Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-02-17
THE WATERS RECEDING.
No More Danger From Recent
FlOOds-Repairing Damages.

Boston, Feb. l5.-The damage in New
England caused by an unus tally heavy
rainfall is being repaired, except at
points on the large rivers where great
masses Of debris or gorges of ice blocked
the natural channels and caused alb
normal tiowage over usually well-pro-
tected territory.
The most interesting of these floods
was at Montpelier, VT, where the
Winooski river. at the confluence or
small tributary above the city, by reason
of two miles of blocked ice, was turned
into the city streets. Montpelier Is built
on the sides Of a valley, and the chic?
thoroughfare is State street. On this
street stands, on one side, on the crown
of a little eminence, the capitol, and on
the other an interesting cottage, the
birthplace of Admiral Dewey. Behind
the latter structure are lowlands through
viii h a little brook runs. The lOwlands
overlooked and the torrent swept down
State street in the dead of night flood
ing fully half the business blocks and
residences. The changing fire bell awoke
the citizens to the danger from flood and
for hours all sorts of eXpedients were
auopteu " save pellsHdDle property.
The financial loss throughout the city
will be heavy, but further danger is ex-
pected to be averted by use of dynamite
on the ice gorge.
In Maine the rampage Of the rivers
was mild compared with anticipation.
The rain falling OH snow and ice in the
White mountains and Winnepesaukee
regions in New Hampshire loosened the
bonds of winter most effectually there,
and the Merrimack and Connecticut
rivers rose rapidly all Tuesday night and
yesterday, doing great damage to the
industries along their banks.
In central Massachusetts many streams
which have only local regulations for
tlowage have done surprising damage
through inadequacy Of natural channels
to carry away the surplus. This was
particularly the case along the line of
the Fitchburg road in this state, and it
will probably be many days before a
full accounting of the property loss will
lie known.
AT Orange, Clinton. Fitchburg and In
the Deerfield valley the flood reached it's
height yesterday morning and success
fully placed an embargo on nearly every
form Of traffic in the vicinity of the low
lands.
Reports continue to come Of inter-
rupted railway communications, chiefly
in trolley service, from all the New Eng
land states, but the danger point has
passed and the damage has resolved it.
self into a question of repairs. One ia
tality occurred during the day, indirect
ly due to the flood, at Exeter, N. H..
where mill officer fell into a raceway
Albany. Feb 15.-The flood in the Hud-
son river reached its height at o'clock
yesterday afternoon, when it registered
20 feet above the ordinary level At
midnight it had gone down two feet.
Three men have lost their lives and
$50O,OO0 worth Of damage has been done
to property along the river by the freshet.
The police are aiding poor families along
the river front where the water reached
the second floors.
Exeter, N. H., Feb. 15.-Loren D.
Lyford, an overseer employed by the
Exeter cotton mills. was experimenting
the removal of ice and debris which had
been brought down by the flood to the
opening of the penstock, and by a mis-
step he fell into the Squamscott river
and was drowned.