The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-04-22
ANOTHER MILL RIVER FRIGHT.

ANUIHER MILL RlVER FRIGHT.
Boston, April 18.-A tremendous flood
with disastrous results occurred last eve
ming in she towns of Westham and Nor
folk, about 20 miles distant, by the
breaking away of the dam which restraints
the water Of Whiton's pond, the source
of the Mill River This is small river
not over 25 feet broad at low water, but
running with a strong current, mostly
through meadow land, and emptying into
Charles River at Midway, At this time
AN IMMENSE BODY OF WATER
was confined in the pond by the dam.
about 100 feet in length, at the Wren
ham and Franklin County Road. The
sudden bursting of the pond hurled
tremendous flood upon the lands below,
sweeping away miles of bridges, country
roads and dams in It's course, and caus-
ing damage to the amount of between
100000 and 100000.
THE NEXT VICTIM.
A half mile below this mill was the saw
and gr1st mill of the Elliot Felting Com
pany, known as Fishers Mills. Such
was the force Of the waters on reaching
here, that it burst the thirty-foot dam
and carried along the mill portion of the
establishment as though it was toy
ship. On rushed the water three fourth
of a mile, through the lowlands to where
there were located woolen and shoddy
mills belonging to the Felting Company
Both ends of the dam were washed away
and below the mills large heap of coal
deposited for use at the mills. Seventy
rods further on, the great dam at the
Elliot Mills was met. This with the
road from the mills to Franklin Center
beneath which the river runs offered a
substantial resistance
TO THE RUSHING CURRENT.
The road, however, soon yielded, al
lowing the full force of the water to
strike against the long dam. Mean
while the inh abitants of Franklin and
Wrentham rendered valuable assistance
to the watchman at the mills in opening
a place in the dam, hoping to save por-
tion of the same. Their labors were
successful, and, although fifty feet of
the dam were carried away, the mills
were saved.
DAMAGE TO THE RAILROAD.
Down the stream half mile further
was the track of the New England & New
York Railroad, some forty or fifty feet
above the river bed. Beneath this the
water usually passed by all arched cul-
vert, about ten or fifteen feet IN width.
Rere the waters, with seemingly increas-
ed strength, forced out the stone culvert
as if it were mede of pebbles. So firm
was the embankment of sand aboys the
Culvert that 1t stood apparently intact fos'
the space of an hour, and being under
minded it caved in for distance OF $50
to 200 feet, forming an impossible bar
rier to the waters above. When the
road-bed sank, freight train was within
100 feet of the place, though not in motion
but great volume of water had already
passed the railroad, and hurried on to
the achievement of it's greatest feat, fifty
rods below.
THE CITY COTTON MILLS.
The mill was originally three-story
wooden building, but Iaterly was en-
larged by the addition of wing on each
end. The bridge over the country road
succumbed and then the water obtaining
firm hold of the main building lifted it
and sent it crashing to the meadows
below. So thorough was the work of
demolition that the cupola alone remain
inery and water wheel shar ed the fate of
the structure. The wings were left stand
ing, but so badly wrenched and under
mined that they are probably ruined, and
will have to come down.
DOWN THE STREAM AGAIN,
about half mile was another country
road bridge, near Kergsbury pond.
This was snapped from it's foundations
almost at the approach of the waters and
carried away on the level space between
the road and the river. The waters then
spread out and ceased their work of
destruction. The last bridge was swept
away about o'clock this morning.
ONE BODY
was swept down on the flood, but it was
supposed to be that of man for some
months missing, and so far as known no
lives have been lost, but the damage to
property is very large. No houses were
swept away, as their location on the bank
was such that the water did not reach
them.
LIST OF THE LOSSES.
The following are the loses as far as
ascert4ined Whitney's dana, $4,000
Eliot Mills, $4,000 the town of Nor
folk, $1,000 New York & New England
Railroad S15, 900; City Mills, $50, 900 to
$4,000.
A large number of persons are thrown
out of employment by the fall of the
City Mills.
HERMAN, the celebrated magician,
was married recently. And his wife
doesn't have to get up at daylight to go