Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1866-07-27
BRATTLEBORO, VIZ, FRIDAY, july 27, 1866

! lOfCG on lne sizes Oh lne mountain ana tnl
basin beneath, Mr.. Clark was at work in q
field near the mill with his hired man, Eb
cnezcr Eastman. And being apprizcd by
the great volume and blackness of tho
clouds hanging over the mountain at Tho
west that an unusual shower was falling
round the sources of the stream, they pro
cecded at once TO the mill and commenced
such temporary repairs Of the dam and
| fume as would, they believed, secure them
against the rush of waters, which, in greater
or less quantities, they knew would soon be
down upon them. While deeply engrossed
in hurrying forward the contemplated re-
pairs, they were aroused by a dcalcnino
roar that burst suddenly upon their ears
from the stream but a short distance above
the mill; when looking up, they behcd tc
their astonishment and alarm, a wild. tn
multuos sea of commingling food-wood and
turbid waters, with a wall-lil5c front ten feet
high, tumbling and rolling down upon them
with furious uproar, and with the speed OF
the wind. Knowing that the mill could not
stand against such an avalanche of water
and beginning to be especially alarmed fol
their personal safety. they attempted to Sc
cure retreat over the log-way which eX-
tended from the mill to the high grounds
! five or six rods distant. Over this they
made their way with all possible speed
But such was the velocity of the on-rushing
torrent that they had not proceeded halt
way before the mill building came down
with Il crash behind them, the log-way was
swept from beneath their feet, and the next
moment they were struggling for their live,
in food dozen feet deep, foaming, boiling
and so filled with trees, timbers and all
sorts Of ruins. that it did not seem possible
for human being TO be borne along in the
frightfully whirling mass and live a single
minute.
II saw Eastman once" said Mr.. Clark in
describing to me this, the most terrible
scene Of his life. 1T was when | rose to
the surface after the first plunge. He wa,
struggling desperately to get his head above
the 1oodwood But | saw him no more
for, the next moment, | was borne down be.
meath the by a raft of logs that swept over
me. From that time | was whirled onward
with my head sometimes below, and some.
times above the water. till found mysc
nearing the wooded bank on the opposite
side Of the stream. when ! soon came within
reach Of 4 small tree, which | grasped anC
held on to, till began TO count myself saved
But the tree quickly came up by the root,
and | was again plunged into the flood
But, though now nearly in despair, | still
struggled on. anW soon was fortunate enough
to grasp another saplng by means of whicl
| at length drew myselta ashore and fell down
half drowned and half dead from bruises anC
exhaustion. 1t was now nearly dark. Bu
after rallying my strength little, | com
| menced crawling and stumbling through th,
tangled thckets along up the stream till, af
ter Il struggle of seeming hours, | at las
reached point opposite my house, where
by loud hallowing, | rallied my family, who
believed me lost and informed them | wout
proceed on to the next house, on that side
stay all night and cross the next morning
This | did, and the next morning reached
home, where | was received as one risCl
from the dead.
The remains Of Eastman We're found the
next day washed up near the mouth Of tn,
stream on the meadow of Samuel Jones
who was injured in the loss of crops, The
covering Of his lands by Lockwood and
washing away the soil, To the amount o
three hundred dollars. Whether Eastman
was drowned or killed by being crushed
among the logs was never known. Either
cause was sufficient to have produced hi,
death.
Such were the leading events attending
the memorable thunderstorm on Jonei
Brook.-Nontpeler Freeman.