Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-08-22

IN several places in the upper part of State
street meadow, around or in the rear of the
buildings. Near the south side of John Spad-
lng's barn it was discovered that there had
been formed wide hole, through which the
water ~as rushing with great force down into
some underground passage vein of quick
sand, and threatening to undermine the bud-
in, aud, if not stopped, to spread de-
stru,tion to unknown extent around. Per
ceiving the danger, Mr.. Spalding hastily made
his way to the barn loft, and commenced pitch
ing DOVE through the window into the whrl-
ing and fast widening vortex beneath, a load of
straw that was fortunately stored there, and
after throwing in large quantity he at length
succeeded in entirely choking up the danger
GUS vortex.
But for the timely ertions of Mr.. Spald-
ing 1t is hard telling what damage might have
ensued. All the neighboring houses might
have been undermined, the OVERLOOKING wa
ters OF the North Branch, being thus drawn
to the spot, might have formed new chan
mel which would have spread destruction over
large portion of that end of the village
other crevasses in progress in different localities,
sufficiently showed the crit ical situa ton of the
village when the water ceased rising, and be
damage to be anticipated had it continued to
rise much longer.
Montpelier village, when the food was at it's
height, presented a scene of alarm end confu-
sion. i Ii ths boats th:t could be obtained,
y rix Of in k,,s,
requlsitlon, IL conveying people, with goods,
provisions, &c, from house to house, to the
surrounding hills, most of them going in at
the front doors and landing receiving their
loads on tie fourth or fifth stair from the low
er floor, rowing along the sides of the food
ed houses and enabling the transported per-
sons TO climb up or down from to the boats
through the windows OF the upper stories.
Pigs and cows were drawn out of their pens,
hampered and put aboard boats to be conveyed
of to places Of safety, and even cows and
horses were led swimming or wading at the
sterns OF boats 10 be placed beyond the reach
OF the food. By way OF illustrating the novel
and varied character of the scene let me intro
duce d little piece OF my own experience by
IStdlIlS LNO Nt6pLS CODu5Stc0 hClOcuts UNI
fell under my personal observation-the
( ludicIous az tie other was me lancholy. In Or
| der TO see what occurring through ths
town, built raft in the edge of the Hood al
/ the foot OF the rise IN the road leading up Clay
| fill to East Montpelier, and, mounting it with
a setting pole, pushed my way down Maln street
towards iO,e rsecLlon WIKI State street at the
/ corners, then more particularly than now, the
business centre of the village. When about
half way down to That poiht, heard great
( plashIDg noise approaching on my rgnt, and
turning 1 bene ID man rushing along the side
/ walk through the nearly waist deep water
/ " oDderlns who the man WIS, and what caused
hlm TO be dashing through the water SO wildly,
! L noted him closely ne houndered along by
| me. He appeared strangely excited, like one
hurried, to use an Old significant phrase, which
means one unconSclOusiy rushing to his
doom, as the proved he really was; for it
was the fated Nathaniel Bancroft of CalAis " no
had come dow to others drowned, as he
supposed, never once dreaming that he was TO
be tne only victim OF The food.
As Ineared the corner, padding about
/ on al il.--OnstI ucted raft the ardent MIR. "
who mad of.en declared religious confer ences
that death had terrors for him, but who
nevertheless tImId nervous INA n, and TO
tally unused 10 TIE water-somehow ID chang
suddenly let MIN down the bottom, which,
tho1gt. the water came scarcely up TO his hips,
| threw nim into such fright that .videp lily
considered himself, 10 a cant phrase. pret-
ty much gone sucker, and leaplng straight
up and down, like a scared sheep, commenced
bawling at the top OF his voice 5. o, drOrOning
drowning help! O, heLp" AT lentgh, however,
becoming more calm under the assurances Oi
spectat ors that he firm bottom, and
could not possibly drown, he felt his way to the
nearest building, calculating thanks that ne had
been saved from the awful death OF drowning
As l approached the Shepard tavern building
saw Bancroft, already arrived there and stand
ing on small dry epot before the barn door
hurriedly munohing cracker. At that mo-
ment pile OF wood the steep bank at the
end of the barn tumbled over and was floating
out into the deep water beyond, when, with d
strange notion OF savln5 II ne rushed into the
water, and, getting almost instantly beyond III:
depth, sunk 10 rise no more. A boat and boat
hook was in a few minutes the spot, and hs
was soon drawn out, with b IS mouth filed witt
half masticated cracker, but with no spark O
life remaining. He pro oably died almost In
stantly from straDgulation.
Almost ali the great tributaries of Onion riv
seemed higher in proportion, than the Eivel
Itself. The North Branch higher, and il
mad river, especially, the flood was terrible
The water made clean sweep throug More
town village, staGdIng about twenty-five fee
above the river at Ordinary times, carrying
away three four dwellings, and costing th'
life OF the vile of Hravey w. Carpenter, who
was being led by her husband through the wa
, ter to higher ground, but was swept into al
eddy, lost her hold of him and was drowned.
Such, when at its height, the appearances
/ and such the leading incidents of the memo
r rable food OF 1880. The damage done il
Montpe ier, saas, In loss of provisions, &C., il
the cellars, and the injury to furniture and tn
lower rooms of the houses, of no smai
amount. May We never look upon its lik
o again. l.
Story Of IA Russian Priest.
: In book entitled " sketches of Russia