The Press., 1898-09-08
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
[Items Of local interest taken from the columns Of The Press, thirty years ago.I
 Friday, September II, 1868.
THE FREsHET.

IhE FhEShETs
 The heavy rain of Friday last raised the two streams entering this village from the north and northeast higher than they have ever been known to rise within the recollection of any present resident of Stafford. The Granite mill company had the Hume out of their dam and were put ting in a new one, of which only the frame was in place. The water all passing through the opening thus made the sur plus could not long pass of in the channel made for waste water, but commenced crossing Main street in front of the Con- gregational church, and thence passing down In front of Baker X Heald's block, one portion running along Main street and between the depots to the river, and an- other larger part encircling the building occupied by Wm. Smith and Converse & Cleaveland. Within half an hour from the time the water commenced rising over the street 1t had risen 10 depth of three feet or more, and was rushing along in 8 swift current, rendering crossing with teams difficult and not wholly safe. From five o'clock, Friday evening until ten tho water kept rising. The cellar under Heald's store and under the bank were filled with water to the floors, and many of the residents of "the island" vacated, fearful that the Granite mill dam would give way. Nor was their fear ground less, for, notwithstanding the wide open ing where the Hume was taken out, and through which an immense volume of wa ter was rushing, the pond was filled SO that a great sheet of water passed over the apron, filling the channel of the regu- lar stream. All sorts of stories were cur rent during the evening to account for the sudden rise. The Tuckerville reservoir above Staffordville was reported to have been swept away, and nearly every dam along the line was reported at some time during the evening to be gone. The whole rise, however, was caused by the extraor- dinary fall of rain, which sent torrents of water pouring from the steep hillsides. The Tuck el vile reservoir, so far from causing the flood, greatly lessened it, be- ing very low at the commencement of the Iain, and retaining much of the freshet above 1t. The rain continuing Friday night, Saturday morning found the waters as high as they had been the night be- fore. The current had ploughed chan nel through our streets, so that driving through the flood was an undertaking that needed care. During the forenoon a foot-brldge was thrown from Heald's store to the hay-scales, and thence to the higher ground near the church, so that pedestrians were quite we'll accommo. ties driving through the water, fortunate ly none of them very serious ones. The | water commenced to subside Saturday afternoon, and by Sunday was so low that temporary dam threw the water into the natural channel, and left the street once more visible. But what a looking street! The dirt was washed away, leav. ing only a bed of huge boulders, while ir some spots chasms three feet or more i1 | depth were worn into the hard road bed The railroad track was partially under mined in spots, and trains had to move with great caution. The selectmen view ed the premises on Monday, and or Wednesday a gang of workmen, under the supervision of w. D. Heald, com menced repairing the damages to the high way. The sudden rising of the stream from the northeast also proved too much for the accommodations provided for it and a great portion of the water ran oyel the road near Preston < Dennis tannery doing considerable injury there, and fill ing the dam of the Stafford loom compa ny so that the water pouring over tn, place provided for waste water wore dowr into the dyke, washing away several fee of it before the water could be let out O the pond. Had the Granite mill dan been In it's usual condition considerabl, damage must still have been the result O the freshet, as the regular channel of tn, stream was nearly full in the height O the freshet, and but 8 small portion O the water which flowed down the stree
 could have passed under the bridge. A