Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-10-14
FRIDAY
FRESHET AT BENNINGTON
And in the Surrounding Towns,

Many Thousands OF Dollars Damage---
One Fatality Reported---B uildIngs
and Bridges swept AlvRy---TOrrent
Rushing Through County street.
The seectmen estimate the loss to the
town of Bennington by the freshet las,
week at 100000 to $4,000. The loss TO
private property amounts to many thous.
ands of dollars, but no definite estimate is
given.
The course of Roaring branch was com
pletely changed and a great torrent of
water rushed down County street in Ben
nington, tearing it up 50 that it will have
to be entirely rebuilt for a mile or more.
Other streets are badly damaged, the I'M
derpinning was taken from houses and the
steam mill of Shields e Wall was carried
some distance away with all its machinery.
On Stafford and Division streets people
were driven from their houses by the
water. Many fine lawns are covered by
quaint ties of debris that it will take a
long time to remove.
A large gang of men have been employed
turning the current which ran through
County street back to its former channel.
The work of repair has been begun by
many of the property holders along the
street in rebuilding sidewalks and cartng
away logs, brush, stumps, old furniture,
boards and all kinds of wreckage that
lodged in dooryards and around buildings.
Subscription papers are in circulation for
some of the poorer ones who suffered Sc
verely by the food. The town officials are
confronted by serious task almost on the
verge of winter. Some of the important
bridges in the town are utterly swept
away and by the changing current of the
river the points at which the bridges stood
have been widened almost double the
length of the bridges.
The Bennington and Woodford electric
railroad was one of the heavy losers. It's
bridges and trestles are entirely swept
away, and many washoUts have occurred
along the line. Between the Hathaway
bridge and Godfrey's ochre works there
are three washouts on the electric road
that will require many thousands of dol
lars to repair thoroughly and safely. The
highway between the Furnace bridge and
the electric light station is badly washed
The highway between Bennington and
North Bennington is also badly washed in
places. The Bennington and Hoosick
Valley electric railroad has done nothing
as yet toward resettng up the iron bridge
that was washed out at one abutment at
the north part Of the village. There was
not house on County street that escaped
more or less damage. In a number of
houses that were damaged the most in hav-
ing parts Of cellar walls cave in or serious
damage occurring, the tenants have va
Gated the premises. ON some parts Of the
street the roadway was washed out eight
nv 10
wide.
One fatality is reported. Elmer Waite
was driven out Of his house on County
street by the water. He has been troubled
with heart disease and on reaching the
residence of his father-in-law died sudden
~. Many women and children were res
cued in water that reached their waists,
and in some cases long ladders were used
to bridge the food.
The freshet was also severe at North
Bennington. The new walk on the east
side of Main street was undermined and
the street was badly washed. The water
at the grstmill OF W. r. White overflowed
and tore up the street in the rear Of the
stores, and took away 10 cords of wood be
longing to Mr.. White. At one time it was
feared that the big dam would go out. The
water carried away a part of the dam of
the Stark Paper company and filled it with
stones. Their dam at Sodom was also car
ried out.
The hotel at Camp Comfort in Wood
ford was washed away and it is said that
every bridge in town was destroyed. This
is also the case in Glastonbury, where the
storm appears to have originated
The village Of HoosicG Falls will show
losses from $4,000 to 100000 A num-
Der Of the largest business places in the
village are undermined, streets and high
ways have cayed in, bridges are carried
away, ard one washout on the electric
railroad was $50 feet in length. The food
struck that village from three directions,
the largest body of water going from what
is known as Woods pond, about 20 feet OF
its embankment giving away soon after
the storm struck it.
One OF the principal streets in the viii
lage is washed out a distance of 100 feet
in length and eight to 10 feet in depth
Several buildings were swept into the
Hoosick river.
At Hoosick Junction the Hathaway
bridge, fue iron structure on the Fitch
burg road. is down, and engine 1915. and
fiat car, are in the IIoosick river II gave
way just as the engine was leaving il, the
engineer and fireman escaping by jumping.
Arlington and Sunderland both report
heavy damages Bridges are carried
away, roads washed out and fields covered
with debris. In some places the fences
are completely gone, and haymows have
also disappeared.
Had the flood come in the night the loss
of life would have been large. Many cat
tie and swine were drowned, their dead
bodies being now found in out-of- he. way
places. A subscription paper is being cir
cnlated for the relief of the moor nennle