The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-03-31
SAINT PAUL. FRIDAY, MARCH 81, 1856


floating like cork in Main street.
White flags, calling for relief, are float
ing from the top of the Arcade, and from
numerous buildings along Front street,
where the inhabitants are without food.
A large boat has just ventured to carry
provisions to some of the most accessible
sufferers. Many of them are on the roofs,
to which they have escaped for safety, by
cutting holes through.
Sunday Mornins-The great flood is
subsiding, and the rebellious waters are
slowly getting back to the rivers channel.
State street is dry, and there is but little
remaining in Buffalo street. The pave
ments and sidewalks are torn up every
where, and merchants are busy mopping
out of their stores the thick deposits Of
mud. No estimate of damage can be
made, as it is shared by five thousand
men.
UTICA.
From the Utica Herald, 10th
March 10th and 18th will hereafter be
memorable days to the people of Utica
and Mohawk valley, for the "oldest in
habitant" cannot recall freshet compar-
able With the one that then prevailed.
On Thursday evening the food was
upon US. The Mohawk suddenly swelled
into great, surging inland sea, its waters
sweeping towards the Hudson with vol
ume and power that portended destruction
to bridges, or whatever else impeded.
Breakers and ice-cakes were hurled against
the bridge at the foot of Genesee street,
or went crashing and laundering under
meath. Crowds of people looked ION ex-
pecting every moment to see it break from
its fastenings and float away. "There it
goes!" one and another would say at ev-
cry loud crash of ice or timber against it
But the bridge spitefully olung to its abut-
ments, and there it remains still.
In Utica the water covered the track in
places to the depth of three feet In the
depot it was from three to five inches
deep. Above and below the city the track
was deeply submerged at intervals, in some
places for miles. The cellars and base
ments in the lower part of the city we're
tull of water. The Mohawk was 80 high
as TO wash the planks of the old bridge.
Things had come to this pass at eleven
o'clock Thursday night. There was no
abatement OF the water before 8 or 9
o'clock in the morning, at which time it
commenced falling slowly. The water
was now one or two feet deep as far up as
Warner & Rays cellar, corner of Genesee
and Whitesboro streets, where it floated
oil and molasses barrels, emptying some
of them, covering the surface with mix
ture of grease and sweetness.
The discoveries of the morning were
anything but pleasant. The lumber Of
Reads yard was going down the stream at
a rapid rate, and good deal of it had
gone. The iron bridge over the Mohawk,
of the Black River railroad, had been
swept away; also the wooden bridge on
the same road, this side. The Boonville
train came down as far as it could, and,
after remaining some hours, went back to
Stittsville. The mails were brought from
it in boats.
Information was brought to the city
that the bridge over Oriskany Greek, at
Olarks Mills, had been swept away at n
O'Clock Thursday evening, and carried
with it three men-Edgar G. Foster, Dex-
ter Whipple, and George Niles. Itlodged
against tree some distance below, and
Foster managed to get off upon it. He
was rescued by Mr.. Thomas Baker next
morning at 81 o'clock, the latter running
great risk. Fosters companions have not
since been seen, and are supposed to be
drowned. The Oriskany Greek was much
higher than it was ever known before. Its
bridges at Peckville, Walesville, Manches-
ter, Uolemans Mills, and Oriskany Valley,
are also carried away. So also is the dam
at Oolemans Mills. There was also a re-
port that mill at Clinton had been de-
stroyed.
We hear that all the dams but two on
the Sauquoit Greek are gone, and there
has been much dsst uction of property be.
sides along the Greek The road bridge
at New Hartford village has foated away.
Mr.. Butter6eld received a telegram from
Waterville not to send out any stages with
passengers, as the bridges were destroyed
south Of that place.
The ffeshet In the city extends back to
all the cellars along Whitesboro street, and
to buildings along Nail Greek. A break
in the Ohenango Canal flooded the cellars
of Schuyler street; also the lower rooms
of the Globe Woolen Mills and the Steam
Wooden Mills. Heath, Lavender & Go. 3
Candle Factory suffered much damage.
There was the greatest demand for ke-
rosene lamps and candles yesterday ever
known in Utica, occasioned by the Motif
cation of the gas company that their fires
had been pat out by the freshet, and it
would be two days before they could again
supply the city with light. Genesee and
other streets had q very doleful look last
night.
Trains were started east and west by
Maj. Priest yesterday afternoon. Both
ran into about three feet of water, and
were obliged to return. The train ives,
did not get out of the city, and the one
east only about four miles. No furthe,