The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-03
FIRST EDITION
THE CONNECTICUT DISASTER.
RulE Account Of the Flood at Danbury-
scenes and Incidents of the DAsaSter--
Twelve Persons Drowned.

Full Account Of the Flood at Danbury-
Scenes and Incidents of the Disaster
Twelve Persons Drowned.
The following report of the terrible calamity
which occurred on Sunday night is from the
Sunday evening, January 81, 1859, will be re-.
membered by the people OF DanonTy as. as long s ss
their memory exists. The horrc.s OF that that period
to ring the people to thef evening worship,
the most terrible calamity ever happen n ng mere
reservoir gave way, and The Immense
body of water therein contained came
oitiSena, Those who lived at the upper
part OF the town were startled by sudden
rushing, roaring sound, like the driving of a
neavy gale of wind. Those indoors conld not
understand IL, as their buildings were not
racked, as they would be IN such gale. Many
left their houses and went out 10 listen better,
and then they discovered before their very
doors boiling, hurling mass OF water; water:
were above the angry. surging elements.
But, alas to some the same blessing was not
given, and the flood brought them to death
and destruction. In q moment they knew not
that Gods hand was laid upon them, and rom
csiIea iSI.o eternity The water came 1pon the
village through the gorge above FIinCs dam,
bringing with IL huge masses OF ice and heavy
masses OF timber II came with fearful velo.
city, striking the houses on Main street, near
the river bank, and sweeping them from their
foundation 1t swept down the flats along
the stream north and east, on Main street.
carrying destruction 10 everything In Its reach,
and bringing terror TO an within d lIs nearing @
now be estimated. The amount OF property
lost cannot be less than fifty thousand dollars
and Will probably exceed that amount The
loss of life has been terrible. In the houses
destroyed in the upper part of Main street
there 1ere fourteen persons.
The terrible scenes and incidents OF the night
and this morning beggars description. me
people have turned out In masses, and at this
hour are going over the pathway of the Gala.
Ility. The scene now is one ofgreat desolatton,
especially on the site OF the houses OF those lost
Hardly 8 trace Of where they stood Is visible.
One building Is deposited q little way back
badly shattered; the other is complete wreck,
the larger portion lying just south OF Patch
street, and some distance below its founda-
The Main. North, and White street bridges
were destroyed, and the Patch street bridge 80
Iacked as to be unsafe to walk over. Charles
Chase's carriage manufactory, on North street,
was demolished, being struck by the building
removed from Main street. Sunderiands car
penter shop, on White street, was torn from its
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, and considerable
damage done to the stock. Isaac W. Ives
lumber yard was also flooded, and large lot
about The yard in confused heaps. Loss was
also sustained by stevens Brothers and E. Ely,
Lacey, Hoyt Co., hat manufacturers; aud
Bradley q Mansfield livery stable keepers.
We're scattered along the course Of the water
In great proiusion, FENCES were swept down.
onthoqses SHEDS ete;: damaged; ih 6:rsons ,,,,sd
w
Mrs. Huested. an old lady. mother-in law OF
Charles e. Andrews, body recovered; Edward
Clark, body recovered; Mrs. Ed ward Clark "a
body supposed to be hers, but badly disfigared
was recoveredG three children of Mr.. and Mrs.
Edward Clark, bodies not recoVe cred; two chill
drrn of James Brothwell, body OF one re-
covered.
A body was found near ,Hurlburt's factory,
which was identified by Mrs. Hantord B. FAIR
child as that of Miss Fannie Humphrles. lady
who had left Mrs. Fairchild'S house, in White
street, just before the coming of the flood, and
was overtaken by 1t before she could get across
the bridge.
two women were seen clinging TO tree; they
or led for help, but the huge cakes Of ice and
masses of timber surging between them and
those who endeavored TO help, renders all at
tempts Intellectual, and after u few moments
they loosed their hold to the tree and were
swept from sight. One of these two was un.
douptedly Miss Humphries; but the other Is
not y ct known.
About one hundred 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 Fltnts foundry is under
mined d, and two tenements belonging to Hen
drick Barnum, OIL North street, are somewhat
<lon