Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-05-12
Runaway Pond-..A Frontier story.

Runaway Pond-..A Frontier Story.
uy nos. isaac rAnnsn
In June, 1910, a large pond or lake in the
south part OF Glover broke its barriers, and
rushed with tremendous violence through an
almost uuhrken forest 10 MemphremaCog
Lake, distance Of twenty miles. This
pond was near q mileiu length, and, with no
measurement but the eve, should say lit
Tie less than half a mile ia breadth, aud Rfty
or more feet deep Its outlet was at the
touth end, bcstowiug its tribute 10 Lamoile
river. II was enclosed by a rocky shore ex-
ccpt at the north end. which the event
proved to be bin OF sand laid in horizontal
strata, and covered on tha water side bv
crust ofa few inches thickness, formed by the
cohesion of the particles of sand, perfectly
impervious 10 water, and being supported by
the bank Of rather loose sand, had resisted
the pressure OF the water up TO this time.
How, or when, this crust was formed, must
be left for some geologist 10 tell US. This
body of water had been frequented, from the
first settlement, 10y men from the adjacent
towns, for the purposes Of fishing, 1t being
well stocked with trout, both of the common
species and the larger kind found in all our
lakes, usually called lunge in this region.
The main camping-ground was at the north
end, where, by survey of the eye, it was
manifest that small amount Of labor in dig
ging would let the water run in a northern
direction. Animated with the novelty OF
this idea. and thinking it might benefit
certain grist-mill in Glover, which had
short supply Of water aud that it would be
but small sin to cheat the lamoille river,
as 1t had a plentiful supply of water from
other sources, about forty men, mostly from
the towns Of Glover, Sheffield and Wheelock,
agreed TO meet ON a certain day, aud try the
experiment.
They met on the day appointed, armed
with the necessary tools, and as many OF
them as could find room to work on the
ditch began and some six or eight who re-
manned, went out upon the pond on a iaft,
to try TO fish. After digging the ditch a lit
tie below the level of the water IN the pond,
they broke a notch in the crust and started
the water but instead of running as they
had expected, it settled into the sand, and
very soon the sand began 10 settle, and while
the men stood watching the operation, so
large cavity was made, thet they Vo,aa ~e~
ten rect under the water in the pond, which
was held by the crust only. Suddenly the
crust broke, and tremendous rush of water
swept the land away by rods, the men run
! ming for their lives. Those on the raft found
| themselves drawn violently towards certain
| destruction, and worked as men will work
| for their lives, and by good fortune they
reached so near the land that they sprang to
| it, Just at the moment their raft was going
| into the terrible vortex. Very soon the
whole hill had given way, and the whole
pond was rushing through en- iadsse, tearing
! up a wide space Of forest by the roots, and
| tumbling great mass Of whole trees, end
wise, sldewise, and every way, before the
mighty pressure.
The men fed to the high ground on one
side, and viewed with shuddering amaze
ment the fearful effects of their mornings
work. In the party was a man named Sol
umou F. Dorr, who was in the employ of the
man who owned the grist-mill in Glover, aud
had charge Of the mill. He had been mott
fled that man living at distance was
coming to mill on that day, with horse
load of grain. and wished him 10 be at home
and when he was starting for the pond that
morning, he had left directions for the mar
10 grind his own grist, and felt sure that h'
| would be in the mill when the food reached
il, and would be lost unless rescued by him
a. the mill stood below high fall in a mar
row channel, between high banks. a persol
in the mill could not see in the direction o.
the danger, and the noise of the mill woult
prevent his hearing it. Being thus assured
Mr.. norr started, and ran at his utmost
speed through the woods, got ahead OF th'
food, and being stimulated by the noble in
ccntive of saving the life Of his neighbor, hi
taxed his powers 10 the utmost, and did no
flag in the race of some four miles, bu
gained the mill, dove down the bank 10y th
J shortest way, and with motion and whs
per, for he could not speak lond, started tn
man, when they both scrambled up to
place of safety, just in time TO SEQ the NOV
ing battery Of trees and water strike tn
mill on the roof and put IL out of sight. =
complete was the destruction, that 1t is sai'
that the millstonrs have never been see
: since. Opposite Barton village. where th
, land was free from rock, wide space of tn
forest was carried away with the earth be
low all the roots, leaving an extensive feel
as perfectly smooth as a brick-yard, which
think was used as a parade ground for on
| or two regimental mIsters. At the head G
, the falls, little north Of the village, wher
r the hills on each side of the river approac
| near each other, the passage was clogged b
T; a great mass of whole trees, thickened wit
, brush and mud, forming quite a compac
a dam, which was estimated by those who sa'
G it, 10 have been thirty feet high.
I When this dam broke, the great mass ,
c trees and water rushed down the rocky cha
mel with tremendous power; large boulde
were moved from their resting places An
tumbled down the channel many rods. Is
!. low the falls, where the level land betwee
the hills began 10 grow wider, and q
: volume of the food 10 expand, its violenC
I, began TO abate and when it had passed Il
: falls of Barton Landing, 1t had so wide
! space to spread over, that it lost the pow
Of tearing up trees, and rolled on with
|, front of about six feet Of real mud, over a
the intervale land, TO the lake,
There were many very narrow escapes b
sides the one at the mill above mentione'
> but no life was lost. had a sister, afte
! wards Mrs. Proctor, then stopping ut ID
. Redields, in Coventry, on visit 10 MIR
Redfeld an elder sister. She had that da
, ridden 10 bloomington alone on horsebacl
The road she travelled passed distance {
half mile over low land bordering Barto
river, which terminated near the doctor
: house in bridge made Of logs, four fe'
high and more than thirty rods long, over
marshy part of the way. While passing ov'
! this piece Of road on her return, In the afte
noon, she heard loud roaring, which si
supposed to I've wind, indicating a Shove
near at hand, and, hurrying home, made th
report that the wind blew terribly when sh
was in the low land, The doctor said ther
was no wind, and soon going 10 the doc
saw the long bridge ahoat and torn 10 piece
and the half mile OF road covered with doe
mud
4. Several men visited the bed Of the pon
, on the day after its departure, and found ]
/ one part of the bottom, small space COY
| cred with thin mud in which were man
, large fish yet alive, but it was very difiicu
|, 10 reach them and but few were save,
Along the course of the deluge, there was