Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1894-09-13
a FAIR DELUGE.
The Rain Poured in sheets Sat.
urday Night and sunday Morn
ing, and Considerable Dam .
age Was Done.

eSsS " 0S DOhCs
It reined 10 Bridgeton Saturday
night and Sunday morning. It rained
good and hard, 1t was a record breaker
the rain falling In fair sheets, and the
storm was accompanied by the most
terrifying lightning, and the most
startling thunder.
The irst storm of any couse quence
occurred about eight o'clock, Saturday
night, but this shower was soon over.
Then about ten O'Clock most violent
thunder storm came up, and the
streets were soon deserted. The light
ming flashes were awful, and the crash
ing thunder caused something of a
sensation.
This storm passed over after time,
and about two o'clock Sunday morr-
Ing there was a still harder rainfall,
and the thunder and lightning accom-
panied this down pour. The water
fell In torrents choking the drains, fill
ing the cutters and washing out great
gullies, The waters In ponds raised
quickly and for hours those In charge
of ponds were compelled to assist In
the letting off of much water.
Those In charge CT Irelsnd's Mill
pond were not so fortunate as others.
The water seemed to raise very fast in
this big pond, and the gates were
pulled entirely out, but the outlet did
| not prove sufficient. The water con-
tjnued to rise, until it found a weak
ness In the bank, on the east end of
the pond, just south of the waste gates,
and almost Instantly the crevice
through which the water first trickled,
widened out and forty feet of the bank
was taken back in the swamp, and the
water fairly deluged the place, sprang
over the roadway near the bridge, and
rushed on down In the Tumbling Dam
pond.
There was no way to save the Ire
land Mill pond. The breach could
not be repaired, and the pond was
soon very low, and by this time Is CON-
pletely drained. The pond is owned
by Councilman Elmer, and has been
stocked and kept private fishing
pond, but now all the fine fish have
gone with the water.
This big body of water dashing down
In the Tumbling Dam, naturally made
trouble there. ALI night Manager Muir
ply had been watching the big pond
carefully, and was wasting the water
SO that the approaching storm would
not make any trouble for him. About
six o'clock yesterday morning he was
sent word that Ireland's mill pond had
bursted the bank, and then he opened
wide the flood gates.
He then hurriedly sent word down
town that the race water must be
wasted, and R. J. Buck soon had the
gates opened at the foot of the race,
and the water wheels of the nail mill
and Lott s. Co.'s -four mill were soon
running, assisting in the wasting of
water. But despite this fact the water
was soon overhowing the forebay, and
the floor of the nail mills which Is on
low ground were soon covered.
Then the water ran over the EN-.
bsnkment at the trestle work of the
Central Railroad which soon caused q
serious washout, and In a moment a
big part of the embankment there
was washed away. Fortunately there
Is a plank wharf at this point and the
body of water was held back, and yet
1t is really wonderful how the water
was prevented from breaking through
and doing a vast amount of damage
Had the inside of the embankment
given way, the trestle work would
have been carried away and the dam
age might have been something awful.
A gang of men with horses and carts
were soon put to work hauling cinder
and repairing the embankment.
In the meantime the water at the
Tumbling Dam was gradually lowered,
until Sunday night ir was found to be
safe, the surface being foot below
the high water mark. The letting off
Of so much water, was plainly notice
able In the Cohansey, the tides run
ming considerably higher than usual.
During the heavy thunder shower
of Saturday night the lightning struck
the vacant house of Alfred Richman,
on Buckshutem road, at East Bridge
ton. The chimney was knocked over
by the bolt, which also broke two
rafters and knocked off few shingles.
The explosion blew out the tin covers
from the stove pipe holes In the chim-
ney and scattered SCOT all over the
rooms.
Two telegraph poles along the Port
Norris Railroad short distance below
fha Eo.s 70 tion wara also