Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-09-04
Fearful Flood in Addison County

One of the most disastrous Hoods that ever
! visited this vicinity, accompanied with heavy
damage and loss of life, occurred this morn
ing. the list of August The cause Of the
immense amount of water we are unable to
explain. As one man in Goshen said, it did
not seem 70 rain. but all at once, without
warning, the clouds broke and immense
volumes Of water fell al once. and this body
starting near the church, IN Goshen, rolled
on IN Irresistible fury, carrying everything
before it-brldges, dams, trees and immense
rocks, estimated to weigh 10000 pounds,
were hurled along and carried miles down
the stream, spreading destruction and ruin
in its course. Houses and barns were
washed away, and so quick that the inmates
lid for their lives, and one poor boy was
overt tken in the food and before help could
be got was drowned. The greatest destruc-
ti0n and ruin were in Goshen and FOrestdale
An eye witness says that the entire prop
erty of Goshen along the road will not pay
for the damage done NOta bridge is lett on
the streams and the road is quilted fearfully.
have Just visited FOrestdale and the damage
is great, how great / cannot say. It over
flowed the banks on both sides and ran
through the street leading past the grist
mill one hundred feet in width Immense
rocks and piles of stones now lie where.
before the hJsd came, were fruitful gardens,
pleasant yards, highways and buildings. The
whole length of the long street and the
gardens are utterly ruined, and the houses
look as though they were built on top Of the
rocks Of q river bed. The street is COM
pleteiy Oblterated, with heaps Of rock
stones, sand, driftwood and all the accompa-
nimeuJs Of great food. George Child says
he heard the roar Of rocks and water, and
his mother requested him to look and see if
the water was running into the cellar. lie
went down and found il was and immedl-
ately went back up stairs and found it was
running so fast that it began to pour into
the dining room. The underpinning was
soon washed away and portion Of the house
fell. The underpinnIng Of Col. John Capen
house was washed out, and the cellar filed
full Of sand. Mr.. NewtOn's barn was carried
from its foundation and turned around, and
but for the heavy stone which filed it al
once, would have been carried off. The barn
% Fred Strong was nearly torn 10 pieces and
his slaughter house carried off. The barn
of Frank Wheeler wys turned around and
damaged as to be almost worthless. But the
greatest loss was to Mr.. NJ f. Allen, both in
a pecuniary point Of view and still more
IN the loss Of his son, a bright young lad Of
about eleven years of age. The house of Mr.
Allen was struck, and the L part and shed
carried off and completely ruined, and the
=
ming where his garden was.
The particulars, as related by Mr.. Allen,
of the loss Of his boy, Scott Allen, were as
follows He arrived home from Rutland on
the special train which had been TO the
Grant and Wilson ratification meeting, at
twenty minutes to two o'clock His wife,
not in good health, heard the roar Of the
river and was uneasy about il, but he said
that so little rain had fallen that no danger
could come Of it, and he noticed the stream
was not up to its banks when he came in
but soon be heard the roar coming on and
the crashing Of she rock, and so be got up
and looked out and saw the water was nearly
up to his house So he told his wife she had
better get up. not that he then feared any
danger, but preferred to be prepared. She
did So and he observed the stream was
rapidly rising and roaring louder than ever.
lie ran al once to the bed of his little girl, !
about six years old, and throwing a quilt
around her, carried her to high ground TO
house close by, and called for assistance. At
this time the water was about a foot deep, |
With the assistance of Mr.. Wing, he then |
got his wife out, By means of the shed, to
where it was safe, and got his boy on TO the |
she'd. While away with his wife, the boy |
said, d" Papa, the shed is going, P" and before |
they got back the shed fell, and the boy with |
l.
,hed Mr. Allen ran around where the boy |
vas, and heard him scream and cry, " Papa,
:ome and get me-don't let me drown" He
,an TO him, the water was then about three
eet deep. He grabbed hold of the boy, and
he could carry him off, but the boy |
aid, . My leg is broken, and am caught. "
lie tried TO hold on and extricate the boy, |
1ut could not remove the distractions. He
hen let go of him, and took both hands
lold of the obstruction, but could not stir it,
md at this time the boy was carried under
md down the stream by the now pouring |
water, five or six feet deep. Search was
made for the body for several hours, and it
vas found near where Mr.. Allen left him,
astened by the foodwood.
Newton & Thompson sustained heavy
lamage by the washing away of parts OF
heir works.
At Brandon village the persons living in
he houses near the river were aroused about
our O'Clock A. ", by the heavy roar of the