The Portland daily press., 1900-02-14

here again fortune seemed to stand the
water company IN good stead. Man was
helpless in the face Of such terrible forcs
for the Little river had risen TO hither-
to unknown point aud the Ice and debris
tested the squeduot bridge and the other
bridges 10 their utmost The ice piled up
over the aqueduos bridge and at dark
neither Of the water mains could be seen.
The town or highway bridge was over
flowed and the water rushing through
the gorge between its abutmsnts braced
down on the pile bridge Of the electric
railroad below with Irresistible for,e.
The last car of the westbrook, Windham
and Naples Elsotyio road crossed THE
bridge which was pile construction nj
about half past eleven O'Clock yesterday
forenoon. At one O'Clock the center span
Of the bridge gave way and communion
tlon with South windhsm by means Of
the electric road was cut of. TIE nigh
way bridge was also impossible and at
dark It was feared that this bridge might
also be osrried away or at least badly
damaged. At last accounts 1t was, how
ever. still standing and will probably
pull through all right The tracks Of the
westtrook, wipdfam and Naples electric
road at Little Falls were covered with
water fer q distance of about two hun
drsd feet on either side Of the river. One
immense block Of Ice weighing many
tons had been lifted ty the water and
swung directly across the highway, COM
pietely blocking 1t. The bills which slope
down to the Little river at this point
wer 10y and danet rous. and between
them ths turbid waters of the Little river
rushed on with q suilen rear to join the
mighty flood In the Prssumrsco below.
10 would have teen reckless man indeed
who would have attempted to pass over
this highway AT Little river last night.
The watchers ON the hill sides who
wsrs power,ess to do anything, watched
the rapidly rising waters and trsmbled
fer the safety Of the aoueduct bridge on
which 80 much depended. But though
hidden from sight at DARK It could DO
pollock that the bridge was still safe, that
the Zoe jam above the bridge had been
torn away by the raging river and that
the water mains were safe.
OTHER BRIDGES THREA TENED.
The towns which ara required to main
tain bridges aeross this traaohtrous Prs-
sumpsoot ara in constant fear Of being
obliged to expend large amount of
money every year In building new
tridges. Yesttriay the tax psyt I'd of
these towns wsro very anxious and they
had good reason to be. Nothing like this
flood which filled tie valley of the Pre-
sunpscot almost to the trim, has been
known fer thirty yesrs.
The bridge owned by the city of Port
land across the pres9mpscot near River
ton PARK, was almost overiiowed last
night and was said TO be in danger, but
at last reports Il was still spanning the
river. This is a new bridge which was
constructed by the city after the Hood OF
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1t was at Wastbrook and Cumberland
Mills that the freshet on the Presump-