The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-09
FLOODS IN CONNECTICUT.

A Fall OF Seven Inches Of Rain In Thirty
Aours-Bridges and Telegraph Poles
Carried Away-iSailroad Trnhic sus-
pended-Great Damage to Property.
New HAVEN, Jan. 8. 1874.
TN the afternoon Of January !, after q day Of un-
paraleled spendor, rain began falling and has
ttnued almost necessarily until this morning at
eleven O'CLOCK, when the sun came out for the
first time ineight days. Such period Of rainy,
fOggy, drzzling weather has not been known In
this latitude during winter since 1852 when,
after similar infection, the weather eliminated
in an Od-ashioned northeast snow storm, on the
night Of January TO- Whether it VIII 80 happen
now remains to be seen. The temperature lndl-
Gates that such may be the result. When the
lowering period set in the ground was covered
with snow and sleighing was the order Of the
hour. In one short day this had been transformed
to slush and slop OF the most disagreeable con-
sstency. Up to Sunday noon the wind had blown
from the west; the clouds then lifted and the
weatherwise predicted a favorable change. At
night, however the wind veered to the northeast,
log OF renewed density settled upon us, con-
tnuing till Wednesday morning, when it began
to rain the snow and ice disappearing before H.
and finally ended with q terrible rainfall. which
cOntin ued for the space OF nearly 80 hours. Every
stream IN TINS vicinity is swollen to q fearful ex-
in some instances, rendered impossible All the
railroad tracks, except the New York, New Haven
has only one track, has suffered less
than the others The rain and floods
he Of East
culvert near the tracks was too small TO afford an
outlet for the great body Of accumulated water.
iniuring the empan kments In some places the
water IS high enough above the track to come IN
contact with locomotive nres The road Ia not be-
Ifnu IN h0un onofO 0h nm oron tntsr
TIE AIR LINE.
The news from this road Is as yet meagre but
enough mas been reSeed 10 hsr the state
larry beyond the Connecticut River. In the hilly
country just east OF the river the waters have
and travel Is entirely suspended. All the trains
arriving here to-day came In late. The Boston
and Albany road have bad "wash" near the town
OF RUSSELL over which 1t IS impossible to convey
trains.
NEW HAVEN AND DERBY RAILROAD.
Trains on this road are unable to reach Derby
Junction by reason Of q landslide and accumu.
lated water Two Of the regular trains have been
dropped for the present. Merchants and others
having business relations in this City are suffering
inconvenience. so great flood has not been
known for years.
Highways and roads hereabOut have suffered
frOm the flood. West River has overlooked Its banks,
It's waters reaching out on either side and the
near the Pond LILY Paper MIL, the water rose early
this morning sufficient to stop public travel in that
direction In the village OF WesLvllle the situation
this morning was not much better. The manulac-
turing establishment oil Parker and Skillton was
entirely surrounded with water. Boats were used
to go to GOrman's match factory, and on the floor
OF the New Haven OH Extracting Company's shop
the water stood to the depth OF ten inches by ac-
tual measurement. The salt meadows below the
city were entirely submerged, and the causew ay
between the city and Auingtown was buried be-
meath the rushing torrent Other streams in this
vicinity were similarly affected, and the total DAM
age indicted by the dood must be quite large.
Bridge Carried Away on the Danbury
and Norwalk Railroad-Stage Coaches
Conveying Passengers and the Mails.
NoRwALK, Conn.,, Jan. g, 1874.
so great rain as the present one has not visited
this region since 1854, when the foods came and
literally tore the heart OF Norwalk in pieces. Its
effects are still visible. To-day the people are
forcibly reminded Of their experiences OF 20 years
ago. During an entire week fog, rain and drizze
have tended to make life anything but desirable.
The rain Of the last "a hours now adds to the gen.
eral discontinue. Early this morning intelligence
was received from Wilton by courier that the nood
had carried away the Danbury and N0rwalk rail-
water was SO great and damage SO extensive that
trains would not probably reach NOrwalk from
Danbury to-day This was surprise, and on re-
pairing to the telegraph office 1t was found the
wires were down in several places ana communi-
cation IN that manner was cut of. Accordingly
the agents Of the company here, IN view Of the
selves ut work to overcome the diff
Guilty as best they could. they engaged
heavy coach OF Mr.. c. E. Dunn, the
livery man, and with four horses attached, started
from South NOrwalk for Danbury with the United
States mails and the through passengers from New
York. such q thing as conveying mails In this
manner has not occurred here IN over quarter OF
q century. A river passes through the centre Of
Norwalk village. The sound OF the mighty torrent
this morning as 1t rushed onward over the Jagged
rocks to the sea was terrible and almost dealen-
ing The roads are everywhere damaged by the
floods, there being no frost IN the ground as
means OF resistance.
Two Bridges Carried Away-Wostport
Inundated.
WEsrPoRT, Conn.,, Jan. s, 1874.
The Saugatuck river, over which are four heavy
bridges, passes through Westport. Tide water ex-
To nd hali