 in loss Q
grain and Widow Samuel Johnson's hous
near by was damaged by being filed with waite
nearly to the chamber floor. On many place
considerable amount of fence has been carrie
! off.
In Dummerston, Messrs. G. Il, & IL. Katha
lost about an acre of their meadow land value
at 500. NJ. Smith also lost about half h
, acre of valuable land. The Buildings of Tho
9 and iii Clark were flooded but as they ha
$ moved most of their things no very extensy
! damage was done.
In this town the Dummer Farm, owned b
e David Goodell was considerably injured by III
+ gravel and sand washed on the land ii
a buildings were also injured by the water thu
= partially filed them and the debris left thel
deposited. The same Is true to some extent {
}, the Brooks farm. The farm in Vernon abor
= two miles below This village, known as the 10
}, Pratt farm and now owned by Isaac Eddy, VIZ
c greatly damaged. Full two acres of land wei
G entirely carried off and sand and gravel wei
washed ON three acres more to such an extel
.cl ne IA render tho land horatofore some of ii