Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-10-15
BrOrnfeid.
NEPos.

! BrOrnfeid.
! The frcshet OF Monday, October 4th.
which seems to have been general. paid
its respects" TO this town, and inflicted
vast amount of damage TO property. The
storm as in other places. commenced here
on Sunday continuing through the night,
and on Monday the rain poured down in
torrents, swelling the rivers aud streams,
with so much rapidity and to such an I'M
precedented height, rs to sweep away
nearly everything upon them.
Shepherds river. which takes its rise in
New Hampshire, and flows nearly through
/ the town 10 the Saco. and its tributaries,
| the south and southeast branches, togeth-
err with the Little Saco. furnish about all
the water powers in town. Upon these
streams will give you n partial account
of the property carried away.
On the south branch. James NJ. Lin
SCOTS stone dam rebuilt about two years
since nj Il cost of five hundred dollars, and
three bridges below. valued at eight hum
dred dollars, were carried off. and five
hundred dollars worth Of logs and lumber
On the southeast branch the dam and
dry. house of +. w. Bradeens furniture
mandatory, were swept away. and two
bridges below were much injured-dam-
age about six hundred dollars.
On Shepherds river, after the stream
enters the State and town, the first mill IS
J. b. Durgin and sons stave and grist-
mill Their dam was carried away, and
two bridges below, making a loss Of six
hundred dollars. Between this dam and
Thorn & Seavey's gri,l andsawmill, the
south branch cmptics into the river, and
the vast accumulation Of water Oh reach
ing the latter mills, tore away the main
dam and the wing dam. letting loose logs
and lumber of every description washing
out the highway, and nearly submerging
the dwelling house of Mr.. Seavey, doing
damage here to the amount oftiiteen hun.
dred dollars.
Sweeping on, and stimulated by the
waters OF the southeast branch, Shepherds
river now seems mad aud fatally bent
on mischief" The upper and lower bridg-
es at Browniield Centre were swept off.
the latter going over the dam, the former
running whole. into the wasteway or
suicc of J. T. Eatons saw-mill, complete
" closing it up. and throwing the inn
mense volume of water towards the "Ty-
Ter MILL which finally succumbed and
was scattered in piles here and there for
miles below This mill was used for card
ing wool and grinding, was valuable to
the community. and the owner, Mr.. Hen
ry Blackburn, cannot replace it for twen-
ty five hundred dollars. He bought it
only year ago, paying twenty-five hun.
dred dollars. And nearly his last dollar
hoated away.
Below is the Tannery of Appleby &
Morrill,, which was damaged about two
thousand dollars, and their privilege on
which they had just expended fifteen hun
dred dollars in clearing out. and improv.
ing. was nearly ruined. The water swept
all around and through their tannery
buildings, filling them with logs and lum
Der, and the watts with sand and rocks,
and doing serious damage to the machine.
ry.
When the Tyler mill gave way, the
water burst forth in the direction of Sam'l
Tyler's dwelling house, and James Edge
combs store. carrying away hundreds OF
carloads of earth, and leaving in the rear
of those buildings, perpendicular bank
Of nearly sixty feet. After passing the
tannery, the river flowed over large
field of Appleby & Morrill,, making new
channel through it, and carrying away
the corn which stood in shocks.
On The Little Saco river the dam Of John
Marston's saw mill was carried of, and
two bridges below. together with logs
and lumber. making loss of twenty-five
hundred dollars.
Many other bridges were swept away,
or nearly destroyed. making in the whole
twenty in town. The damage done,
public and private, cannot fall short of
twenty thousand dollars.
One or two chair breadth escapes" are
reported. during the food. L. r. Morrill,
and w. c. Rowe passed into the Tannery
for some pupose, just before the Tyler
mill came down. and before they could re-
turn, found the building surrounded, and
their retreat cut off. The people on land
expecting the building to 60 down, and
seeing the peril OF their situation, threw