Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-09-03

The following sketch Of the scene presented
when a dam, erected in a tumultuous noun
tain stream to collect logs, is broken, is IRON
Audubon's Biography:
At the neck of this basin the iumberers
raised temporary barrier with the relcse
Of their sawn logs The boards were planted
nearly upright. and supported at their tops
bv a strong tree extended from side to side OF
the creek, which might there be about forty
feet in breadth 1t was prevented from CIV
ing way under the pressure OF the rising wa
tiers, by having strong aoutments OF
wood laid against It's centre. while the ends
of these abutements were secured by wedges,
which could be knocked off when necessary.
The temporary dam was now in
ished. Little or no water escaped through
the barrier, and that in the creek above 1t
rose in the course of three weeks to its top,
which was about ten feet high, forming
sheet that extended upwards fully mile
from the dam. Two of the men
threw of their jackets, tied hand
kerchiefs round their heads, and fastened to
their bodies long rope, the end Of which
was held by three or four others, who stood
ready to drag their companions ashore in
/
tors. each bearing an axe, walked along the
abutments, and, at a given signal knocked
out the wedges \ second blow from each
sent of the abutments themselves, and the
men. leating with extreme dextcrIty from
one cross-log to another, sprung to the shore
with almost the quickness OF thought.
Scarcely had they effected their escape from
the frightful peril which threatened them,
when the mass of waters burst forth with
horrible uproar. Al eyes were bent towards
the huge heaps Of logs in the gorge below.
The tumultuous burst of the waters instantly
swept away every object that opposed their
progress. and rushed IN i0aming waves among
the timber that everywhere blocked up the
passage. Presently a slow heavy motion was
perceived in the mass of logs; one might have
imagined that some mighty monster lay con
vulsiyelv writhing between them, struggling
with a fearful energy TO extrcate himself
from the crushing weight. As the waters
rose the movement increased the mass OF
timber extended in all directions, appearing
to become more and more entangled each
moment the logs bounced against each
other, thrusting aside, submerglng, or rals-
ing into the air. those with which they came
in contact. Now the rushing ele-
ment filled up the gorge to the brim. The
logs. once under way, rolled, reared, tossed
and tumbled amid the foam, as they were
carried along Many Of the smaller trees
broke across from others great splinters
were sent up, and were all in some degree
scanned and SCARED Then, in tumultuous
majesty, swept along the mangled wreck,
the current being now increased to such
pitch, that the logs, as they were dashed
/ against the rocky shores, resounded like the
/ report of distant artillery, or the rumblihgs
/ of the thunder Onward it rolls. the emblem
Of wreck and ruin, destruction and chaotic
strife /, seemed to me as if | had witnessed
the rout of a rash army, surprised, over
whelmed and oyerthrown the roar To The
cannon. the groans of tie dying, and the
shouts of the avengers, were laundering
through my brain; and amid the frishtiul
confusion Of the scene there came over my
spirit a melancholy feeling, which had not
entirely vanished at the end Of many days.