The Portland daily press., 1870-02-21
Destruction of Bridges on the
AndrOscoggin railroad.
MARROW ESCAPE f20N DEATH.
THRILLING SCENES,

Especial Dispatches by International Liue.I
AUGUSTA, Feb. 20.-There is one of the
greatest freshets ever known on the Kenpebec
River said to be three feet higher that that of
1882. The ice commenced breaking up at 9
o'clock this morning, but it jammed and
blocked up this side of Gardiner, and the
water backed up between 10 and II o'clock
and rose here over seven feet. In Hallowell
Water street is five feet under water Thirty
families have been turned out of doors, losing
nearly everything. In this city the loss is very
great. The first story of Sprague's mill is en-
tirely filled with water. Loss between $40 900
and $4,000. Whitehouse & Gould's stock is
damaged $780, All the easements OF the
stores on the east side of Water street are lied
five feet deep, and the stocks are more or less
damaged. The middle span of the railroad
was carried away at 10 30 A. NJ, and at 2.
NJ the eastern span fell, iniuriDg badly The
toll bridge in going down liver. The river is
no higher than at IL, and there are hopes OF its
falling The ruins of the railroad bridges are
now opposite the Arsenal grounds. No signs
yet of the ice breaking up below Gardiner.
Should the ice not break the loss might be i'm.
mense here and in Hallowel. The railroad
bridges at Seven Mile Brook and Capen's Gull
ly, Vassaboro, are also destroyed. The loss
to the road is probably $4,000. H. B. H.
HALLowELL, Feb. 20-To-day has been the
most exciting on record IN this city and vcini-
ty. The powerful rain of Friday last caused a
rapid rise of water, and about ten O'Clock this
forenoon the ice began to break up, and by
ia mn i'm ho1o n. a..
rise so suddenly that many stores were SUBJ
merged before the goods could be removed
The bells were rung, the churches were dis
m ssed and the people flocked to the river side.
TIE damage is quite extensive. Several houses
were forced from their foundations in the low
er part of the city, and the inmates and goods
were taken off in boats The railroad bridge
at Augusta was carried away, also the remain
ing span of the Hallowell and Chelsea bridge
d Iriug the movement of the ice the scene was
truly appalling. The total rise of water was
about eighteen feet, and at the present writing
it has fallen off only about seven inches. Hopes
are entertained that the jam will hold; other
wise the destruction of property in this city
and Gardiner will be fearful. The gorge ex-
tends nearly one mile. The ice is piled I'D in
heaps, mingled with logs, piles of lumber, Sc.
Thousands of people from this aud neighbor-
ing cities have thronged our streets to view the
desolating spectacle. Strict watch will be kept
tonight as fears are entertained that the mass
of ice between Augusta and Watorriiio r,.ry
come down, causing greater destruction of
property. 1t is to be hoped, however, that the
ice here will stick and prevent further dam
age. E.R.
GARDINER, Feb. 20-4 P. M.-There proba-
bly, never before was such freshet in the
Kennebec as at the present time. The water
is about two feet higher here than at the high
est point in the great freshet of last fall, and
at Augusta it is about seven feet higher. The
ice is badly broken up and much damage is
done. Undoubtedly the ice storing season is
al an end in this vicinity. All the ice houses
have sustained serious damage. A lot of lime
stored in the cellar of Peter Grants store took
fire, badly damaging the stock. Cellars are
being cleared and the traders hold themselves
ready to move into the second story at a mo-
ment's warning. Several parties have tried to
get to the ice houses below this city, but the
roads are so badly overfowed they have been
obliged to turn back. At this writing the
water has come to stand. and it is hoped the
dam of ice below Hallowell will hold and pre-
vent the devastation of our shores G..