The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-02
BIG FLOODS.
Peaceful Rivers In New England Be-
come Raging Torrents.
MANY BRIDGES SWEPT Ar:AY.
Mild Rain Has Caused Wide
spread Destruction.

HARTFORD. March 2.--The great rain
storm which was In progress all day Satur-
day, Saturday night and yesterday morn
Ing caused the greatest damage to property
throughout the state known In 30 years.
Many serious accidents, washouts and
wrecks arc reported. The Connecticut
river Is swollen until IL has reached a
polntthree times greater than its normal
proportions The big iron bridge at Md
dletown was in great danger all the after
noon, and portion of tho false work was
swept away, but the main structure Is still
intact
The flood swept down the Pequabuck
valley yesterday morning, spreading ruin
and desolaton on every hand. The town
Of Bristol was heavy sufferer during the
storm Of few weeks ago, when six men
lost their lives, but the waste Of waters
now eclipses all previous floods. The
rain and melting snow on tho mountains
swclled the basin OF the old Copper Mine
dam In Whigsyille, the northern section
OF Bristol. until IL burst tearing away 100
feet wide in the granite masonry, and let
ting volume of water covering 75 acres
and 40 feet high into the river below.
which itsolf was n roaring torrent.
The break occurred about o'clock yes
terday morning. The great body Of water
tore down the valley with roar that was
heard above the noise Of the storm for
miles away. For The first two miles there
were no buildinjs~nearsth river, and the
plains
At Forestvilie, four miles below, people
living near the river were obliged to aban-
H.. ,t..t.. .t.l L. -. I.1l 1lrsx
into the lower stories in many cases be-
fore the inmates were out of bed. The
roar Of the food aroused families for miles
around, and many people, whose houses
the food had not reached, packed up what
effects they could, in anticipation of being
summarily evicted.
The bridges on nearly all roads crossing
the Pequabuck were swept away. Ten In
all have gone out and others are badly
damaged The streets of Bristol and the
village of Forestville were badly washed
In many places. The lower stories of
dozens OF houses We're covered with water
all the morning, and much property in
the cellars was ruined.
The New England roadbed was under
mined in many places, and wrecking crews
have been at work all day.
The highway bridge at Forestville,
Forest Centre, sagged several feet, and is
in an impossible condition. 1t is esti-
mated that the town of Bristol will lose
from $4,000 10 $4,000 by damage to the
bridges and roads.
The storm in Winsted and other Sec
tions of Litchleld county was very severe.
The Philadelphia, Reading and New Eng
land railroad tracks are under water in
many places, and traffic has been sus-
pended The loss I'm Litchfleld county
alone is estimated at nearly sl0O,Ooo.
Highland lake, near Winsted. one Of
the largest bodies of water in this section
of the state, overflowed its banks. The
streets OF Winsted were flooded to the
depth of from three TO five feet, causing
heavy damage to stores, business blocks
and private residences.
Mad river also oIrflowed and added TO
the sea of water. The Hotel Central was
in great danger. The underpinning weak
ened, and many Of the guests became
frightened and took up quarters elsewhere.
The towns of Rlverton and Watertown
were covered TO the depth of five feet.
A special freight train on the New Eng
land road, bound for Hartford, was
wrecked at 3g5 yesterday morning one
eighth of mile west of Forestville. The
locomotive ran into n washout and turned
over. Seven heavily loaded freight cars
were piled up in heap, and most of them
were smashed TO pieces. The engineer and
fireman escaped through one of the cab
windows. George Gormully, brakeman,
sustained internal injuries.
Dover's Dose.
DOVER, N. H., March 2.-The greatest
damage done by the unprecedented rise
In the Cocheco river was the wrecking of
the Bracewell block built directly across
the river, with stores In it abutting on
Central Avenue bridge. The central Sec
tion of the bridge has also gone and two
traffic bridges between the mills of the