The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-03-06
RIVERS itNMPAGEOIS

pole would be swept away, but it es
capped the raging fury Of the waters
| \ land slide near CIRCUITS Crossing
covered the rack with earth for orel
60 feet delaying trains for hours, ~
the waters abated a violent wind sci
in. which has continued up To present
writing. Tonight, Wednesday, the al,
is filled with snow. and the winds
seem to be at variance, each point OF
the compass striving for the right q
way.
Again as last wear at Putney the
Connecticut river uyertiowed and some
of the people who live near the river
left their houses for places Of safey.
The Putney Meadows rosembled a
lake and Mr.. Shaw found 1t necessary
to remove his cattle and horses 10
higher ground, Sunday morning the
water from the village brook was about
eight inches deep in f. l.. Picrce's
mill. The fire boxes we're flooded
and the engineer waded about with
rubber boots on John Clark, it is
said, saved the road commissioner the
job of again filling IN the Hill on
Main street by digging out the water
way. 1t will be remembered that the
washout last year was caused by the
clogging OF the sluice.
The rain of Saturday and Sunday
night caused the Green river to rise
rapidly. 1T / O'Clock Sunday morn
ing the ice broke up in the river and
at the village of Green River the people
were awakened by the loud crashing.
Ii was "A sight TO see the ice pile up
and the water was the highest il has
been known since 60. The island was
packed with ice and the water took
its course around Cuttings fiat, dam
aging their fruit trees. They estimate
their damage to he $50. 1t also ruined
NJ. ID. Thompson and II. Slows apple
trees and carried away their hen yard.
At West Dummerston the road to
was badly washed and
filled in from the hills above, so that
the traveller was obliged TO 90 over
the hill. There was only one mail for
three days. All the bridges on the
are ali washed out except the
larger ones.
At Williamsvillc the high water
did considerable damage. 1t
took oil part of A. NJ. Merriheld's dam
and broke two holes in Geo. Dickin
sons just across the railway trestle.
Near the depot it took from 20 to 10
feet Of the upper highway down onto
the track and lower highway making
ii impossible to pass with teams,
The extent OF the damage by the
freshet at West Townshend to the
Brattleboro and White hall railroad
cannot be as yet fully estimated. Be
tween West Townshcn dand Woods
great masses of ice have torn
out nearly every trcstle exposed to view
aud those not seen are buried far be
heath West river when breaking up
expanded from the opposite bank to
Orrin Burnaps house and the public
road going to ToTnshcnd The APP
presented is like that of
Polar sea when the ice is piled up III
great blocks and is designated Them
nocKy.' Many of the blocks are of
great size and are lying in all con
WAYS, y force of about 20
ncn have been employed to remove
he ice from the railroad track and a
ar larger force has been employed on
he public road doing similar work.
The larger force on the public road is
wing to the fact that they receive
i. 30 per day whilst the very limited +,
orcc ON the railroad is paid but 81. 10. !
The removal Of the great masess of
CO mast he succeeded 10y the rebuild |
NJ of the railroad bank and the put !
ine in of new trestles, the former be- /
ny impossible while the ground is !
rozcn Us hard as iron. Many parts of |
he railroad line are washed into the |
meadows and others are |
visited ont of shape and burrowed un
Ter by the action Of the water. Orrin |
iurnap had to move to the upper
ooms of his house and was so wcdged !
II Blythe masses of floating ice IN the
ront and in rear that he found it i'm
possible for scycra. days to leave his
iousc. and then only as force of men
pencd Il passage to West Townshend. |
IL has lost some corn, has had wet
lay and 81 of his Leghorn fowls
,crishcd. Uea. W. IL. Taft had about /
% worth of chair backs washed away
nut of his mill yard
At Bellows Falls no trouble was AN
icipatcd until about 10 O'Clock Sun
lay morning when the river began to
Use about foot an hour and it seemed
Or time as ii everything would be
wcpt before it. The meadow above
he village was ono sea of ice and the
ousc and barn belonging TO NJ. III.
lay were completely surrounded and
he cattle and horses were moved to a
lace nj safety. The family also had 10
eek shelter elsewhere. This was the
xperiencc of many other families in
he vicinity. The damage TO the mills
as not serious, as the proprietors had
armed by experience TO remove all
erishahle material The Fall Noun
sin Paper Company. however. lost
light Of their piers, which bad cost
iem about si,Gro apiece 10 construct.
he Westminster road la Walnole ras
D some places covered with six feet Of
a,cr and travel was at stan5still Il
~ some time. ID