The New York herald., 1878-12-15
THE NEW JERSEY FLOODS.

IMMENSE DAMAGE IN THE PAssAIc VALLEY
SEVERAL BRIDGES SWEPT AwAY-PATERsoN IN
DANGER.
The floods which have inundated the Valley of the
Passaic New Jersey. for several days past have
greatly subsided. and now private individuals. cor
porations and the city and county authorities are
estimating the damage and getting ready to mako rc
pairs. The river has fallen three feet from the
highest point reached, the streets of Paterson
have been almost entirely drained of water.
leaving them in fearfully muddy condition,
and the cellars, in many instances. being pumped
out by using fire engines. Great damage to the
foundations OF mills and other buildings is now dis
covered all along the river banks. from just below
the Falls down to the suburb known as Riverside. .
distance of over mile The loss to owners through
the action Of the flood cannot estimated, but it il
immense. Throughout all the surrounding coun.
try the damage is found to be very heavy.
At Pompton. the northwestern end of rassuic
county. three bridges crossing the Pompton
Lake were swept away. The two Schuyler bridges
across the Ramapo River We're destroyed Dotys
bridge the same stream Is also gone All these
were valuable structures. which it will cost much to
replace One bridge OF fourteen ieet ana another or
eighty feet Schuylers Basin, were swept away,
aud the bridge oyer the pomprSn feeder q the Mor
the Pompton River, between Passaic ana motifs
counties greatly damaged. and two costly wooden
bridges over the Ringwood River, near Nanaques
were taken down stream.
LOSSES.
The damage to the bridges alone within few
miles of Paterson will amount to not less than
$4,000 S25,o00 In Bergen county the Freeholders
estimate the damage to bridges alone at S4o0o The
dam of Robert Bridge, at Haledon, is now being re-
built. and the damaged portion of the societys dam
Passaic Falls will be repaired ut The dam
age to the roads throughout Passaic, Bergen and
Morris counties is incalculable. Many of them are
mpassabe for miles. They are being attended to az
ast as possible Accidents caused by Y.,sra 5he wasn
morning, before daylight John Hubschmidt, of
Small Lots. Bergen county. attempted to drive to
Paterson by way of the Fifth avenue bridge he found
himself suddenly engulfed i'll an abyss OF mud Just
az lie had crossed the river The horse sunk out OF
sight except portion of his head, and was rescued
with difficulty, and Hubschmidt himself came very
being drowned. Soon after farmer boy drove
in the SAME place with load OF manure. and was
drawn forth half dead. The horses swan out after
the traces cut. but the wagon has gone out OF
sight completely, the manure being added to the
other poutons Of the water supplied to Newark and
Jersey City.
At passalc the mills are repairing damages. but it
will be long time before they will resume opera
tions except Red Barry's print works, which will
start up tomorrow.
An excitement was caused ut the Eric Railway
bridge at Rutherfurd Park yesterday by an immense
raft of the lumber from Andersons YARDS, passaic.
floating down. The mass struck the bridge with tre.
mendos force the stack broke to pieces and formed
an immense dan and for while 1t was feared that
the bridge would be swept away It stood the shock
however.
meeting held at Little Falls last night in ref
to Beattes dam at that place and 1t was re-
solved petition the Legislature for it's removal for
should it ever break away during Hood tho result
would be terrible. 1t is calculated that it would have
added feet in height to the river had it given way
on Tuesday Wednesday last, and would have sub
merged fully onethird OF the business portion OF
At the meeting above referred to the excite
ment great that it was suggested that powder
be procured and the great stone dam blown up
Passaic City is still in darkness through the nun-
daon OF her gas works but it was thought that gas
might be supplied by tomorrow.
Among the sufferers by the Hood ut Pompton Lake
is Mrs. L. +. Terhune c'aIarion Harland. portion
OF whose beautiful summer residence was washed
away.