Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-23
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.



SEVEN LIVES LOST AND 500, 600 WORTH or |
PROPERTY DESTROYED.
The most ruinous and fatal disaster in he |
annals Of Berkshire county, Mass, was caus-
cd early Tuesday morning at East Lee by the |
breaking away OF the reservoir known as
Mud pond, the result Of which, in half an
hours time, WAS the loss of seven lives aud
the destruction of dwelling houses, mills,
dams, bridges and other property valued at
$500, 600. Mud pond WAS originally a small
pond IN the middle OF a swamp. 1t lies In a
mountain valley, about two miles from East
Lee. About thirteen years ago several man
ufacturers on little stream partly fed by
this pond built a dam Of stone aud earth
about ten feet high across the valley. The
dam made the pond cover 30 acres, Of vary
ing depth, but 1t held a vast amount of wa.
ter. For a year or two II was watched, but
when it became compact and settled no fur
Their attention was paid to it. The poud has
been full Of water this spring for the first
time. People living near have had some fear
for the strength of the dam, but these fears
were not regarded, ~ it was thought every
thing was safe.
The description Of the disaster is the same
old story Of the Min river food on a smaller
scale: valley no narrow that a stone could
be tossed across it, crowded with mills and
dwellings a mountain reservoir hidden away
80 completely that very many Lee people new
or heard Of it before, the security of which no
one seems to have had any adequate informa-
ton about There was the Same early morn
ing alarm ~ at Williamsburg, in the Mill
river disaster , years ago David Baker and
his son Dwight undertaking to play on foot
the part which made Collins Graves immortal
The people were aroused from their beds to
be ingulfed in the overwh elming torrent, some
to meet thtir death and others to escape In
great fright with the loss Of friends and
property. The break was first discovered by
a man named Gonsett who heard the roaring
and saw that the dam had broken; he alarm.
ed John Bakers family, aud Dwight Baker
went flying down the stream to warn the
! people who were Just gettiTg up. The prog
ress Of the flood WAS ~, presenting wall
10 feet high, destroying everything in its
way, and gaining velocity all the time. 1t
swept down the valley and struck the little
| village of East Lee. In 30 minutes all WAS
over and what had been pretty village ly
ing alongside an attractive brook was ruined.
OF White family Of five persons all but one,
boy Of fifteen, were drowned. The bodies
of five of the seven drowned have been re-
covered The homeless sufferers have been
cared for by their more fortunate neighbors
and steps toward their relief are being prompt
ly taken.
DISASTROUS Flood az Montreal.
The spring breaking-up caused the worst
ice Jam and food at Montreal which has ever
been experienced there. In the river dis
tricts everything was submerged, and those
who owned boats made small fortunes. The
wooden sidewalks were floating, and sections
Of them were used as rafts. Some Of the in.
habtauts placed forked sticks at the sides OF
these RATS for use as row-locks, placed q bar
rel on top for seat, and with roughly .hewu
| .,aA 10 ala ~ fai
rate of speed. The people in many cases hat
to leave their houses by means of the top
story windows, descending by ladders chaineC
to the houses or tree boxes. The water rose
so high that many houses were uninhabitable
and the occupants had to accept the hospital
ity of more fortunate neighbors The losse
will reach more than million dollars. TIL,
merchants suffered heavily. The press room
of the leading newspapers were Hooded an'
: presses rendered useless The level countr,
opposite Montreal southwark toward th
United States border. is flooded for 20 squar
miles. Cattle by the hundred are reported Il
d have persisted The ice am broke up an,
moved out about noon on Tuesday, aud tn
water at once began to reccde with extrHor
binary tapdity. Over 7iOO families wer
. flooded out.
An Austrian Town Burned and Man
( LtVeA LOsS.
The town Of Stry, in Gal cia, Austria
has been almost completely destroyed by hre
= GW houses oelnR burned ana many Psopl
hlhtu' niBn VINO WAS ulo"ins' auu u
nre stHtteu III several parts OF Tue Town
3 the same ume: Many lhnaoi,ants were hi,,'
b oy iaIIii walls ana s'eepieS, loo oeing kiiie
IN one street. large humoer OF ~ounue
were eAtricated from the runs ana seut
LemouIg' distance OF ~ mlits, Wnete u
4 hospi'aiS are crowded WIN sufferers hui
= dreds OF persons are missing. LrR OF ~A''
L' si a'' .! 'ue ui'', ,t nn
u .oou % ~ ~ 49, IT, ,,T,
J. w, ny Wv Us 'ol 'Io '."1' W W" >, tI M,
= 'enun "a, 49, rho si,,'a,ior
It t ~ 80 n rs s''a' a"k"e hi,a,,s ..
O apnp% %,e ~" "ha..d .a'a;na ~ ~ ~
= y;c,;ns hava already heon duo opt of m
rnins Inc danaoa IL estimated st sev.r
n,iIIio, eorins Tho ,a,es, dosna,cb saws
n The work of r.li.f AT S.rv ia going on yer
Is slowly There are 1000 homeless 9.rsous g,
Is CANNED in the f-lds aronnd the town wi,bo,
'c food A heavy snow storm raced ALI La
d night Peasants are Numbering the town n,
b licked Most of the victims are witbo,
u food and means and are rendered d4sparat
/; hv the f.ar NJ Starvation So far Gs bodie
Al cisrr.d almost bevond racognition have he,
10 taken from the rp;ns rb.pe have been y
,r daa,Ls in ,bs GAIA zinc. sunday ~ i,vaIid