Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-02-10
Terrible Calamity.


On Sunday, January 5lst. dam near
Danbury. Connecticut gave way, and, the
waters rushing down the valley, carried
away several houses with their inmates, and
destroyed number of bridges and large
amount of other property. The Danbury
Times, of February lst, publishes the fol-
lowing particulars of the fearful calamity:
just as the bells ceased to ring the people
to their evening worship the most terrible
calamity ever happening here took place.
The dam of the upper kobanzle reservoir
gave way, and the immense body OF water
therein contained came sweeping down upon
our unconscious citizens. Those who lived
at the upper part of the town were startled
by a sudden rushing, roaring sound, like the
driving of heavy gale of wind. Those in-
doors could not understand 1t, as their build
ings were not racked, as they would be in
such gale Many left their houses and
went out to listen better and then they dis
covered before their very doors boiling,
hurting mass of water. The water came
upon the village through the gorge above
Flint dam, bringing with 1t huge masses
of Ice, and heavy masses of timber 1t came
with fearful velocity, striking the houses on
Main street, near the river bank, and sweep
ing them from their foundation in an instant.
it swept down the flats along the stream
north, and, east of Main street, carrying de-
struction to everything in its reach, and
bringing terror to all within its caring. The
total extent of the damage done cannot be
estimated. The amount of property lost
cannot be less than $50, 600, and will proba-
bly, exceed that amount. The loss of life
has been terrible. In the houses destroyed
Il
IA persons. The terrible scenes and incl
gars description. The people have turned
over the pathway of the calamity. The
scene is now one of great desolation, especi-
ally on the site of the houses of those lost.
Hardly trace of where they stood is visible.
One building is deposited little way back,
badly shattered, the other is complete
wreck, the larger portion lying just sout h of
Patch street, and some distance below its
foundations The Main, North, and White
street bridges were destroyed, and the Patch
street bridge SO racked as to be unsafe to
walk over. Charles Chase carriage manu-.
factory, on North street, was demolished,
being struck by the building removed from
Main street. Sunderland S carpenter shop,
on White street, was torn from It's place.
A horse, stabbed at one end of the building,
in some unaccountable way got out, and
swimming to land. came off unharmed. The
office and builders hardware store of the
Ives Brothers was flooded, aud considerable
damage done to the stock. Isaac w. Ives's
lumber yard was also flooded, and large
lot of lumber swept down the stream or
thrown about the yard in confused heaps,
Loss was also sustained by Stevens Bros.
and A. Ely, carpenters z. Robinson & Co.
-four dealers Lacy Hoyt & Co., hat man
ufactuers, and Bradley & Mansfield, livery
stable keepers. Great cakes of ice, weigh
ing tun or more, were scattered along the
course of the water In great protusion, fences
were swept down, outhOuses, sheds. &c,
damaged, the number of which it is impos.i-
Bile now to ascertain, but which. together
with many incidents of interest, will be gwen
in the regular issue of The Times on We'd
nesday
The following is list of the persons
killed: Mrs. Huested, an old lady, mother
in law of Charles L. Andrews, body recov-
cred Edward CLARK, body recovered Mrs.
Edward Clark Ia body supposed to be hers,
but badly disfgured, was recovered three
children of Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Clark,
bodies not recovered; two children of James
Brothwell, body of one recovered. A body
was found near Hurlburts factory, which
was identified by Mrs. Hanford B. Fairchild
as that of Miss Fannie Humphries, lady
who had left Mrs. Fairchild' house on White
street, just before the coming of the food,
and was overtaken by it before she could
get across the bridge. Right after the water
reached White street, two women were seen
clinging to tree; they cried for help, but
the huge cakes of ice and masses of timber
surging between them and those who en-
deavored to help. rendered all attempts in
and after a few moments they
loosed their hold to the tree, and were swept
from sight. One of these two was undoubted-
ly Miss Humphries, but the other is not yet
known.
The damage done to the reservoir is very
great About 100 feet of the upper dam
and the entire length of the lower dam, is
swept away. Men are already at work upon
the dams, and the water pipes will be filed
in few days. The foundation of Flint's
foundery is undermined. and two tenements
belonging to Hendrck Barnum, on North
street, are somewhat damaged.