Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-04-23

To talk about the treShtt caused bN
the rain Of saturday and Sunday, April
Ii and Il. people have 70 compare u
with the historic pumpkin treshet IN
the fall of 1869 Most of the streams
reached the high water mark established
by that food, aud some rose even above
il: and on some Of the streams men Who
have observed declare that there has
been nothing equal 10 Il FOR fifty years.
On the smaller streams especially the
water rose very rapidly, aud fell almost
As rapidly, reaching is highest point
Monday morning. The larger rivers did
not reach their highest pitch until late
Tuesday or Wednesday.
The storm seemed 10 have poured
down the greatest depth OF water over
New Hampshire and western Maine,
though all the rest of New England had
a food. The Androscoggin and the
Saco rose in their might and for tune
seemed 10 threaten 10 sweep everything
before them into the sea. They did
carry out some lumber, took out few
bridges and threatened others, hoated
away a few buildings and caused great
deal OF apprehension and large actual
damage. bat the damage WAS not so
enormous AS was for some time feared
and even reported.
No lives we're lost even II endangered,
and though some farmers had TO move
their stock 20 a place of safety, no i've
stock of more value than hens has been
reported lost.
on the Wild River Railroad Monday
forenoon an engine carrying an engineer
and fireman and three passengers went
into a stream with portion OF the EN-
bankment and bridge which had been
undermined by the water. All the men
on the engine Jumped and escaped with
out serious injury, but the engine went
20 the bottom OF the stream.
The boom al Berlin Falls broke and
half a million of lumber went down
stream. IL l. thought that not many OF
these logs have gone over Rumiord
Falls. \ large quantity OF MilliSen :
logs al Gilead also went out.
At RumfOrd Falls, the Paper Company
had about COCO, 600 feet Of logs IN boom
above the falls. The boom broke Mon
day forenoon. and about two-thirds OF
the lumber went out. About 2,OOc,OoO
feet belonging 10 the Canton Lumber
Company also went out. No boOms
could hold. and il was thought that
much OF the lumber must go 10 sea, but
the falling food has left much on the
intervales aud along the banks, and IL i
thought that very little has gone out
through Merrymeeting Bay.
AT Rumford Centre several families
were driven from their homes by the
food, aud the place was temporarily cut
Offrom communication with the rest OF
the world. but no buildings were lost.
At Rumford Falls GOOdwin's blacksmith
shop and stable were undermined ana
fell in and went down stream.
The Mexico toll bridge was seriously
threatened oy the logs and wreckage,
but by hard work was saved. The new
bridge piers AZ Dixfield also stood the
pressure OF the Jams which piled up
against them. The Canton toll bridge was
swept out clean, only the piers being
left. The water flowed into the streets
of Canton village, the only communities
ton between Canton and Gilbertville for
a while being by boat, and even the
streets In Canton village were for time
navigsted by boats.
4
ford Falls Railway stopped through
trains for while, passengers and mai
being transferred around the washout-
and getting through on time.
The SacO River, piling up Al the gorge
Al Hiram Falls, covered the track OF the
Mountain Division, Maine Central, 70 q
depth of several feet. Passengers and
mail were transferred in row boats, and
the trains running up on both sides OF
the flood. got through without much
loss OF tine. The iron bridge az West
Buxton went out, and Blddeford and
Saco were flooded and much damag,
done.
On the smaller streams numerous
bridges were carried of. Nearly every
bridge on Crooked River, (and there
are lot Of them was swept away, with
two dams and saw mill, and another
saw mill WAS wrecked.
The Little Androscoggin did not do as
much as az one time looked possible
The report that the SHOWS Falls bridge
was gone proved incorrect, though there
was loud call mace for II. There was
also something of q call for the iron
bridge at South Paris, though ii stand;
all right. The lower end of the middle
pier was taken out, and the pier will
probably have 10 be rebuilt.
The number of serious washouts In
highways can only be estimated, and
few towns will escape large bill FOL
repairs.
Many details of the work OF the hood
will be found in our local correspond
ence.