The herald., 1896-03-02
Causes Heavy Damage and Loss
of Life
THE OLD WHIGGSVILLE DAM
Causes Wreck and RGiS TO the City of
Bristol
Railroad and Highway Bridges Are Washed
Away-Many Dwelling Houses Are
Wrecked and Farms Submerged

Associated Press Special Wire
Hartford, Conn, March 1.-The great
rainstorm which was in progress all day
Saturday, Saturday night and tonight,
caused the greatest damage to property
throughout the state known in twenty
years. Many serious accidents. washouts
and wrecks were reported. The Connecti.
cut river is swollen until it has reached a
point three times greater than its normal
proportions. The big iron bridge at Middle
town was in great danger all the afternoon
and portion of the false work was swept
away, but the main structure Is still intact.
The bursting of the old copper mine dam
in the town of Bristol this morning. caused
the greatest flood ever known in that Sec
tion and it is estimated the damage will
reach over 100000 from this alone
People living along the banks of the Peuue-
back river were obliged to leave iii ir
homes i'll tie darkness and many lost
nearly everything they possessed. High
way bridges across the river were swept
away to the number of ten, and the tracks
of the New England railway were washed
out in many places. A bad freight wreck
occurred early this morning near Forres
vile. Tho engine of a special freight ran
into a washOut and was caps.zad. Several
cars were smashed and one of the train
men badly injured. the road has been
blocked all day.
The storm in Winsted and other sections
of Litcbfieih county was very severe. The
loss in Ltchfield county alone is estimated
at nearly 100000.
At Brookline q well-known mill owner
lost his life and other accidents are re-
ported from many sections.
A DAM BROKEN
BRISTOL, Conn, March 1.-The greatest
flood III the history of Bristol swept down
the Pequebec valley this morning, spread
ing ruin and desolation on every hand.
The town of Bristol was heavy sufferer
during the storm OF a few weeks ago. when
six men lost i'air lives, but the va t, of
waters befoto daylight this morning
eclipses all previous records. Tho heavy
rain and melting snow on the mountains
swelled the basin of the old copper mine
dam in Whiggsville, the northern section
of this town, until it burst, tearing way
100 feet wide in the granite masonry and
| letting out volume Of water covering
seventy-five acres and forty feet high in Q
| the river below. which itself was roaring
torrent. The breaks occurred about .
| O'clock
The great body of water tore down the
| valley with q roar that was heard above
/ The noise of the storm for miles away.
| For tho first two miles there ,re 40
buildings near tho river, and the water
poured out on the marshes aud plains.
At Forestviile, four miles below, people
| living near the river were obliged to aban-
don their residences as the water broke
INTO the lower stories, in many cases be-
fore the inmates were out of bed The
roar of the flood aroused families for miles
around, and many people, whose houses
the flood had not reached, packed up what
effects they could, III anticipation of being
summary evicted. The highway bridges
on nearly al roads crossing The Peque-
beck were swept away. The streets of
Bristol and the village of Forestviie were
badly washed in many places. The lower
stories of dozens OF houses were covered
with water in the morning. and much prop
erty in the cellars was ruined.
The New England roadbed was under.
mined in many places and wreckipg
crews have been at work all day.
The Bristol Brass and Coke company's
factory was flooded. tie water cutting a
channel fifty feet wide and twelve feet
deep.
The highway bridge at Forestvllc Center
sagged severa. feet and is in an impossible
condition. IL is estimated the town OF
Bristol will lose from $4,000 to $4,000
by the damage to the bridges and roads.
NEW YOKK RAINS.
New YORK, March 1.-The warm and
almost continuous rain of yesterday, last
night and today throughout New York
state, served to bring the frost ont of the
ground. break up the ice in the Hudson
and smaller streams, and do considerable
damage to property by flooding cellars and
carrying away bridges. Traffic on many
railroads has been seriously delayed By
washouts, and in u number of cities street.
car service has been suspended on account
of high water. Very little, if any damage,
was sustained in this city. The ice in the
North and East rivers and New York har-
Dor has about all disappeared.
At Saratoga cellars were filled with wa
ter and the streets badly flooded. The
dams at Schuyler and all the bridges be.
tween Balston Spa and Rock City falls are
carried away.
At White Hall the water in Wood creek
is higher than it has been in twenty years.
| The large tiume of the Champlain silk
mills has been swept away, and over 800
men will be thrown out of work. The
damage to property at Whitehall alone
will exceed $30,5O0.
At Amsterdam mich damage was done
to mills and buildings. The Mohawk river
is very high and has overfiowed its banks
in the Iowlands, doiug considerable dam.
age in the vicinity of Fonda. AT Hudson
the docks are under water, and consiCera.
BILE damage has resulted to cotton in ware.
houses.
THE WESTERN WAVE.
BUTTE, Mont, March 1.-The most Sc
we're cold wave struck this state last night,
the thermometer in the northern and east
ern parts of the state going as low as forty
five degrees below zero this morning. In
Butte il dropped to fourteen below, and at
no time during the day did it rise higher
than four below.
From the fact that almost summerlike
weather has prevailed nearly all winter, it
is feared that stock will suffer seriously
DENVER, Col, March l.-Specials 8 to the
Rocky Mountain News from Sterling. Ak.
ron, Cheyenne Wells, La Junta and other
points in Eastern Colorado report an inch
Of snow.
Badly Wanted
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March 1.--Charles neX-
hemer. who is SAID to have numerous
i