Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1864-02-10

of one-half mile. and then more gradual
ly three -fourths of mile. The depth al
so increased probably to $50 feet, in the
broadest part, and did not diminish in
in depth, till within short distance of
the northern extremity. where its width
was about half mile. On the east and
west. the shores of the pond were bold,
and rose into hills of considerable height.
Between these hills, on the north end of
the lake, was plain of one or two acres,
but few feet higher than the surface of
the water This plain, perhaps twenty
rods north of the pond, terminated in an
abrupt descent of about loo feet, and then
more gradually to the level of Mud Pond.
Long Pond was supplied with water by a
stream of small size flowing into it from
the west.
On the south, through channel yard
in width, the water of the pond flowed out
toward the southwest, forcing its passage
among rocks, bushes and trees. and form
ing the head waters of the Lamoille Riv-
er. The northern shore consisted of a
narrow belt of sand and a bank of light
sandy earth. Here had been formed de-
poslt, resembling frozen gravel, two or
three inches in thickness, and extending
into the pond for five or six rods from the
northern shore. This deposit formed the
only solid barrier to the waters--alone
preventing them from descending into
Mud Pond. The bottom of Mud Pond
was mass of thick deep mud, which was
very solid when dry. Barton river, its
outlet, flowed very rapidly for two miles,
through rough territory, and then more
gradually to Barton village, three miles
further north. The country was covered
with an unbroken forest, except where
grist and saw mills, owned by Mr.Wil-
son, had been erected. Some clearings
had been commenced near the stream in
barton. Other mills had been erected
some miles below on this stream
after its union with another stream, near
Crystal Lake or Lake Beautiful some miles
below. The stream where Wilson's mills
stood, was insufficient during the dry sea-
son. The inconvenience resulting from
this circumstance occasioned the proposal
to cut channel from Long Pond toward
Mud Pond, and thus increase the water in
the latter and the stream which flowed
from it.
The inhabitants of Glover and adjacent
towns interested in the matter, assembled
in large numbers at Kuene Corner on the
9th of June, 1910, and from thence pro-
ceeded to the northern shore of Long Pond
and commenced digging channel, thro'
which was to flow the water considered SO
necessary for the comfort of the iuhabi-
tants on the banks of Barton River. The
channel or trench was commenced about
three feet from the waters of the lake,
aud descended to the point where the de-
scent was rapid towards Mud Pond.
When all was ready the connection with
the pond was effected by removing the
barrier which had been left, and the wa
ter issued through the opening with only
moderate force; but to the surprise of the
workmen it did not follow the channel
dug, but descended into the sand beneath
1t appears they had not observed that in
der the deposit of frozen gravel, or hard
pan, was species of quicksand. and the
stream, sinking through the broken depos-
it, began to wash away the sand. In a
short time SO much sand was carried away,
thereby weakening the hard pan, that the
pressure of the water widencd the chan
mel into deep gulf down which a large
stream rushed towards Mud Pond. The
workmen, now becoming alarmed, retreat
ed to safe distance from the constantly
increasing stream, though some barely es-
capped. 4.H ..
The waters having finally demolished
the hard pan, which, with the quicksand,
had held them, rushed with impetuous
force toscard Mud Pond, tearing up and
destroying whatever impedcd their pro
gress, and leaving but yawniDg chasm
and widespread desolation behind.
In their course they excavated chan
mel nearly obe-fourth of mile in width,
u 4