Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-17
MiseelIaneons.
THE BONNET CARRE CREyAssE. 7

1he subject of the Bonnet Carre crew.
asse Is now almost household word. Yet
after all the very lucid and lengthy infor-
nation upon the subject, no true concep-
uoh can be formed of the nature Of the
calamity, and the appearance of the To-
caiity Feeling desire to view in propria
PefSomp, what we had heard so much
about, we left by the steamer Wild
WAGNER, on Thursday, bound, with quite
party OF excursionists, for the great
break. Nineteen miles from the city, at
falrview Plantation, was discovered the
first lntimation that the Father Of Waters
haa broken the bounds of his confinement,
ior Tar back could be seen stretch of the
water element, extending beyond the
reach OF the eye in one direction, and
swallowed by the woods in another. The
distance OF this second stream from the
river varied as we progressed, at times
three-fourths of mile distant, and again
but few yards. When within about five
miles OF the crevasse we came upon what
was apparently valuable plantation, but
now covered by water to the depth of ten
ieet; sugar-house, negro quarters, dwell
g-house, all standing in the midst of the
wild waters, presented desolate picture
saddening to behold.
AS we advance, the wilderness of waters
seemed to spread, until, rounding bend
IN the river, the mighty rush and roar was
before us in all its grandeur. Quickly
landing, tour Of observation soon con-
vinced us that the sight presented must be
seen to be fully understood The levee at
Bonnet Care is very high-perhaps twelve
feet or more-and extends for several
miles up and down at the same altitude.
Standing on the broken edge of the levee
one can gaze down upon the huge volume
OF water as it rushes through gap 1900
feet wide, foamng and seething, while its
angry roar impresses a sense of fear upon
the listener Very near the break is a
small collection of houses, back of them
plantations, and still further removed
long lines of forests: over and through
all the flood pours with resistless force,
rushing up and down the country as fierce
ly as If in search of something upon which
to satisfy its vengeance. From the village
all light and life have fed, and the de
serted houses, with their open doors, told
too truly the painful story. We were in
formed by Mr.. Hatch, Assistant State
Engineer, that thel acuIrent of the water
rushing through the break is fully eight
miles an hour, and that ON Thursday about
fifty additional feet of the levee had been
washed off, although the day previous
about POO feet gave way. 1t needs no
second view to convince the beholder that
no mortal power can arrest the flow of the
water, but there is employed large force
OF laborers,w who are engaged in construct
ing bulkheads, the purpose of which is to
prevent further damage to the levee.
The unfortunate cooper, to whom is at
tributed the direful mishap, has evidently
taken unto himself wings; his aforetime
cooper-shop is now made to do duty as a
hotel for the sons of toll engaged upon
the works, and happening, as we did, to
look in at supper time, we were particu-
larly struck by the reflection that the
amount of provisions that crowd could
consume in one short day "would be tear
full to see." No words can convey the
desolate appearance of the village of
Bonnet Care, abandoned as it is by the
watery waste, which covers as with gar
ment, the. once pleasant spot when the
people will again be permitted to return
to their homes is a matter not only of con-
lecture, for even after the water shall
have ceased to flow from the river, the
flood will require many days to subside.
In some places the water is twelve feet
deep, reaching beyond the second story of
many houses.
We were informed by gentleman re-
siding near the flooded section, that when
the unfortunate cooper discovered the wa
ter in the river rising to the level of his
doorway in the gap through the levee, he
placed board across it to bar old Niche
Sepe out. When the board was no longer
useful, and the water continued to rise,
several of the inhabitants near hit upon
the happy expedient of barricading the
crevasse with an old fat-boat, but like the
formal people of Pottsville, they disputed
about the manner of placing it; while thus
engaged the object of their solicitude was
captured by the raging element and swept
through the break like the blinded light
ming what was done after that was just
what had been done, and the result is
what we know. Had the maker of barrels
but remembered the little story about the
acorns and oaks, the citizens of Bonnet
Care might still be in possession of their
once happy homes. and the crevasse not
nine days sensation.-From the New Or
leans Times, Of April 30th.