The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1899-10-05
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
items OF local interest taken from the columns
OF The Press, thirty years ago.l
Oct. 8. 1859.
THE FRESHET.

The freshet OF 1869 will pass into history
as one of the greatest ever known In this
section of the country. Nothing like 1t
can be remembered by the oldest inhabi.
tants and the present generation hopes to
be spared from ever seeing the like again
The rain, which began early on Sunday
morning, continued at intervals until Mon
day morning, at which time it commenced
pouring In torrents and continued for
about twelve hours without moments
cessation. About noon the streams be-
gan to rise rapidly and some were swollen
| to many times the capacity of their chan
nels. The waters poured with resistless
force, sweeping down bridges and carrying
off all movable property left along their
banks. Railroad embankments were
swept away, buildings near liver banks
were flooded and general wholesale de-
ruction OF property caused. Few manu-
facturers in this vicinity escapei without
more or less loss from flooding of their
premises or sweeping away Of dams and
buildings. AT Stafford Springs the first
bad result was the sweeping away OF the
dam OF Preston & Dennis & Co.'s tannery.
| The shed sed for storing bark was I'M
dermined. The bark mill was partially
torn down and all its contents wasted.
The lower floor of the tanhery was flooded
and the contents badly damaged. Thu loss
OF this firm will exceed $4,000. Soon + er
| this water in the other streams, already
much above the usual high water mark
began to swell rapidly. The bridge near
| L. w. Cranes store could not give passa g.
to near all the water, and it soon over
| flowed the road between the church and
bank in broad, swift running stream
several feet deep, which soon cut deep
| gullies and became impossible for either
teams or pede strians. DR.. Newton drove
| through it soon after 1t reached its high
est, on his way t" make professional
visit, and on returning In less than an
hour tried to ford 1t again when the eur
rent quickly turned horse, chaise and
driver over and over. splitting doctor, pills,
powders, cushions and other contents in
l
to the stream. The horse was safely
rescued and the doctor was borne by the
torrent some distance before he could re-
cover himself. All his effects were safely
secured except the vehicle, which was
broken to pieces. Three foot passengers
attempting to cross were borne from their
feet and with great difficulty were rescued
| by the bystanders. The stream from the
west commence rising later. The break
ing away of the mill ponds above helped
to make flood of this stream. At its
highest the water ran in large streams
either side of the double arch stone bridge
near the station The water in the north
stream ceased to rise, and to give cause
for anxiety about p. M, that in the west
stream about o'clock. The people on
the island got off in anticipation Of the
breaking away of some of the dams above.
But none OF them gave away, though some
were considerable washed. The dam OF
Messrs. Smith & Chandler, on the stream
above Preston, Dennis & Co 3 dam, was
torn to save their tannery, which the
waters were rising around and threaten
ing to undermine. The Mineral Springs
company had 80 cords of wood carried
away, and the land of Julius Converse
was badly overlooked and bridge carried
off. The dam of this company was in.
jured The Granite pill company suffer.
ed to a considerable extent. The water
stood in the lower floor of their mill. The
extension of the arch bridge near L. w
Cranes store became choked up with
wood and portions OF the arches wer'
washed bare and caved In. l.. w. Cranes
store was filled with'w to the consider.
able injury of goods. Converse & Cleve.
land were considerable losers, the water
flooding their lower story in which was
stored 100 barrels of -four and other
goods. The barn 10 the rear of the store
was nearly torn down by the current.
Water came into the stores In the has :
ment of the Converse block coupled 10y l..
G. Winters meat market and N, M.
Thompson's store and rose some inches
above the counters. The foot bridge be-
tween the Springs House grounds and the
station was destroyed. At West Stafford
the damage was greater In proportion Than
in any section of the town. Every dam
in and about the village-nine in number
was destroyed and the roads torn up to
a greater extent than In any other portion
of the town. The underpining of Mr..
Truesdale's store was nearly torn out,
leaving the building in very unsteady
position. In the height Of the 400 the
people we're got out of the buildings In
great haste-in many cases escaping from
windows and being fioated In boxes drawn
by ropes. A small barn belonging to j.
r. Buck was broken and carried down
the stream. Wilcox's photograph saloon
was taken from near the center of the vii
lage and lodged on the top of the ruins of
ID. E. Whiton's dam. Its occupants had
fortunately just left. The town of Stat
ford is the loser of $4,000 to $4,000 by
damages to roads and bridges. The stone
arch bridge at Foxville, near the residence
Of Col. E. Dimock, is entirely carried
away, also one stone bridge and one wood
bridge on the road from West Stafford to
Square Pond, and stone bridge at
Orcuttville. The stone bridge at the
Springs station Is somewhat injured. At
the stone bridge near the Mineral Springs
dam the water wore gully at the east
end, level with the river bed, carrying off
all the stone from the east arch, leaving
only the arch standing. The road bed in
front OF the Congregational church and
Baker & Heald's block was washed out
and great channels plowed In the roads IN
various placed in the town. No mail
trains have passed Stafford since last
Monday morning. On Tuesday E.E. But
torH.1t oooopn n 10 had Tho AiA0,,,l% Roo% -