Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-02-21

Great Destruction OF Property on
the Kennebec River!
BRIDGES AND BUILDINGS SWEPT
AWAY BY THE ICEIv

/
| city, Friday forenoon, continued through the
day and night and also on Saturday. 1t was
accompanied on Friday night by a tremendous
gale, which made lively work with dead
branches of trees, fences, signs, chimnies,
blinds and other insecure appendages to dwell
ngs and temporary buildings that didn't hap
pen to be "built on a rock" The opinion
has been expressed that the gale was as severe
as the one in September, but we think that
this cannot be, as the results are no. very
writing. An ice house at Dresden, belong
| ing to a Portland company, was blown down
and completely destroyed. At the time of the
disaster there were probably thirty men at
work around the house, but strange as it may
seem no one was hurt. 1t is hard to estimate
the amount Of damage, but it will probably be
between $500 and $1,000. We also learn
that the ice house Of Mr.. +. G. Storer of
this city was also destroyed. Not an ounce
of ice was stored in it. If the gale ex-
tended to the coast towns serious damages
must have been done the shipping. People
| setting securely in their comfortable homes
could not help thinking of the poor mariner
on our coasts last Friday night. All night
| the rain descended in torrents, causing the
large body of snow to vanish like the mists of
morning before the rising sun. Every street
in the city was converted into q river, the
sidewalks into lakes and ponds, while cellars
were flooded, causing unwonted activity in
the domestic department of the household,
and jolly commotion among the beef and
pork barrels. the potatoes and preserves, the
cabbages and onions. Rats and apples alike
got along swimmingly. Impromptu water
powers burst out in places never dreamt of
by Mr.. Wells in his photographic investiga-
tons. This flood of water naturally caused a
great rise in the Kennebec. Saturday noon
the water had reached height above tine
point attained by the ice freshet during the
mild weather and great rain of this winter.
When it cleared off cold on Saturday even
ing, it was thought that the sudden change in
the weather would save the ice and prevent
"A disastrous freshet. But the storm was so
|
come weakened, and early Sunday morning i,
broke up from below the Kennebec bridge
and cleared the river opposite this city. About
ten o'clock, the ice broke up above the dam
and came crushing in monstrous piles over
the dam, stopping in its course only when
reaching the jam which had already formed
at Hallowell. The sight was sublime but
awful one, as it was apparent that the railroad
bridge which was now growing shaky on its
foundations, would have to yield to the great
pressure. The water now rose rapidly-at
one time in less than half an hour rising five
feet. Water street from the stone bridge to
the foot of Cushnoc heights was flooded. The
water came into the second story of Wyman's
removing manufactured lumber from the mill.
Great damage was done to the works of the
Messrs. Sprague. The stone work support
ing the wooden arches caved in, leaving the
arches, spelling at least two months hard
work. The new carding machinery which has
but recently been put into the old mill was
damaged to the extent of SIC, 900. The jam at
Hallowell caused the water to rise So rapidly
that it became apparent that the railroad
bridge could not hold out much longer. Large
masses of ice struck the wood work as i,
passed under. In few minutes more the
boards began to rip off ON each side the bridge,
giving that structure the appearance of an
enormous hair-comb. Occasionally a large
| INN cf I'll - A.
whole length. At five minutes past eleven the
second span on the east side swaycd and set
tied gently into the water. Without being
shattered that part started on its way down
river towards the Kennebec bridge. 1t was
then that the immense crowd of people that
had blackened Cushnoc heights, the tops of
buildings and both banks OF the river, held
their breaths, for all seemed settled in the idea
that the Kennebec bridge must go. The float
ing section Of the railroad bridge struck the
lower bridge about the centre of the eastern
span, high up on it's sides, with a loud crash
that told that the bridge was stoutly resisting
the force. The floating span was smashed into
kindlihg wood, and passed under without ma
terial damage to the Kennebcc bridge. Then
loud cheer went up from the crowd and con-
fdence in the old Kennebec bridge in a mea-
sure restored. About five minutes after this
another span west of the one just carried away
also gave way, striking in its descent the CEN
trail pier of the lower bridge and was crushed
into atoms, one half going on the east side Of
the pier, and the other half on the west side.
The bridge had stood larger jams than the one
which took it away, all having the effect to
weaken it more and more. Logs were forced
through the bridge, and as the ice would
strike them on the end they would act as lev
ers and snap like pipe-stem. The sections
Of the bridge lodged about opposite the
hospital grounds. Just before the railroad
bridge broke, three men came across, accom-
plishing the foolhardy and hazardous feat just
as the bridge went down.
To return to the overlooked street. The
scene here was q livleyone. The traders had
but very little time to get out their goods, and
their loss cannot at this hour be estimated.