Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-05-25

When the water began to subslde IN
Florence meadows, large number of
bodies were discovered and conveyed to
William Warmers carpenter shop for
Identification. The scene here-w was heart
rending.- Those who had survived rush
ed frantically to the scene IN search of
friends or relatives, and too many had
the misfortune of finding some loved one
among the CHASTITY groups of corpses
laid out in all directions. Outside there
was the same amount of distress, and
no pen can describe the heart burnings
and the deep anguish which was express
ed on every countenance. Hundreds OF
weeping men, women and children were
to be seen going frantically up and down
the wake of the food. seeking for the
remains of missing relatives and friends.
Several bodies were picked up in North
| hampton, nine miles below the break,
and most of them were so much dishg-
ured as to be almost entirely beyond
recognition. Even the countenances of
those who were not torn and mangled
presented most horrible and hideous
appearance, indicating a fearful and
desperate struggle for life.
The total loss of human life can prob
ably never be fully computed, but from
the returns already made l50 bodies
have been identified. while others are
found buried in the mud or thrown up
far upon the dry land. 1t is impossible
to calculate on the location of the VIC
tins bodies. as in almost every instance
they were suddenly and rapidly hurried
along by the seething torrent, so that
the bodies of Williamsburg people were
found in Haydenville, and so on. There
no doubt that some bodies were carri-
ed off into the Connecticut, and perhaps
never will be seen again. The bodies
were tossed about so wildly and thrown
so frequently in contact with hard sub
stances that in many cases they were
stripped almost naked, and all were bad
ly bruised. In Williamsburg, good
many French mill operatives were lost,
and as they were almost total strangers
in the village their names could not be
learned In Leeds the body of a woman
was found in the fork of tree ten feet
from the ground, entirely naked with
the exception of linen collar which
chung to her neck.
Now that the danger is over, people
| begin to appreciate fully their deplora
: bic condition. Nearly $50 persons wer'
5 lost, and many of the survivors are home
4 less, penniless and destitute. So tn
: work of caring for the living and 70
o the dead is going on. Wagon-loads o
: collins have been sent up the river fror
/ Northampton and when person see
# one of these hurrying along the road h
begins to feel the full extent of the ca
l. lamity. Weeping women and childre
lie and men, too, are rot uncommon sight
ID in the ruined streets of the unfortunat
he villages Think of lad coming hon
l. from Westfeld to Leeds on Saturda
T. night, after his weeks work, and hea
&c ing on the train that within eight hou
re he has lost all belonging to him, nil
be brothers and sisters, mother and gran,
en- mother that's what happened to pc,
70 George Fitzgerald, last Saturday nigh
ar He is alone in the world now; this mu
re- have been bleak and dreary Sund;
,er for him.
IN Ride of George Cheney--An Incide
Id, of the Flood.