Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-02-22
BURSTING THEIR BOUNDS.
NEW ENGLAND RIVERS AGAIN ON
 THE RAMPAGE.
A Great Ice Gorge at Norwich Breaks, Carrying with 1t an Avalanche of Snow, Ice and Wood-Bridges Torn from Their Foundations.

Carrying with 1t an Avalanche of Snow,
 Ice and Wood-Bridges Torn from Their
 Foundations.
 NORWICH, Conn.,, Feb 22-The Shetucket tears madly along its rocky course, carrying away everything before it. About 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon the ice about Greenville dam began to break and came down in acre blocks with tremendous roaring. Directly ill the heart of the city the Shetucket flows into the Thames. At the junction of the two are wharves, and the immense freight depot of the Norwich and New York Transportation com pany Here the ice gorged Huge cakes of ice, trees of enormous size, lumber and other debris were whirled against the gorge. The water gradually rose inch by inch, merchants and property owners became alarmed and hastily got together their belongings ard re- moved them to places of safety. In half an hour the water had submerged the tracks of the Norwich and Worcester railroad, and the extensive coal docks and bins were con- pletey inundated and looked like fotilla of barges stranded in midstream The big warehouse of the transportation company sank beneath the hungry waves until only the roof was visible. The hoodgates had been put in place above this spot to prevent the ice from carrying away the freight sta tion, and it buried the railway tracks under ten feet of solid ice.
 Suddenly there was rush and roar, and at 43O the avalanche of snow, ice and wood shook itself loose, and f1oated swiftly south ward toward the sound. Then the waters receded somewhat, until they were upon a level with the tracks A large gang of men was at once put upon the tracks, clearing them of ice and its debris On the west side the other tributary of the Thames, the Yantic, did equally as damaging work. The New London and Northern railroad for several miles is buried under five feet of water.
 PALMER, Mass, Feb. 22-The worst freshet in the annals ot this section of western Mas sachusetts occurred Monday night, resulting in much damage to property. Crowds of people remained out all night to protect prop erty The large covered bridge over which the New London railroad trains pass was washed away. The lines of the Western Union Telegraph company are down ill diff ferent locations, making communication quite difficult. Large quantities of lumber have been carried away. The foundation to the road is washed away
 WILLIMANTIC, Conn, Feb. 22.-Conductor Williams boat train leaving here the New London and Northern railroad at Q. m. yes terday for the north, returned at 1O.30 a. m. , reporting the bridge just this side of Palmer swept away by the food The passengers could not be transferred because the highway bridges in the vicinity were also gone
 SPRINGFIELD, Mass, Feb. 22.-The dam of the Dwight company at Chicopee was carried away yesterday by the giving way of an ice jam. Ice was pied up against the railroad bridge at Gnbertvile, forming dam, and to save the mills from flooding the bridge was destroyed by dynamite The water then sub- sided