Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-10-14
The Freshet of 1897,
which Formed the Land where tn.
Mills Now stand.

An interesting study into the effects OF
treshets IN the early years of the history
OF the canal has been made. suggested bv
capt. Iaylor's vivid story of seeing the old
Cheshire bridge from above Charlestown
pass over the falls, the story having been
given to readers of The Phoenix in a recent
issue.
In 1877, only about five wears after the
canal was built, sudden and alarming rise
OF water occurred in which great fresbet
the upper locks, located lust north of the
grlst mill building, were entirely carried
away, causing a large amount of damage
The water rushed through the opening
thus made with great power and destruct-
I've force, and Yet 1t i understood that A.
that time the advantages equalled the loss
TO the locks, which were readily repaired
after the water subsidized At that time
there was a place known as the stone
hole, where stone had been blasted out 10
make very thick and strong dam near
where the Robertson Paper companvs
mil now stands. Below this mill was an
immense sort of cove and swampv hole.
he freshet swept away this dam with vast
Quantities of earth. much of which came
from the sides OF the canal above the locks.
his filled the cove and swamp. forming a
part Of the land on which nearly a million
dollars worth of mills now stand.
Within few years a machine sbop saw
mill, carding and cloth dressing building
and the old original paper mill a descrip-
ton OF which has already appeared in The
Phoenix, were built
There Is no history of any mills in exist
ence on the canal until after this freshet
and 1t Is probable the formation of the land
was such previously as to have rendered it
extremely expensive TO build there
Since l191 there have been several Sc
we're treshets, but none have equalled that
IN extent OF changes wrought. One in
May, ISIS one IN September, 1S2S, and
one IN 1889 when the ponderous Cheshire
bridge from Charlestown came down the
river, as told by Capt Taylor. 1t is said
that as 1t tioated past the upper end of the
village and into the upper end of the rap
IDS end foremost, the sign was still in its
place warning Passengers not to pass
faster than a walk -
In 1871 occurred another freshet destruc-
tive to the canal The Old Guard Gates.
as they were called. that were located
few feet above where the stone arch bridge
on Bridge street now is, gave way suddenly
and very soon the water made an opening
from the canal below the grist mill - feet
"Iue anu as many leet deep. Inns channel
continued to widen until it reached the
grist mill and it was supposed that would
be destroyed, but just at that point the cut
ting out of the land was stayed not bv hu-
man hands. however, and the old mill still
stands with its machinery running each
day, and the building itself in the identical
place and shape in which it was originally
erected in 1881
The quantity OF earth moved by the di-
verified force of the water at that time was
about seven thousand cubic yards The
channel cut out was about 1000 feet wide
The loss 10 the owners of the locks and
canal was estimated at $4,000. which in
those days was more of a disaster than
many times that amount of expense would
be at the present time. They were owned
In those days very largely by English cap
italists.
Since lS4l, although probably the water
has been higher many times than it was
then, there is no record of serious damage
along the line of the canal
Since the building of the railroad, and
the tunnel through which it passes under
the business part of the village, the water
has been high enough three times so it has
been necessary to build a strong temporary
dam across the upper end of the tunnel to
prevent the flow of the river through it. as
1t would cut out the business part of the
town and mills. Two of the three times
have been within four years.