Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-05-12
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headway. The water there IL from 16 to
20 feet deep and the bottom is of clay.
TO add to the complications of the situa-
/ ton, the stream was at its highest point
! this spring. The current ran swiftly and
brought down considerable quantities of
brush and other rubbish. The lrestle
was tried, on its completion Sunday
noon, with two heavy engines. The
north portion stood the strain well, but
/ that on the muddy bottom was driven
down fully foot. And that part of
/ it kept sinking. Wednesday night 1t
had gone down 2G inches below its origi-
nal level. The Rutland bridge gang
were kept here constantly and found all
the business they wanted in building up
the structure us it sank and in Keeping
it clear of logs aud brush. Indeed, they
were not equalito the latter job. Tuesday
forenoon lot of logs, brush, grass, turf,
etc, which the river had picked up in its
course broke loose from the pulp cOmpa-
ny's boom 30 rods up the stream, and
lodged against the trestle. 1t made al
most a solid dam. From that time till
Wednesday night the bridge builders, as
sisted by an engine and horses, devoted
the most of the energies to getting rid
OF this stuff. They were only partially
successful. but did all that could be done
in that direction.
During the clearing of the wreck and
the building of the trestle the number of
spectators was large, although it rained
most of the day Friday and was cold and
unpleasant the rest of the time. Every
one in town who could leave his business
put in full time watching the novel pro-
I ceedings. The residents were assisted
in this pursuit by many persons from
the country round about.
THE DOWNFALL OF THE TREsTLE.
Trains passed over the trestle regu-
larly from Sunday afternoon till yester-
day morning. 1t was a pretty shaky
affair, but seemed to stand the strain put
upon it very well. But the continued
pressure of the brush and stuff and the
wearing of the current on the bottom
weakened the thing, ard at few min
utes before 6 o'clock yesterday morning
ii fell under mogul. The train-a long
fIeight-ran upon it from the north. 1t
got along safely till the engine struck the
bent of pilimg over the muddy bottom.
when the treStle gave out with crash
and the engine and one car went into the
river. The rest of the treStle remained
intact, only the south third of it being
smashed
The engine was No. Ill, a machine
with six drivers. 1t is in the water out
of sight. Engineer Corbln, who drove
it, Jumped as the trestle gave way, land
ing on the brush lodged against the up
per side of the piling. Aside from IA
wetting, he suffered no harm. His fire
man did not admire the looks of The tres
tie AMI preferred to walk across ahead
of the engine. The car Immediately fol-
low ing the engine was SIN Ishpd and went
down, and second car was left hanging
over the brink.
REBUILDING THE BROKEN TRESTLE.
Yesterday forenoon wreck and con-
struction trains, bringing officials, work
men and apparatus arrived from Rutland
and St. Adams, and the Job of recon
structing the broken trestle was begun.
1t was necessary to first get the locomo-
, tive out of the way, as it lay just where
it was not wanted. Accordingly ar
engagements were made to drag that out
of the water upon the bank. The opera
ton was in progress at last accounts.
The carrying-by of passengers, bag
, gage and express was resumed in the
forenoon. 1t is likely to be kept up for
day or two; indeed. no one has II detin-
; ite idea when the trestle will again be
, pasSable.
B. The number of spectators at the wreck
is again large. Better weather thar
prevailed las. week encourages theil
1 presence.
I NOTES OF THE DISASTER.
J The carrvinU-hv of nnsSpnUprs whicf