The Portland daily press., 1900-02-14
In Maine, Bridges Swept Away
and Trains Cancelled.
Cessation Of Rain and Change OF Temper
aturc Came None Too Soon.

Boston, February lathe gales OF the
equinox scarcely have exceeded In force
the storm which swept over New Eng
land today, leaving In Its wake damage
by floods that Is almost incslculable.
For "a hours heavy rain. after wip-
ing away what fsw evidences there were
of snow and ice brought to climax the
most unseasonable winter New England
has known for o great many years
Tributary bodies Of water which few
weeks ago wsrs so low that the almost
unheard OF condition Of drought In
mid winter, was threatened. have besn
changed into torrents OF more threaten
ing volume than In tie usual spring
freshets. From drought to flood with all
the damage done at both extremes, TO the
man ufacturing, logging and lea harvest
Ing interests is now added the cost OF
replacing bridges swept away, and OF
repairing railway and highway beds tor n
up.
of life at several points.
In this section today the rainfall ex-
ceeded one and oae-third inches, and
as the unfrozen ground was sodden from
moisture preoipitated during long spell
of mild weather, most Of the fall ran on
into the natural drainage channels. In
the northern section, where there was
snow on the ground, the rain was alb =
sorbed to some extent and will scarcely
be noticed as colder weather will serve
as a check.
The most extensive damage reported
is along the Merrtmao and Connecticut
rivers. The blow was dsrcs along the
coast, but shipping, usually less In vol
| ume OF this season OF the year, had am
pie warning of the storm. A big feet of
coasters, chiefly the coal fleet, was an
onored of the Cape Cod shore, but it was
safe as contrary winds for many days
! had made the shipma masters keep their an
ohors down and hold on tight for shift
TO more favoring winds.
| At Manchester, N. H.. Almer II. jack
son, a mill-hand, attempted to jump over
a rivulet. but fell into the water and was
washed away and drowned. He leaves
widow and four children.
| Washouts stopped traffic on the Boston
& Maine main line with Nashua and on
the Manchester and North Ware brsnch.
l. Siona Martin, 1a years old. was drowned
In the Nashua river at South Fitch
burg during her attempt to leave hsl
home which rising water had sur
rounded. The current was SO swift thai
she was carried OF her feet
Dispatches from various sections II
Vern ont and in Maine, place the rainfall
at over three inches. The Connection
river at Bellows Falls rose nearly five
feet during the day and as most OF th'
smaller streams are running wild, q
further riss Of six to eight feet is loosee
for by noon tomorrow. In the Champlair
valley, rain has continued nearly i've
days SO that the after effects are expected
to be more serious than now appear
At North Adams, Mess, the hoosa'
river runs stronger ana higher tonigh
than ut any time for 30 years. sevsra
mills having th cir lower fioors flooded
with aamags exceeding ten Thousand
dollars. The great pressure of water q
tho temporary dam OF the metropolitan
wAtsr board at Clinton, which reservoir
in the Nashua river supplies the Bostoi
district. is SO great that ths workmer
ara preparing for emergencies.
From all points tonight come reports
Of heavy damage to mill property an'
the destruction Of small bridges By ics
Jams. The suburban electric oar ssrvios
Is suffering greatly owing to slides o
earth under the rails. IL is pretty gsner'
ally agreed that no February storm of its
nature Tor more than generation had
done greater damage than that whicl
tonight Ia giving way to sooleS CLEARING
westerly weathes.