Morning journal and courier., 1881-02-14

FState. Pratt, Center. Miller, Cedar, Stonei land Yale streets were completely submerged. !! sFrom above the railroad depot down to thej Bradley & Hubbard shop was one sheet of flushing water Where the railroad crossesI Ethe main street of the city the water wasj knee deep, and moving along with no ittlei svelocity. From the hollow at this point thei 2ground rises on all sides but the south. Down. the hills the flood poured in great streams, causing much damage. Any number of eel liars were flooded. number of the faetorlesl zhad to shut down. among them the Meridenl Silver Plate company, the Meri-l 5den Britannia company and the EdwardI Miller factory. The Britannia company was damaged by water on their lower hoors from $500 to $1. .000, and other concerns to al more or less amount. The low ground back of the stores on Main street, between State street and Pratt street in the vicinity of Stone street, was several feet under water. In the many wooden dwelling houses in that tract, all the cellars and lower floors were flooded. The people had to retire to the upper stories All communication was cut off for 8 time till rude rafts were made, upon which people could pole themselves to dry land. These folks must have met with much damage to their household goods. The flood In th1s vicinity was caused by Harbor Brook, which runs north and south through the center of the city, overfowing it's banks. The iron foundry of the Bradley & Hubbard company MWaS uOOQ6Qs Ga6 WdL6E ON0IhOW4A6 Harbor Brook and rushing through with great force, carrying off moulding sand in large quantities and doing much damageI All the Gas company's retort fires were put out and Superintendent Hadley estimated the loss at $1 300. On the south side of Main street, just east of the railroad, the most damage was done to Church & Morse's hardware stock They estimated that $1, ,OOO would not make them good. NThere were three to five feet of water in their cellar, flooding S1 ,0O0 worth of nails, and &2, 900 worth of miscellaneous stock, such as chain bolts, ropes, etc., which has been stored two feet above the level of the floor, the firm thinking that would keep them out of water
 The water poured into the handsome office of the Meriden Britannia company, and about o'clock the spectacle could be seen of the clerks who had no rubber boots sitting on the counter waiting for hacks to drive up to the windows and take them out. At hrst exit from the shop could be made through tbe hacking room, As the water increased the help were passed out of the casting room at the extreme north end Of the blg factory Finally the office had to be used
 This too failed in time, and as last resort after most of the girls had been sent home lin hacks, a pontoon bridge was constructed from the office over towards the railroad and this enabled those who had remained to the last to escape.
 These are the more important damages, the others being principally from flooded cellars.
 N Just below Yalesville ,on the Hartford road 1the water overhowed the railroad tracks and swept the sand from between the ties in one place so badly that men were put on guard, , and all trains slowed up going past.
 IN THE NAUGATUcK VALLEY.
 In the Naugatuck valley above Seymour travel was much impeded by huge blocks of ice which were piled up on the track. The Derby train due here at S:15 p. m. waited over an hour in Ansonia Saturday night in order to make connections with down train on the Naugatuck road, which had not arrived lwhen the Derby train left. Below Seymour the Naugatuck river is free of ice. The riv- Mer was much swollen, and the cellars and basements of houses in the low-lying por- tions of Ansonia and Derby were flooded. T In Waterbury the sidewalks were inundated and cellars flooded to some extent. An ice gorge was formed at Naugatuck and at one time fears were entertained that serious re- Hsults would follow. The storm abated in 4time, however, to avert any serious damage.
 A dispatch to the COURIER last evening ssays: The ice blockade of the Naugatuck railroad near Seymour was not broken until sthis morning, as the water did not recede until B. m. Three trains which had been Sawaiting all night at Seymour arrived at 85:3O this morning, most of the passen- 5lgers having spent the night in the cars.
 IN NORWICH.
 II At Norwich in consequence of the heavy rains the ice on the Shetucket river broke up ? at o'clock Friday night, and was wedged Aagainst that in the head of the Thames, eaus- Hing the water to rise ten feet in an hour and Ia half The lower stories of several stores in Sthe south end of the city were submerged, land portion of the New London Northern railroad was torn up. Happily the Thames ice gave way and the flood fell as rapidly as lit rose Ali the passengers on the late trains Ato New London were transferredin carriages lfrom Norwich to Thamesville, and forward led from there by special trains. The Boston land New York steamboat train was compelled Ito carry it's passengers to AIlyns Point. The damage is thought to amount to 5000. Al bridge at Central Village was washed away on 74Caf11rdav avaninp