Morning journal and courier., 1881-02-14
Water in.FIoods.

|Ar0sAetS Snbu11S euu . Vasb hAnOuAs OA 0saAAoSol in the State, and it's effects were severely felt| in this vicinity, as narrated more particularly Ebelow. For one item, three bridges belong ling to the town of New Haven were swept away, and in Meriden and in the Naugatuck| valley serious damage was caused ManyI people stopped to look Saturday afternoon at the flood of turbid water rushing along underl the Chapel street iron bridge over the iron bound bed of the old canal The. cut through which pass so many trains daily was sub- merged, and so deep as to affect the fires of the locomotives. Trains bound north crawled| along slowly after going through the cut, and until the fires could be freshened.
 THE LIGHTNING.
 Lightning in February and places struck by lightning is rather unusual occurrence People for miles around were astonished to hear heavy peal of thunder and see vivid flashes of lightning, and one peal in particular was stunning and accompanied by binding flash of the magnetic fluid One of the serious effects of the Lightning was the striking of the tall brick chimney of S. Peck & Go. on Day street near Chapel, and went down pipe and into an open window of the factory. It struck the tin heating piper and ignited the dry dust upon it, but did no other damage. The rel port was like pistol and broke the telephone eonnection with the office
 During the progress of the lightning the extensive barns owned by c. W. Blakeslee of this city and located on his farm in Ham den, formerly owned by William Potter about five miles from this city, were struck, set on fire and totally destroyed, together with all their contents.
 In the barns were 8 large quantity of tools, harnesses, moving machines, carts, hay and grain and two horses, all of which were con- stunned. When the flash of lightning came, Mrs Humiston, living just west of the barns, saw shingles flying from the roof, and 8 few seconds later the barns were all in flames Several neighbors were soon at the fire, but the flames spread so rapidly that nothing could be saved Mr. Blakeslee places his loss at $2, GOO, and there is only slight in surance of $4OO in the Etna, John G. North < Go. agent.
 The lightning also struck at MT. R. B. Nal lory's, 211 Orchard street, shivering several panes of glass and setting fire to a curtain.
 OTHER EFFECTS IN THE CITY.
 All about town there was 'twater, water every where" and the cellars that were food ed were numberless, both of stores and resi- dences. People woke up to 8 sudden fit of dismay at finding their cellars flooded, bas7 kets and boxes and wood floating around, and rats leaving in dismay for new places of shell AA,-. p0n6a Snd aKalatG of water collected all about town, and the water rushed into the sewers until it seemed las if the sewers would be choked. The ice broke up rapidly and came surging down the rivers and many embankments were badly washed. The city forces of road employees were augmented, and everywhere their help was needed The use of the old fire engine to thaw out the openings to the sewers had good effect and doubtless helped the dis charge of myriads of gallons of surface water into the sewers that otherwise could not have been carried off until later.
 Among the freaks of lightning on Saturday, with the telephone was one at the Woolsey House Frank the genial night clerk, was in the act of communication when the flash came, and without ceremony immedi- ately precipitated himself to the other side of the office. To use his words, ''No more telephone for him in a thunder shower"
 The lightning made such havoc in the tele7 graph office of the Derby depot that MT Austin and sister were compelled to leave the room to save themselves from prostration. We understand that their instruments were injured by the lightning.
 THE TOWNS BRIDGES THAT WE'RE cARRIED
 Yesterday COURIER representative made a tour of inspection of the various bridges over West river that were injured by the ice and food A visit was first made at the almshouse, where Town Agent Reynolds and 5electman Foote of the town committee on roads and bridges were in consultation re garding the damage to the town bridges and the necessity of making immediate repairs. It was decided that tour of inspection should be made at once, and with team from the aImshouse the town officers and one or two others who were present started on their trip. The first bridge visited was the West Chapel street bridge, considerable portion of which was carried away about 5 o'clock on Saturday afternoon. About fifty feet from the east end of the bridge was an immense gulch in the embankment made by the rush of waters down the roadway, which involves nearly one-half of the carriage way, leaving an open gorge that will require many hundred loads of filling to make it as before. IA span Of the bridge about thirty feet in length is carried away, while that part re- maining on the east end is moved several inches from its foundation and appears to be almost ready to tumble into the river below. There seemed to be some question whether the expense of repairs at this point would come uron the city or town, although it ap- peared to be the prevailing opinion among the gentlemen present that the city only .DuIIt the rOa0WaV to the bridge abutments and that the remainder of the expense was incurred by the town, which involved thereby all needed repairs. The bridge over the river at Derby avenue was next visited, when it was found that this an- tiquated structure had been knocked out of shape by the ice and a span thirty feet in length had been carried away. There seemed to be no question about the liability of the town regarding this bridge, it being owned Jointly by the towns of New Haven and Orange, the dividing line being the middle of the channel. The committee concluded that this bridge should be the first to be rel paired, and later in the day they gave Super intendent Sanford orders to take measure ments the first thing this morning and report to the Town Agents office at 9 o'clock, when orders will be issued for lumber for tempo1 rary repairs of the bridge. It is likely that al new bridge will be built at this point at mol distant day, as it seems to be imperativelyI demanded. It is several feet too low, and| when rebuilt will be materially raised. From this point the Oak street bridge could be dis tinctIy seen not having been carried away as reported. The plank and timber from both the Chapel street and Derby avenue| bridges had lodged against the Oak street structure and will be recovered by the| town authorities. The next bridge visitedl was the stone arch structure on Blake street where there were two arches spanning theE stream. The huge cakes of ice rushed down. the river at this point at 8 fearful rate, andl striking the huge blocks of stone caused theI strong masonry to crumble away as though beaten by huge battering- ram of olden time. The north side of the bridge had crumbledG away nearly down to the waters edge, whiles the surface on the south side was misplaced nearly foot and appeared as though ready Ito tumble into the river. If this bridge isl srepaired it will require considerable outlay, and it is possible that the Selectmen may deem it best to erect different structure The "Selden'' bridge, so called, on the road which ieads to the ''Selden farm, ,'' and which lis just inside the limits of the town, was the2 |next point of observation. Before reachingf this point large wash-out in the road was Hound which was passed with difficulty 'This will be filled in to-day by al gang of men from the almshouse under