The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-03-24

AT 3c'efock, precisely, the two workmen in
the slate tnil1-John NfcCarter and Michaei
Curtain, being the farthest up the stream,
heard a heavy roar that reminded them of an
and looking from the mill, saw
with terror trees bending before a torrent OF
water that filled the gorge from bank TO BANK
to high point, and which was rolling down
toward them with fearful rapidity; they reach
ed point of safety before the terrific deluge OF
water, which had broken loose from the It SER
yoir, reached the mill. But the slate mill was
unniured owing to its elevation above the tor
rent The dam, however by which it has been
operated, was broken and about 80 feet OF the
penslock carried down. The capacity OF this
mil is about tons of slate flour per week; lis
operation will necessarily be suspended for
season.
9sTne torrent rushed past the slate mill TO the
dam few rods below, washing away several
hundred cubic yards OF earth at the eastern.
end of the DAM; it struck the pattern shop of
George Il. McCiench, building 4Ox4O, two
stories, the upper being filled with pat terms of
machinery, and the lower with lumber. The
building was much broken and the patterns
damaged though none were carried away;
The irresistible torrent struck simultane-
ously the blacksmith shop OF Mr.. McClench,
and S. Page & Co.'S building known as the
whiting mill The former was left complete
wreck. The latter, not being directly IN the
path of the destroying wave, was only tn0r-
ouchly dreuched with water and mud. In the
same building is the grist mill, in which at the
time were tho miller, Mr.. Towns, and w. G.
Horn, who, lust as one side of the building
was struck, fled through convenient door
into the street and thus escaped harm. About
30 bushels of meal in the mill were buried be-
meath the wave, and also large amount of
whiting. A shed attached to the building was
partially torn down; beneath its roof were
swept several immense boulders from the bed
OF the brook, one of which cannot weigh less
than ten or twelve tons! In contrast with this
deluge at o'clock, it may be proper to state
the miller had to stop his machinery in the
forenoon of the same day, on account of the
lack of water! The penstock connected with
this establishment was carried away; also sew
eral hundred dollars worth of prepared clay
and other property destroyed.
The machine shop OF McClench on the OPP
posite side of the stream was thoroughly
drenched with water and mud, the floor COW
cred with about four feet OF water, submerging
much of the machinery. The hands in the
emerge before the deluge broke over the prem
ises A large steam boiler lying in front of the
shop was swept away and has not since been
seen.
In its devastating course the torrent swept
away almost every vestige of the street bridge
spanning the stream. In its fury the flood
then dashed against the building used as a
wool shop and irside of which at the moment
was the proprietor, Mr.. Zenas King. The
building was instantly torn in pieces and borne
distant.
The violent death of Mr.. King makes this
deluge mournful catastrophe. He was an
old resident of Hallowel; he entered the shop
only a few moments before the deluge occur
red, and it Is supposed he was in the basement
of the building at the instant the food came.
The building was of wood 60x25, four stories,
and worth pei haps $4,000. Itwas the property
of Mr.. King, who leaves wife and grown up
children. His age was 70 years. His body has
not been found. He was by trade wool
| puller.
In the woolshop was wool to the amount Of
| about 5000 pounds belonging to Mr.. Drew Of
Pishon's Ferry; to Thomas Gage also about
| 5000 pounds; Seth Whitehouse of Augusta,
| 800 skins, equal to about 1000 pounds, which
was put into the shop only the Saturday pre-
| ceding; Simeon Hersey of HallOwel, about
| $500 pounds; Mr.. Mulliken of Augusta had
| about 1000 pounds, and Mr.. Cram of New
| Sharon about 500 pounds. All the above was
| floated away with the building. A small por-
| tion being in bales, may be recovered.
Adjacent to tie wool shop was Mr.. George
Fuller's dam, which was considerably Injured
the penstock was destroyed; his building near
by, filled with castings and maple lumber was
saved, only slight damage being done to it. As
Mr.. Fuller. like Mr. McClench, is not depend
ent upon water power to drive his machinery,
his work will suffer no delay. His loss is be.
tween seven and eight hundred dollars.
The reservoir dam was the property of Page
| q Stickney, who sustain total ,oss of prob
| ably not far from $4,000.
| Mr. McClench estimates his loss to be not fai
| from 50. 500.
The loss in wool will doubtless exceed sc, 500
| or about 80 cents per pound-about $4,000
| pounds being known to have been in the wool
shop.