Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-04-13
From the North Iowan. Usage, 5th Inst.
GREAT FRESHET.
The Cedar on a Rampage Bridges, Mills
and Dams swept away.

The worst nOO1, considered III the
light of the amount of property destroy
I ed, and other damage done, ever expe
rienced in this part of the State, occurred
] during the present week. The destruc
ton Of property is not confined to any
wherever there is any on the line O.
the streams. The unusual severity o
the winter has produced in the stream:
ice of formidable strength and thickness
which added to the two feet of snow
reported at the head waters of the Ce,
! dars, only required combination Of
favorable Circumstance to make
sensation all along the course of LIlt
| rivers. The opportunity was found
during the thaw last week and on
Monday and Tuesday, we had the SEN
satiOn, Z"
Commencing with the little Cedar,
it is reported that there is but one bridge
left over the stream, within the limits
of the County,-the "Shultz Bridge y
above Brownsville. The bridge at
Stacyville went out on Monday morn
ing. The mill was slightly damaged
1t is reported that the dam is gone at
Brownsville. Wynn's Bridge also gave
way under q heavy pressure of ice on
Monday. Three bridges below also
were placed hors du combat by the
rushing body of ice and water.
On the Cedar, the losses are more
considerable owing to the larger vol
ume of ice and water, and the greater
value of the on the stream.
The mill and dam at Newburg are re-
ported as safe, but owing to a gorge in
below the town, the water was backed
up into the lower floor of s. II. McKin-
ley'S hotel to the depth ola foot or more.
The Grist mill of s. V. II. Smith, a
mile below Newburg, is badly damaged,
the ice knocking out both corners on
the river front, and otherwise much
weakening the building. At West
Mitchell the damage isalso considerable.
On Monday u gorge formed above the
Mills, which, when it broke, rushed
with terrific force upon the Saw Mill,
completely knocking the superstructure
into cooked hat" The water leap
ing over the banks, made its way
through the street in front of the mill,
cutting it out badly and for time Sc
riously threatening the safety OF the
Grist Mill. s.ayir .uasa-. .aa.s-s
The greatest destruction of property
in one place, was at Brush's Mills two
miles west of this village. When the
gorge broke at Mitchell it came rushing
Brushs mill pond breaking it up and
setting it in motion. The pressure
wrenched the upper, or saw mill from
its foundations, and hurled it crashing
down the maddened river, leaving not
a vestige remaining. With the excep-
ton of the logs remaining in the mill
yard, there is not a thing that would
leave one to suppose there ever was a
saw mill on the spot. The abutments
of the dam are also carried away
Messrs. Brush's loss will probably ex-
coed $4,000 Jones' or the old Deering
Milln escaped with little or no loss.
1t Is impossible at this time to esti-
mate the extent of the lost. 1t will be
the more severely felt by the entire
county, as by the destruction and dam
age to the saw mills, the supply of lum-
Der will be curtailed, ut the time when
the demand for it is most Imperative.