St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-05-19

lage was noticed to he started little.
This embankment runs through what
used to he called the Big Eddy" and
was before the road was built. the
course of the river in high water. The
formation of the rocks forming the falls
in the river is such as to throw the
whole force of the tremendous current
caused 10y the falls, ut about right
angles against the embankment. The
water was formerly about twenty feet
deep, and the track was about the same
has not seen the P;issumpsic at this
place in IL time of flood, can form any
idea of the force of the current. Some
of the old inhabitants warned the build
cr> of the road that they would not he
able to make anything stand against
the current, but they reminded the peo-
pie that ''pl;,ctical railroad men" proba-
bly, understood such things quite Us
we'll as "old fogies." and they built to
sun II WI oHlN al SllDll
time before it started to go out, and
the natives" turned ont en- mdsSe and
worked in the rain very hard to save
it. They sent in IL bill for their labor
which WAS returned with the answer
that the company would hire their own
help when they wanted any. In the
flood of ISG9, Il large part of it went
out, and it took some three weeks to
build IL trcStlc so the train could cross
and Il large part of the next summer
I" fill it.-cosiimg some ten thousand
dollars, besides all the trouble and de
lay OF trains. This time they intended
to secure it 50 it could never go out
again, and Il portion of the rock on the
fills WAS blasted ont. to change the
current, and Il vast amount of rocks
placed on the side of the dump. Some
two NcaIS since il again started to wash
when some of the citizens took hold
with the section men and saved it.
The bills sent in this time were paid
with thanks. After this it was again
strengthened and WAS supposed t" he
perfectly safe.
On the present occasion, as soon as
the damage WAS noticed the section men
and some of the citizens went briSklV at
work. putting stone on the weakest
spots. y messenger was sent to st.
J"hn>hurN I" telegraph t" headquarters.
The officials evidently over-cStinated
were otherwise engaged at any rate
no hcl came. and a working train that
came along would not help or stop to
fully examine it. a> they said there WAS
II" danger. p t" about half-paSt two
they succeeded III holding the gap we'll
III check. hut about that time the sup
ply of stone gave ont. and all hope of
hclp from headquarters being abandon
ed, all hands gave it up aS useless to
work any more. aud sat down To Wit
ness the finale. About four o'clock the
mail train from the north came along
and WAS bound To go ahead, but the
station agent told them not to attempt
t" cross. He WAS told lay the conductor
WAS more scared than hurt. etc. They
decided however to look it over before,
crossing. At this time the wa>h-out
extended clear ACROSS the track. but the
old trc>tlc held the surface in place 50
II looked safe to walk ON. The tram
hands were notified that 1t WAS not safe
even Ia walk ON. but they could not see
1t. and the result WAS Il sudden di>ap-
pc;Iancc of several hlur-rlpprd fellows.
ItN. They I'LL returned tn the surface
III safety. aud retired to safe distance.
cnII\ inccd that il WIS not safe to run
the train ACROSS. The old trtStlc OF
l-ti9 WAS relied on To hold the track 81
no effort WAS made to- save the rails
The old thinkers kept the dirt some
what. hut thu. gap steadily gained. and
at half-pa>l five the water hrok,
through. and in less than ten minutes
there WAS Il clean gap of about tw,
hundred feet earth. stone and timber
going ont with Il rush. leaving the track
sight. and one that the crowds who Wit
messed will not soon forget. Within III
hnuI the gap was widcncd To some ~
feet. and The track had settled To til,
water and been swept away. The ole
trrStlc did not stand amy longer than
SET uf Jack StrIwS would have done.
Owing to the torcthought of seine ON,
the telegraph wire WAS looSrned from
the poles that would he likely to go
and thus the wire WAS saved. 1t is no
thought that the w:sh-out is as deep II,
before. (l6 feet below the watrr.) ant
it is supposed that part of the old ''cribs'
aIr left. and il this proves true, it vii
save considerable work and expense.
Friday IL train WAS sent down will
quite Il lot of passengers who were
staged down the river about IL mile an,
a-hali. and left there for Il train to com,
up after. They waited there severa
houIs. but the train could not get up
and the stages went down and brough
them back. No other attempt WA
made to run train 10y here till Mon
day, when Il telegraph office was opened
i'll the depot and this station becam,
the headquarters of the road. A planl