The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-03-05
Eight Bridges Swept Away
Sundays Freshet rlost
Disastrous.
BELFAST SUFFERS A SEVERE
LOSS.
The Damage General Throughout the
State.

disastrous in this vicinity, resulting in the
loss Of seven bridges, including both bridges
across the harbor, one saw and grist mill.
and many minor damages. The rain began
falling Saturday morning and continued
through the day and night. Sunday morn
lng the wind was blowing a gale from the
southeast, but although it continued all dav
and there was an unusually high tide, little
damage was done along the water front
Many Of the wharves We're submerged, and a
pile OF casks on Lewis wharf was washed
down, but the casks were secured The sea
broke over Little River bridge, but did no
/ damage there
The greatest damage was on the Passages
, sawauheag river. where seven of the nine
| bridges were carried away. AT the head of
the stream the Russ bridge, so-called. was
| washed away, but was secured and replaced
the next morning. The Monroe bridge. with
two abutments, two stone piers and plank
covering was carried away except the abut-
ments at the ends. The planks were secured.
Al Gurneys Mills the mill was badly
wrecked and the bridge carried away. The
| foundation OF the mill Tor space Of 80 feet
at the lower corner was washed out allow
/ ing that portion of the building 10 collapse
! Ibis contained grist mill, band saw, large
circular saw, saws for small lumber, shingle
machine, and general mill machinery. Most
! Of the machinery Went into the stream. The
water went over the dam to a depth of 6 feet
I ana flooded the mill and even the black
smith shop in the upper end of the building
! The water wheel and dam We're not damag-
| ed. Many OF the logs in the mill yard, some
finished lumber, quantity Of meal and
/ corn owned by customers and a large
I amount OF small articles, were washed away
/ Mr. r. a. GuTney, who owns the mill, is IN
able TO estimate his loss until the water sub
sides.
/ The bridge on the road leading to Poor's
/ Mills, few rods below the mill was wreck
ed. An eye witness says that the ice, logs
aud debris came down from the mill ward
and above, and tumblng end over end, piled
/ up Just above this bridge 10 depth Of Is
feet, until large log or timber ended over
across the bridge and crushed II Ike al egg
shell. Not only tie wooden span of the
bridge, but 10 feet OF tile stone abutnent Al
the east end was wrecked. This part Of the
abutmenr was built new a few years ago.
Al the Brier brook the water flowed over
The roadway 70 d depth Of feet and was
fully 10 feet above It's natural level. Tie
s-tewa- < was washed up and portion II Il
carried 10 tie opposite side ii the road.
The 1ext TWO bridges On the stream al
Gee. |. Whites and tile high bridge at the
Head of The Tide escaped. anu are the Only
ones which remained on the river. The White
bridge probably owes is SAFETY u the sharp
bend IN the river just above IT, which broke
the force Of the current The Head If the
/ Tide bridge is d very high one, with stone
abutments and one centre pier of stone
This received only a slight damage TO one Of
/ the abutments, though the pier was sub
/ jeered 10 the full force Of the current.
The old foundry property just below this
bridge was damaged but little, as the dams
and other obstructions were taken out some
time ago, giving the water free flow.
The long comparatively levei stretch from
the foundry site to Citypoint was a scene Of
( commotion during the freshet. The ice
jammed near Negro Island, about half way
down the stream and piled up on and about
| the island TO a height of from u to 20 feet
| The water here rose about Is feet above the
usual high water mark. II flowed over the
Brown and Whltcomb culverts. which are
usually from to 10 feet above the water
| and left cakes Of ice > feet thick in the road.
The water was at least 3 feet deep in the
| road on these culverts. Trees on the banks
| and island, from small saplings TO feet IN
diameter, We're broken off by the rushing
torrent. Wien this jam broke it struck
with full force against the Citypoint high
way bridge, and that structure shared the
fate OF most Of the others. 1t was COM
pletely wrecked. The railroad bridge at
Cltypoint was not injured except by one log
piercing the covering A few cords Of fire
wood belonging to h. C. Bailey and piled on
Cltypoint wharf went out to sea.
From Citypoint the freshet next struck
the ice in the harbor, which extended nearly
to the Upper bridge, and when this started
it went with rush carrying the bridge with
it. This was pile bridge with draw, and
was all carried away except the abutment
at the east end and the piling from the bank
to the waters edge at the west end, it being
nearly low tide at the time.
The flood, augmented by the ice and the
ruins of the Upper bridge, now swept on
towards the sea, and when the mass of ice,
logs, timbers. etc, reached the Lower bridge
that. too, gave way before it and a large sec
ton fell into the harbor. The piIng at the
easterly end OF the draw stood leaving the
draw in place but badly shattered From
here eastward d section 100 feet long went
out clean, the pIling being pulled up or
broken of low down. When the draw OF
the Upper bridge hit the electric light wires
there was pretty display OF firew orks, the
arc light of the bridge and each individual
wire of the circuit sending out sparks. For
few minutes there was a wild rush of the
torrent through the open space and then il
gradually slowed up, and the mass distribut-
ed itself over the harbor and went aground
on either side.
The Wescott stream rose 10 feet and did
considerable damage. The "red bridge so
called, had portion of one abutment wash
ed away and the span twisted. The kalel
| bridge had one side strjnger and a king nos,