St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-02-21
Last Weeks Flood.

The. most disastrous losses in this sec
ton from the rain OF last week were
in Montpelier. This was caused by
an ice gorge which filled the channel OF
Winooski river from the Wells River rail
road station to the Green Mountain
cemetery, and turned swollen streams
into the streets OF the city. The heavy
rains of three days had raised the river
and streams to an unusual pitch, but
when people retired Tuesday night the
worst was supposed to be over. About
one O'Clock the fire alarm aroused the
sleepers, who found the streets filled with
flowing water. Inmates in several houses
were driven to the second stories, where
they were rescued with boats.
The business section of the city, State, |
Main and Elm streets, was completely |
flooded. The water rose so suddenly |
that merchants had no time to move
goods from cellars and Easements The
total loss is estimated at $150,000. L.
~ NtOost NhO 10 dHSNtNh ny d uGul L
trouble, was overcome by the excitement
and for time his life was in serious dan
ger. No doctor could be secured until
horse had been procured to cross the
street with and the same delay was ex-
perienced ingetting the needed stimulants
for the sufferer.
The hotels were all temporarily dis
abled Wednesday morning. At the
Pavilion the basement was filled with -.
several feet of water and in front the
water was several feet deep. Any guests =
who wanted to go to or from the depot :,
were transported in a boat. At the
Montpelier House and Adams Hotel the g.
water was foot deep in the Offices and +
lining rooms and the guests were served
breakfast in their rooms on the second -
Ioor. The flood was of such a magni- u
ude as to cause all business to be at a
tandstill in Montpelier Wednesday. 1t he
I'LL be several days before the railroad +r
'affic can be resumed in its normalstate.
be ice jam in the Winooski river became n.
solid wall of ice, extending nearly two
lies, and it allowed a torrent of water ior
rush into the centre of the city. In W.
SIS than an hour many of the streets S
ere under four feet of water, and the a.
erchants, who had been caught un- ~
wares, made hurried efforts to save on
,rtions OF their stock. Phi
There were many instances during the A
rly morning where persons were awak- H.,
ed by the rush OF water into their n"'
oms, people i'll some cases stepping out rue
bed into water several inches deep. At she
e time the water was running in the Y
reefs to depth OF from four to six feet. ,,,,
lose having boats did all in their power lI z
alleviate damage Live stock was re- lat
lsed from the stables where they were ma
arly submerged, and separated por. A
ms of families were reunited. One .,u
uld step from bridges to the ice gorges.
nch extended from up the North Branch wa
Montpelier Junction. Nearly every Gee
lar along the business portion OF Main T
eet in Barre contained from two to six ooc
t OF water Wednesday. The Barre W.
Ilroad company have a gang of men tho
lstlng ice at the Prospect street bridge ted
d the bridge is held in place by heavily Ic
ded cars OF granite. Three bridges Cbo
ween Barre and Montpelier were H
ried away. MOI
When the waters of the flood subsidized Sen;
duesday morning, State street from Dr.
Iley avenue to the turn near Green De-,
unit cemetery was blocked with an ice q"
* varying in depth from four to seven kno
. Street Commissioner Roberts has tv
e had force OF about thirty men at Cali
k clearing the highway. The street II
hat locality, although passabIe, pre-. -
ed grotesque sight On either side as II
ice was piled to height OF several acce
and gave one a conception of the Co
cult task involved in the clearing of oho,
street. aoo