Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-03-18
TRAFFIC. DELAYED.
Forty Rods OF Track Undermined Mort"
OF the Bradley Me"dows---P"mP'"g
s,a,tou on west River Damaged

or ,he Rradtey MeRdOVVs---PuhpIhB
station on west River Damaged
The warm weather during the latter part
of last week, together with the ram Whlch
fell almost continually Sunday, had the
effect of carrying off large part OF lhe
snow banks along the Connecticut river
valley and of raising that river ana us
tributaries to high point. The ice IN
nearly all the streams has, in consequence,
been broken up and has lOated out Win
out doing serious damage, except III west
river. There the damage has been mostly
confined to the BrattlebOrO * Nhltehall
division of the Central Vermont railroad.
The passenger train on that road lett
Brattleboro as usual Saturday night, run
ming as far as NeWfane, where it was t0und
that one of the wooden "horses" under a
span of the bridge at the "Salmon Hole,
between Newfane and Townshend, had
been carried away by floating cakes OF ice
No attempt was made to cross the bridge,
although the bridge would probably have
sustained the weight Of the train. during
the night large quantities OF ice lodged on
the West side of the river between what
are known as the hedges" some distance
above the Bradley farm meadow, changing
the direction of the current and forcing the
water against the railroad bank. Some Az
rods of the track were thus undermined
and pushed several feet out OF place. The
water flowed down the other side OF the
track until it was obliged to return to the
river bed, when it quilted out two or three
rods of the road bed to a depth Of several
feet.
As soon as this was discovered telegram
was sent to Brattleboro asking for the
work train and gang of men 10 repair the
road. The work train aud ID or 20 men
were sent up Sunday, but they were Obliged
to wait for the water to recede before they
were able to better the situation.
Work was begun in earnest Monday
morning but it was night before the track
had been pulled back into place and
blocked up. Meanwhile a special train,
leaving here at | o'clock, carried the Wind
ham county court party TO the scene of
the washOut and they walked by to the
train on the other side which had backed
down from Newiane. The first train to
pass over the washout was the regular
train Monday night. Meanwhile the en-
CINE at Newfane crossed the bridge at the
salmon IIO e. and when the evening
train from BrattleboIo arrived at Newfane
the coaches already there were pushed
across the bridge. Since then the trains
have run regularly. The damage to the
railroad is estimated at about $500.
During Sunday night the ice became
damned up opposite the Bradley meadows
and huge cakes crashed into the pumping
station connected with the Chestnut hill
| reservoir. The roof of the building was
lifted from its foundation and one side Of
the building was completely crushed. 1t
was at first thought that the building
would have to be torn down and rebuilt
but it has been decided to repair it as it
| stands. The valves of the pump were
broken off but otherwise the machinery
was not damaged, The total loss at the
station will be 500 or more.
1t is understood that the bridge at the
salmon Hole is to be replaced by an
iron bridge in the near future. Some Of
the material for iron bridges at Winhall
station and Cobb Brook is already on
hand and the new bridges will probably
be put in position during the coming sun
mer. The Londonderry Sitter says: This
is an indication Of prosperity that We are
pleased to note. 1t also shows a care and
looking after the welfare of the road and
the safety and accommodation of the peo-
pie on the part OF the management that
merits commentator. The road is now
an Indispensable part and parcel of the
West river valley and its management de-
serves the thanks of our people for their
care and interest"