The Portland daily press., 1870-04-21
TMK FLOOD.
Destruction of Property OF,
the S0cO.
High Water i'm all the Rivers
An IMPENDING GALA MITY.

An IMPENDING GALA MITY.
The mails and telegraph yesterday brought
us the beginning of the accounts of the dam
age by 1.-THE late heavy rain, not only
around this city but in other parts of the State,
in New Hampshire. Massachusetts, and New
York. All accounts agree that it was one of
the heaviest and most underwriting storms
of the year, and the height of water in the
rivers and streams approximates to if it will
not eventually exceed that known at any time
within the past twenty years.
THE sAco RIVER
rose rapidly on Tuesday, and on Wednesday
morning was higher than at any time since
1927. The red bridge, Sawyer's saw mill
and portion of Tracy's wooden mill at Mod
Grafton Village have been carried away. The
bridge broke into two parts, one being carried
away a little before the other. Two young
ladies' the daughters of the Mr.. Tracy who
was killed on the P. S. & p. Railroad short
time ago, were standing on the bridge when it
started, but they were rescued by gentleman
who happened to see them. The stage diver
states that all the mills ON the Hollis side are
gone except a part of Tracy's mill. Fears
were entertained last night that the new mill
on the Buxton side would be carried away.
Numerous small buildings are floating down
the river.
At Salmon Falls the 1ume of the grist mill
has been carried away. At one time the dam
was supposed to be in danger, and there was a
rumor that it had gone.
At Bar Mills heading machiue and all the
| booms have been carried away. AT IL P. M.
| the river was still rising, and it was feared
| that the business portion of the village would
suffer severely. Parties came to the city in
| the afternoon for chains aud cables, with which
to secure the buildings that were partially sub
merged.
AT Saco four of the bridges and several OF
the streams were impossible. A dispatch says
large number of houses were vacated, the
occupants leaving in boats. The Water Power
machine shop shut down, and only part Of
the Laconia Corporation was able to run.
THE PREsUMPscoT.
This river shares with all the others in the
pressure of high water A gentleman who
came across Pride's bridge (iron) yesterday af-
ternoon reports that the water was up to the
floor of his carriage, and the crossing was at
tended with imminent danger. Late in the
evening it was reported in the city that fears
were entertained for the safety of the dam at
the outlet of Lake Sebago, and men-were sta.
| toned there with horses saddled to warn the
inhabitants below in case the structure gave
signs of weakness. Should this give way the
water would rush through the valley with
i f,,l
dollars worth Of property, and perhaps destroy
| ing life. Some of the inhabitants along the
banks have moved out their household goods
and betaken themselves and cattle to the high
land.
THE ANDROsCOGGIN
and all the streams running intoft are very
much swollen. In the river the water yester-
day was within eight inches of the point
reached in the great freshet last fall, and was
rising at o'clock. Our Lewiston correspon.
dent telegraphs:
Water on the dam to-day was seven feet and
| four inches, and during mill hours rose eight
inches more. All the mills on the lower level
| are obliged TO shut down. The Lewiston Falls
Manufacturing Company's mills are all af1oat,
! and Col. Frye, the agent was obliged to take
| the cloth and remove it to dry position. The
Androscoggin train from Brunswick was one
nOur late Oh dCcOuuC 0I TIE luuuudJlOu OF tue
road at Little River. The Auburn Ice Com
pany suffer in consequence of the injury to
their ice house. Some forty or fifty tons OF ice
has fallen into the river. No serious injuries
yet reported.
On the Grand Trunk road, we were informed
at the station, there were two serious wash
outs, one at Locke's Mills and the other at
Falmouth. The one at Locke's Mills was
thirty feet long and ten. feet deep, but was re-
paired by 10 o'clock yesterday morning,
large force having been sent to that spot. The
one at Falmouth, or rather half mile above
that place, was forty feet long and twenty feet
deep, and passengers were transhipped from
trains coming down 10 that place to trains sent
from this city to this side of the break. Tues
days Montreal train was expected to arrive
last evening and also yesterdays train. We
have no doubt they did, as we received last
evening our Canadian papers. The break at
Falmouth, it was expected, would be repaired
by midnight last night.
Late yesterday afternoon the wind backed
into the northwest and the clouds partially
broke away, but towards midnight it veered
again and the rain began to fall once more
We fear that to-day will bring us an awful
chapter of calamity.
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
At Concord the Merrimack rose over nine
feet in five hours, and was nearly up to the
point Of the great October flood, which was
the highest on record A dispatch says:-
"The scene in the valley here is one of sur
passing beauty. From beyond the lower bridge
to above East Concord the river is one broad
lake, in some places mile in Width Nearly
all the railroads suffered badly. Bridges were
carried away and there is gleat land slide be-
tween East Andover and franklin. A dis
patch says:
The Concord and Cl,remont and Coptoocook
Valley Railroads are terribly damaged and
there is an immense destruction of other pubiic
asweil as private property 10 that section. The
railroad bridge at Koby's Corner hiss been de-
stroyed, and highway bridges, outbuildings
and other property have been swept away.
1t is impossible to estimate the damage being
done by the flood, but il is very great Much
anxiety is felt concerning the drives of logs
now above here in the Pemigawassett, for if
they should come down the stream now, near
ly every bridge would be carried away. The
trestle bridge between here and East Concord
are loaded down and it is expected they will be
saved. Much wood and lumber belonging TO
the Concord road is afioat in the yards In this
city. In the basement Of the Concord railroad
shops the water is some five feet deep and
much of their machinery is submerged. Con-
siderable floating property has passed down the
river this morning.
MASSACHUSETTS.
At Lawrence the water was considerably
higher than at the freshet of October. All the
mills suspended operations.
NEW YORK.
At Albany the water covered Broadway
from Hudson street to South Ferry street, and
hundreds of Easements and cellars were flood
ed. The entire lumber district is inundated.
The water on the docks was seven to ten feet
deep. Great difficulty was experienced by
steamers in effecting landing. The flats are |
Hooded above and below the city,
Great Freshet ON the SncO.
MODERATION MILLS, BUXTON,
April 20, 1870.
Mr.. EDlToR,-The water of the Saco river is
higher than it has been since the great freshet |
in 1S43, and it is approaching the mark which
it reached in 1914 when nearly everything was
swept away along its banks from its source to
the ocean. A barn was carried away yester-
day little above the village which occasioned
some alarm lest it might strike the supports OF
some of the mills Last night building at
tached to one the mills on Hollis side of the
river, containing some machinery, was carried
on. The river last night was within 16 inches |