The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-21
RECoLLECTIONs OF THE PAST.
Tho Great Freshet of July, 1911.


memorable by the occurrence of great
flood or freshet which extended over sever
al towns of this (Rutland) county, and was
particularly destructive along Cold river,
at the North Flat $50 called and vicinity
in the town of Clarendon. The writer
then in his juvenile years, remembers well
the trials and perils OF that eventful day.
At early morn the heated and darkened
atmosphere and the rumbling of heavy
thunder in the distant southeast, por-
tended a storm of no ordinary magnitude.
At the accustomed hour, the writer Gas
saith Shakespeare "wth satchel and shin
ing morning face, crept unwillingly to
school" Scarcely had he reached the des-
tined place ere the storm commenced with
a fury seldom witnessed, accompanied by
vivid lightning and terrific peals of thun-
der which continued nearly through the
day.
At noon Cold river had broken over Its
banks and was running in various direc-
/ lions across the flats. The school was dis
missed and the decrepit teacher assisted to
place of supposed safety. The writer
not being able to reach home took shelter
at the house of the venerable Oliver Arnold
upon the premises now occupied by Henry
Webb, where he had full view of the
scene. The rain continued and before
night the stream covered nearly all the
ground from Nelson's bridge to the resi-
dence of the late Daniel Plat, distance
of nearly half mile.
To the south from Arnold's, one or more
dwelling houses and two or three small
outbuildngs with many of the largest trees
OF the forest were seen floating down the
stream. Water came into the cellar kitchen
of the house, where the writer was stop
ping, filling the oven. A hog-sty was
lifted from its foundation and stranded
upon sand-bar several rods down stream,
with its occupants uninjured.
On the east, or Boston road, was large,
two story dwelling house, belonging to the
estate of Jonathan Parker, then deceased,
besides several smaller dwellings. The
rapidly accommodating waters admonished
the occupants that safety must soon be
sought in other quarters. Fifty rods to
the north, upon higher ground, stood the
tavern then kept by Robert Wilbur. Stakes
were driven into the ground through the
intervening distance and ropes and bed
cords affixed thereto by which, through
much peril and difficulty, the inhabitants
from below were helped to place of com.
parative safety.
Further west, near the Cold river cross
ing of the Harlem Extension railroad, was
the residence of Daniel Chaplin, occupied
only by his wife and young child, he be
ing from home. Forty rods south resided
Eleazer Flagg, esq, then high sheriff Of
Rutland county. Flagg seeing the peril tC
which Mrs. Chaplin was exposed, sent two
men to her relief, who, with her, wadiBe
to their necks, with much difficulty sue
ceeded in rescung the woman and chile
from danger. Soon after their arrival al
Flagg's a large hemlock tree, borne on by
the rushing waters, dashed, top foremost
through the door of the house and pro-
truded several feet into the room where 9
number of the inmates were assembled.
Toward night the accumulation of drift
wood below the bridge south of the resi-
dence of A. S. Cramton Chen occupied by
Dea Esekiel Green) served to turn a larg'
portion of the main stream south, cutting
out deep channel a few rods west of tn
the highway as it now runs. During tn
night the water following this new channe
cut away the underpining of the larg
house belonging to the Parker estate befor
mentioned, where it careened over into tn
stream, destroying the first story altogether
1t was near night when the rain ceased
, and soon after dark the water began to tai
=, which event was hailed with rapture by tn
trembling population Of the place. On til
following day the stream had fallen within
its banks, but the scene at Mort
Clarendon was dismal Several build
ngs shattered, others gone, drif
= wood in huge piles here an
there, fences swept away, crops of all kind
j ruined or badly damaged. One man ha
eleven acres of corn Frustrated and burie
in the sand. Every bridge crossing tn
r stream and every sawmill, save one, to il
: source were swept away.
y No flood on that stream since the settle
l. mcnt of this county had ever equalled tn
u one here described and none during til
u sixty-four years which have intervene
y since that day would compare with it. TIL
" rise of the stream at the deep gorge spanne
- by the bridge near the residence of the la'
II Benjamin Parker was ascertained to hay
" been twenty-nine feet above low waite
J. Large bodies of excellent timber skirtir
j. the stream on either side were swept ava,
II which if available at the present day woul
:, :, be of great value.
II In recalling the perils and anxietes {
u that eventful day, we are led to consid
} the great changes which have transpirt
II since their occurrence. Where are Il
~ people of that time who were residents
70 that locality then engaged in the commt
l. avocations of life? and echo answe
10 where-gone gone to their long home
nearly ALL But few remain to tell the tai
of those days, and even those few are ra
idly passing away, to be known here
;" more forever. g. W. O.
. Rutland, July, 1875.