Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-01-13
The Story of Runaway Pond. June
6, 1910.

of the incidents as seen through Ine |
mists of eighty years are somewhat
differently related. The writer has
taken some pains to get all the facts
and incidents relating to it from what
would seem to be the most reliable |
sources, thinking it might be Of IN
terest to the many readers of your |
paper. | will give a short sketch
of it:
In the first year of the century,
the new settlers of Glover gave the
name of Long Pond to beautiful
body of water lying in the extreme
south part of the town. 1t was situ-
ated on high land in the dense forest,
no road or pathway around it, and
some miles from any habitation; its
depth was nearly $50 feet. about one
half a mile in width and one mile
long. the outlet being at the south
end it was one of the head waters
of Lamoille river. The northern
and eastern shore was steep hill,
the soil being only about a foot
deep on which was a growth of
spruce and hemlocks, underneath
which was quicksand; its western
boundary was a steep mountain, ris-
ing abruptly perhaps 800 feet, and
covered with white birches to the
waters edge; their delicate gray
green foliage was thiclly lnterspersed
with the darker grays of the hem
lock, spruce and cedar now and
then broken with bare patches of
gray moss specked lodges, the whole
in natures finest setting. Directly
north, and about eighty rods from
Long Pond in a deep valley, was
another pond called Mud Pond. This
was about one half as large and
nearly $50 feet lower, with an outlet
at the north which partly supplied
water power for grist and saw-mill
about four miles away. The stream
ran through an unbroken forest, the
few settlements being back on the
hills either side of the stream.
The spring of 1910 had been dry.
Very little rain had fallen conse-
ouently the streams were low, and
Mr. Wilson, the owner of the mill
referred to, was much troubled from
lack Of water power- Tho same diff
J ficultv had existed the year previous
and Mr.. Wilson had contemplated
cutting a channel through the bank
of Long Pond, to let the water INTO
Mud Pond, hoping thereby to IN
Creoso his water power. After talk
inc the matter over with the settlers
from Sutton, Wheelock, Sheffield
and Glover, all of whom brought
their grain to his mill, it was thought
hest to have a bee and all hands take
hold and dig the channel. Accord
ingly they met at the mill by day
light on the morning Of June 6, arm
ed with shovels and axes, Mr.. Viii
son furnishing the whiskey "Thel
HYDRA drought to sloken." Th
reason the sixth day Of June wa
selected for the work by the hard
pioneer, was because it was electio
day in New Hampshire. Nearl y a
9 were from that state, and they propos
, ed to celebrate the democratic victor
>, which they were sure would be Won
;, Mr.. Wilson left his wife to atten
to the mill, and the men, about fift
in number. were ready for an eail
start. The weather being hot an
sultrv, they struck into the fore'
when the first morning sunbeam
began to fall aslant through IL
= tree-tops, streaking their dark shaC
= ows with threads of gold. Folloy
= inc the course of the river nearly ii
= whole distance, they reached Il
-. pond about eight o'clock. II
length of the ditch to be dug w
about 20 rods, which they finisht
= about one o'clock. An encrustati'
of CLAY few inches thick had be-
= formed against the quicksand on t
= inside the entire depth Of the pom
- this had kept the water in its pla
,. the past ages. This was brok
through and the water began to
IL through the ditch. All sprung c
= and .sslokened" their thirst from
- jugs and proposed to begin tn
" celebration, which soon began in
- way they little expected.
Soon it was noticed that the wa
= stopped running through the oil
and a deep heavy rumbling sou
was heard land the hill on which tt
:. stood began to tremble as thou
,,-o shaken from some cause undernea
ce- This seemed to lncreaS quite lasU WI
lpi- one of their number, Spencer Chf
De berlain, jumped into the ditch to
n'' cover the cause. Instantly as the
the tom began to sink under him.
in shouted for help and one OF
and party reached down and caught
an by the hair of the head and q
hVe him from the channel, which begal
49, IN deepen and widen very rapl
ntal Large pieces of earth from Ell
N is side with trees standing began
With slide in. throwing up great sheets
UGH water above their heads. All
''e', @ much frightened; one Of them al
-. ward said: 1--WE were too n
II dazed to comprehend what was p
- ING before us. The land and
n