The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-07
4:l5 O'CLOCK.
CALAMITY.
A Towns Terrible
Experience.
BOundbrOOk Visited by Fire
and Flood.
Raritan River Ran Through
the Village Streets.
All Energy Was Directed Toward
Saving Human Life.
Report In Circulation That Many Persons
Perished in the Storm.
Raritan River Ran Through
the Village Streets.
All Energy Was Directed Toward
Saving Human Life.
Report In Circulation That Many Persons
Perished in the Storm.

SoMERvILLE, N. j., Feb. 7.-Bound-
brook last night experienced the most
dreadful calamity in its existence. Not
only was there a big fire in town,
but a big foou swept the town. The
water from the Raritan river ran through
the streets of the village and at 3 o'clock
this morning the water was nearly ten
feet deep in the Main street OF the town.
The flood was caused by the heavy rain
overlooking the Raritan river. lift swept
on both sides of the Genital railroad
bridge at that place. The water rose
higher than the bridge and rushed along
tracks. The surrounding country for q
quarter OF q mile on each side of the heart
of the village was flooded.
The three main blocks were flooded and
while the citizens were trying to rescue
people from houses that were in danger
OF being swept away, a fire Was discov-
cred. 1t was first seen In the lumber yard
Of l. ID. Cook & Company. An alarm
was turned in but the volunteer hremen
OF Boundbrook thought more of humsn
life than property and they sent word to
Somerville and Plainfield for assistance.
The two places started engines for Bound
brook, hut they had gotten far outside
the limits of their respective towns when
they were forced to return ON account of
the roads being impassable. No attention
was paid to fighting the fire by the resi-
dents OF this village and all Of them de
rected their efforts toward rescuing the
people who We're imprisoned in their
houses. Row boats were secured and at
tempts made to take people from the
second story windows of their houses.
but they could not be gotten out. All
communication between ~Roundbrook and
the outside places was cut of and the
last report received from the town was TT
5 O'Clock this morning. One man Is
known to have been drowned. His name
was Miller. He secured row boat and
rowed along the street to a house situated
about 100 feet from the banks of the Rari-
tan river. There he tried to rescue q
family who were in the upper part Of
their home, On the way, the boat was
upset, and he has not been seen since.
The family remained at the window all
night and were still there at daylight
this morning. The Hood spread three
blocks wide and all the residents dared
not go out, but remained in the upper
part OF their buildings. AT daylight,
when the last Information -as received
from Boundbrook, the food was said to
be receding.
The Jersey Central railroad and the
tracks OF the Lehigh Valley ra abroad were
under water for about 100 feet. 1t Is re-
ported that many persones lost their lives
but thus far this cannot be verified.
The whole business portion of Bound
brook was flooded and everything was
paralyzed in the village today. The storm
began to be felt about 3 or A o'clock yes
terday afternoon and the water then made
its appearance III the town. 1t continued
TO III through the streets until z o'clock
last night, when il was several feet high
in the main street. The water continued
to rise as the wind storm increased and
f,-na1 eLA ~ IA.-.. f.~.~x tAA
ground floor to the roof and up the stairs
OF their homes. Most of the people in
Poundbrook have had nothing TO eat since
yesterday afternoon, not being able to get
In the lower portions OF their homes.
The town hall was flooded by the wster
and parts of il were washed away Jersey
Central railroad tracks were undermined.
People could walk across the tracks but a
train would not dare to go over the tracks
as the weight would cause the tracks to
collapse and fall down an embankment.
The fire was in the. business portion of
the town and the grease in Crowley's
restaurant fed the flames. The blazing
spire Of the Presbyterian Church could
be plainly seen in this place and Plain
field. Although the residents of outside
villages wer' Eager to help in the work
OF rescue, non OF them was OF any as
sistance on account of being afraid
of being swept away by the water,
which swept along the streets i'm tor
rents. During the height of the lire a. i
food pistol shot after pistol shot a
out on the AIR, to attract attention with
the hope that the People who fired them
would be saved from their perilous posi-
tion. but their neighbors were just as
badly oil as themselves n they were
compelled to remain on the top floors OF
their houses. In fact, they were safer
there than they would have been, we're
they in the street. instead OF Main street
being the PRINCIPAL th~oroughfare. OF
Boundbrook, one would thiak Il was
part Of a big river last night. Men, drawer
than others, were out i'm rowboats ana
they we're forced one way by the swift
ness of the current. III they had tried 10
go against the stream, IL would have been
useless as the water was running too
swiftly for any human being TO go against
1t.
At DAYLIGHT, il was estimated that 20
houses had heen Jestoycd by the fire or
were wrecked by the Hood. Many small
outnouses belonging TO faVners on Tie
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