The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-04-02
SPRING FLOODS.
Most Destructive Freshets in ver-
mont and New Hampshire.
Factories at Lancaster, N. r., Swept
Away.
the Main Street in Berlin, VT, Gov
cred with Ice from the River.
Railroad Bridges Ruined and Fam
lilies Driven from Their Homes.
Seven Men Co Down With Falling
Bridge, and Three are Drowned.

CONCORD, n. III. April 1.--Trains have
been delayed several hours ON account of
washouts at differ mt points. The water in
the river and lake have steadily increased in
height since yesterday, and the prospects
are that there will be quite freshet by to-
morrow
The Merrimac river at this point has al
ready oYerf1owed its banks and is still rising
rapidly, but no damage has as yet been re-
ported in this vicinity from the high water.
CoNroocooK, N. H, April There has
been a continuous rise of water today in con-
sequence of the heavy rain and warm wind
of last night The river has overflowed its
banks in many places and the damage from
minor washouts is considerable. Roads are
quilted and im9assable in places, and there
viii be demanded considerable expense for
immediate repairs. A part of the rise re-
suits from melted snow.
LANCASTER, N. H., April 1.-The south
wind which has prevailed the past "a hours
has carried off nearly all the snow and caus-
ed the ice in IsraePs river, which runs
through Lancaster village to break up. An
ice gorge in the mill pond of Frank Smith u
Co., turned the current OF the river across
Mechanic street and following the former
channel under the bank of Pleasant street
swept away the sash and blind shop OF N.
b. Wilson, with the machinery, amounting
in value to some $4,000. The shop which
stood upon the bank of the river was dash
ed to pieces against the Main street bridge.
Several small buildings along the course of
the flood were also carried away, and horses
and cattle were rescued from the barns with
difficulty. The inmates of the Stuart house
were taken out through the attic window as
were the family of Mrs. John Brown, next
door neighbors. The Etna fire engine stor-
ed in the ell of the town hall building was
carried away. The work OF destruction was
so rapid that no time was given for saving
property. Capt. Z. w. Wyman was capsized
from a boat and landed on the ice foe in the
middle Of the swift current from which per-
ilous situation he was rescued by having
rope thrown him and being hauled ashore.
The principal sufferers aside from Wilson
rich, A. A. Rowland, E. c. Roby, Thomas
Sullivan, Mrs. B. Stuart, Horace Whitcemb,
Mrs. S. j. Gerrish and Matthew Monahan.
whose losses will vary from $100 to $500:
Efforts are being made by the selectmen of
the town by the use of dynamite to clear the
ice from Smith & Co. s mill pond so as to let
the water run in its natural channel, and it
is hoped no further destruction of property
will result.
MoRRIsvILLE, VT, April lit is very
high water here and the ice is going out OF
Jamville river carried out the large bridge at
the foot of Main street this afternoon. There
is also aswashout on the railroad few miles
above here
MONTPELIER, VT, April IA heavy rain
fell last night. The snow back in the noun
tains raised the river so that the ice in
Winooski river broke up, doing more dam
The main street in Berlin, which is across
the river, is piled up many feet high with
ice for nearly one mile. 1t will cost the
town many hundred dollars to make it passa-
BILE. A large covered bridge from here to
Berlin barely escaped being carried away.
The ice packed against the south end crush
ing out the sidewalk, shattering the timbers,
and weakening the bridge considerably. AT
the granite shops of Summer Kimball, a
building on the edge Of the stream was
wrecked. The green house of Mr.. L. Perci-
val was wrecked, and a large quantity of
plants were flooded with ice water The
Easements of saloons and cellars are flooded.
A house on the bank of the river occupied
by William Linsey was swept from its
foundations by ice. The windows were all
broken. The family were asleep when the
shock came but escaped safely. The Mont
pelier and Wells River and the Central Yer
mont railroads between here and Barre, are
covered with ice. After the rain ceased the
water subsided for time, but is again rising
All ice farther up the Winooski has not gone
out and the danger is not yet over.
The railroad bridge on the Southeastern
road at East Richford, was carried away by
high water last night, and the Boston mail
train could not pass. A special train from
Farnham Quebec, went and took the pas
sengers and mail. The train was delayed
two hours.
DERBY LINE, Vt, April 1.-The Hartwell,
Pawery and Wyman bridges were carried
away and the railroad bridge between here
and Stansted junction was moved three
feet last night by the outgoing ice in the
river there. The water is the highest for
several years.
ST. JoHNsBURY, VT, April Last night
a high warm wind prevailed and some rain
fall but the wind melted the snow very fast
and this morning all the streams are high.
railroad at Miles Pond and about two miles
below here on the Passumpsic railroad bad
washout occurred. At Centre Village the
ice is damned up and an inundation of the
village is threatened and the bulkhead of
dam at Paddocks village was carried away.
The water is still rising.
No. ADAMS, Mass, April 1.-Wm. E.
Robertson left Readsboro, Vt, for Searsburg |
this morning with six French laborers, all /
going log rolling. When crossing Keith |
bridge, about mile from any farm house, |
the bridge gave way, and the men and horses |
were precipitated into the river. The water |
was very high and only three escaped. |
Robertson and three of the Frenchmen, |
whose names cannot be obtained now were |
drowned. People are dragging the river for |
the bodies Of the men.
All trains into North Adams are late this |
morning on account of landslide on the |
Troy and Greenfield railroad, and deep water |
at North Pownal on the Troy and Boston |
railroad.
NEW YORK, April 1,--Despatches from |
Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin announce |
heavy fall of snow within the last 4S hours. |
The storm at many points has been one of |
the severest of the season. The fall of |
snow ranges from four to fifteen inches in |
various places. 1t is feared the snow fall |
will have a disastrous effect on the early |
fruits.
CHARLESTON, W. Va, April 1-Matters |
look gloomy here Atleast one-half of the |
CITY is under water and many dwellinoS nn-