The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-03-30
The HaIioWeIl Flood.

cape of whose contents caused the acci-
dent at Hallowell Tuesday afternoon,
| when full, covers an area of three Or four
| acres; it is situated close to the Liteh-
field road, on the left, short distance
from the city. The reservoir dam was
built at the upper end Of deep detile,
not unlike mountain gorge, known as
the Vaughan Brook and stretched from
| bank to bank, distance of about two
| hundred feet; it was constructed OF stone
many years ago, and from time to time
has received additions, until its perpen-
dicular height was between 10 and 20
feet. The brook is remarkably sensitive
to rain falls and melting OF SHOWS, ana i'll
| spring and fall discharges an immense
quantity Of water, which goes tumbling
| down into the kennebec one hundred and
! eighty-eight feet below, and about half u
mile distant. 1t poured over five distinct
cascades and precipices, and four dams,
making in all nine abrupt descents, by
| the time it reaches the highway near
Shcpard's Point. The bed of the brook is
narrow, while its banks nearly the entire
distance from the reservoir to the street
are exceedingly steep, towering hundreds
of feet above. The brook is a peculiar
one for this section, possessing all the
characteristics of q mountain defle.
At 5 o'clock in the afternoon, after the
heavy storm which prevailed nearly all
dav, two Workmen in the mill tarthest
up stream heard Il heavy roar that remlnd-
ed them Of an earthquake, and looking
from the mill, saw with terror trees bend
ing before u torrent of water that filled
the gorge from bank to bank, to Il high
point, and which was rolling down toward
them with fearful rapdity they fled
from the mill which, however, was unln-
jured. 1t was used by S. Page II Co.,
to grind slate for oilcloths and roofing.
The dam by which it has been operated,
was broken, and about so feet of the pen
stock carried down. The capacity OF this
mill is about tons of slate flour per
week; its operation will necessarily be
suspended for season.
The torrent rushed past the Slate mill
to the dam few rods below, washing
away several cubic yards of earth at the
eastern end Of the dam; it struck the pat
tern shop of Geo Il McClrneh, u build
ihg t0Xl0 two stories, the upper being
filled with patterns of machinery, and the
lower with lumber. The building was
much broken and the patterns damaged
though none We're carried away. The
water then struck the blacksmith shop of
Mr.. McClcnch, and S Page & Co.'S
building known as the whiting mill.
The former was left 4 complete wreck.
The latter, not being directly in the path
of the destroying wave, was only thor
oughly drenched with water and mud.
In the same building is the gristmill, in
which at the same time We're the miller,
Mr.. Towne, and w. c. Horn, who, just
Us one side of the building was struck
| fled through u convenient door into the
street and thus escaped harm. About 90
bushels of meal in the mill were buried
| beneath the wave, and also large amount
of whiting. \ shed attached to the build
| inc was partially torn down; beneath its
roof We're swept several immense bould-
| ers from the bed of the brook, one ofwhich
can not weigh less than ten or twelve
tons! In contrast with this deluge at 5
O'Clock, it may be proper to state that the
miller had to stop his machinery in the
| forenoon Of the same day, on account of
the lack Of water The penstock con
nectcd with this establishment was cur
ried away; also several hundred dollars
worth Of prepared clay and other proper
ty destroyed. The machine Shop Of NJ
I I lhhf'h thn me OD)OSlltt SIi''
was thoroughly drenched with water and
mud, the floor covered with about four
| feet of water, submerging much Of the
| machinery. The hands in the shop, II
or A in number, had Just time to emerge
before the delugc broke over the premi-
ses. \ 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
bridge spanning the stream, and then
dashed against the building used as Il
wool shop inside of which at the moment
was the proprietor, Mr.. Zenas King.
The building was instantly torn in pieces
and borne into the swollen kennebec :,
few hundred yards distant. The violent
death of Mr.. King makes this deluge Il
mourniul catastrophe. He was an old
resident of IIollowell; he entered the
shop only few moments, and it is sup
posed he was in the basement of the
building ut the instant the flood came.
The building was Of wood 60x25 four
stories, and worth perhaps $1,000. 1t was
the property OF Mr.. King, who leaves q
wife and grown up children. His age
was 70 years. lie was by trade wool
puller The shop contained IS, 900 pounds
of wool belonging to various owners.
The probable losses are as follows
Page Il Stickney, reservoir dam, $4,000
Geo. b. McClcnch, S25OO; George Fuller's
dam, $780, Messrs. Mlliken, lumber,
$50; Zenas King, $4,000; and wool be
longing to the following parties: Mr..
Drew OF Pshon's Ferry, $500; Thomas
Gage. $500; Seth Whitehouse OF Angus
ia, $1,000; Simeon lIersey of IIollowell,
$780, Mr.. Millikcn of Augusta, $500
Mr.. Cram Of New Sharon, $3.50. Ken
ncbcc journal.