The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-15

The Most Remarkable Freshet ON Record
Damage 20 the Utica Cotton Factory.

Damage 20 the Utica Cotton Factory.
lFrom the Utica N. W Observer July 1871
The Observer OF Friday last contained general
Hartford. To-day we are able TO place before our
readers fu description Of the effects OF what we
consider the most remarkable freshet on record IN
lhls part OF the state. body OF running water so
Insignificant IN Its proportions thai y child three
years old could easily ford was in the space Of two
hours transformed into a mammoth river, the force
oil whose maddened waters nothing could Withstand
The stream alluded tons
sApQu0IT CREEK
Al twelve O'Clock on Thursday this famous little
stream which leeds SO many OF Oneida couhty's M
bed. couple VI children with mud ana sticks aud
stones could have turned II from course in few
hours. AT two O'Clock on Friday the bed Oh tho
Sauquoit was the channel for a oody o, water
three times as large as tue Mohawk river oh ,ne
from o further perusal OF this article
BRIDGES SWEPT AWAY.
At point this side OF New Hartford village where
the creek crossed ny The street cars the furious
stream first began 10 exhibit its power. ms struc-
ture It hoisted and noated of like nutshell. 10.
day hardly a timDer OF the bridge Is TO he found
within 500 yards of the spot. The other bridge de-
stroyed was the property OF the Utica Cotton Com
pany. This was bnit In the vicinity Of the factory
and this was splrlted away IN the same STYLE
HOUSES AND BARNS FLOAT OFF.
About 20 feet from tue bed OF the creek OF point
OF Mr J. A. SheaTinan, OF Utica. The one next Tue
creek, q building seventy by thirty feet was moving
about after the fashion OF Noan's ark about TWO
hours afler the ram commenced TO fall. Those who
saw IL say 1t was 0niy toy III the water, and Tor AL
that there left In that vicsIty OF tuls building
might have been a sugar toy. Tne only remaining
Q. dences Of two large houses are the foundation
walls Distant some 200 yards Is porti on or one OF
the roofs, which ID all thai remains OF the wood
work. The third house is iii led with water TO the
depth OF SIX ieet, ana this would have goae the way
oil the other two II the walls had not Deen llned
with brick. Tue damage TO tine remaining
structure by water is serious barn on Nh.
shearman's premises was hoatea ron lts
mo0rings most unceremonlously. An ola man
named Phillips, at work IN II, saw himself sur
rounded by water before he sad lime to leave.
ing about in lne boiling Hood AT length IL ariIted
INTO back current and was carried up stream u
long distance being finally whlrled into the main
enamel and down with the man body al an alarm
ing rate. Mir. Philips renamed in the ioit OF the
barn until the building threatened 10 do solner-
sault in the water. lie signacd for help 60 parties
near the factory and three men cOurageousy UNDER
TOOK to swim out and II possible rescue the old
man. Wnlle In the act the barn foundercd and went
down and Mr.. Philips, eigny-.wo years OF age,
managed TO keep himself aDoas Tor some ten min
utes until the men reached hlm and gave him the
needed assistance. Two other barns were carried
down stream me only passengers aboard We're OF
the genus 80 much persecutei by rat-huntlng dogs
and mlcekilllng cats. by far the most
SERIOUS DAMAGE
was sust aimed by the Unca Cotton Mills Company,
an enterprise owned by Messrs. G. q. and H. N.
Taber, John @. Roby aud William M. Clinton. The
agent and general supeiintendent of the factory Is
Nj. Roby, the gentleman named above. AT the irst
Indications OF the Hood he directed his men raise
the mood gates ON the upper pOno. 1nis was imme-
tended TO the water advancing in great waves three
or four feet ntgh rushed into the aqueduct, making
all attempts " carry IL OIL completely useless. The
houses In the rear OF the factory were surrounded ny
water, and the families were with difficulty rescued.
A lew minutes later the waste gates were torn away,
as well the bukheads and $50 feet of the empanK-
ment. by this time The water had attained o level
twelve or fifteen feet above the bed Of the
creek, and the back current was sweep
ing around against The factory building
with q force truly alarming. The waste ditch, or
'tail race" was wholly insufficient to carry Oh the
great hood that sur, ounded the mills, and the water
having no outlet expended considerable OF It's lOrce
OH the building. The foundation Of the southwest
corner was completely undermined. 1he walls OF
200 feet the ditch was filed with gravel Coal, TO
the amount OF LIS TONS was swept away like cork
windows were broken In, fences were ed
and general disaster attended the spread OF the
cry waters. But II ID
IN THE MILLS
that we md the worst evidences OF the ravages
Of the food. The water attaining level
Of Twelve feet above the ordinary bed OF the creek,
stood Six feet deep IN the cardng rOOm The engine
room was flooded, the fires exIlngusned, and the
same p0nderous waves that dashed in To pat out the
fires carried or 10 their retreauns move.
was to be- fed for months to The
damage in the carding room il serious in the ex-
were washed of or destroyed and q coating OF mud
IN some places foot deep was left on every thing.
In the machine shop and stOreroOm the damage was
also serious. The water attained level of SIX feet,
and mud, stones, logs and driitwOod foated Ia at
The windows. But the
WORST CONSEQUENCES
have not yet been men ioned The injury which the
between 100 and 200 persons out OIL employ Tor
TWO three months. Owing TO The damage IN the
cardng room alone twenty men are thrown out Of
work The mills contained 500 spindles and ia
looms 1t turned out "a. 500 yards per week oil yard
wide sheetlng As picks to lnch The superintendent
says 1t VIII be ali OF TWO months before wofa
resumed. These mills are amoug the Oldest IN this
section, the man buildings being erected In lsvs.