Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1901-08-22
RACE BANK GIVES
WAY, GREAT LOSS.
All of the Water of the Tum-
bling Dam Goes Out.
THE DAMAGE is SERIOUS.
Heavy Floods, of Rain Find Weak
Places in the Race Bank and the
Water Gushes Through. Out
Over the Swamps and Into the
Cohansey.

The down pouring floods of rain
swelled all of the ponds Sunday night
The Tumbling Dam Lake raised
rapidly despite the fact that all of
the gates were pulled out to allow the
water to escape. Ireland's s mill pond
and the big pond at Seeley was re-
lieved of its surplus and all this emp
tying into the Tumbling Dam lake
caused the water to rise above it's
usual place.
The water was handled fairly well,
but in the Raceway the water was
higher than usual and along early in
the morning at low places the water
washed over the banks.
Just this side of and adjoining the
big Central Railroad trestle bridge,
the bank was broken by the water,
and soon fully sixty feet of the cinder
and clay were torn asunder, and the
water gushed out in torrents. The
escaping floods soon filled the road
ways and swamps, finding it's way to
the river banks and emptying itself in
the Cohansey, gave that usual placid
stream the appearance of turbulent
rapids. Nothing could be done to
save the water or bank, and the dam
age continued until the great lake was
bare of its beautiful water.
Much of the railroad embankment
was washed out and some of the
bridge pilings were entirely exposed.
Trains will not be able to get over the
road to-day.
The early morning train from
Greenwich came through, stopping on
the west side of the Raceway. The
astonished passengers were obliged to
leave the train at this point and pick
their way across the long trestle
bridges to the passenger station.
Early the reports of the damage
began to be heard and people swarmed
up the Raceway and stood about the
great gap in the bank Watching the
waters. pour through into the Cohan-
sey.
The usually handsome Raceway
presented strange appearance.
South of the gaping bank there was
absolutely no water between the
banks. The pretty pleasure boats
made fast to the trees were dropped
down in the nasty mud, and the
stumps and twigs were plainly visible
all along. Jeddy's pond presented a
peculiar sight, the boat houses being
high above the deep bottom which
| was bare of water, and the boats all
lying on the flats far beneath the
boat houses.
Up at the Tumbling Dam.
Sunday William Rasinger, who
has charge of the water at the pond
found the water rising and immedi-
ately pulled up some of the gates.
Sunday night when the rains came he
pulled out everything at the pond and
allowed the water to escape all that
was possible. Still the storm caused
the head of water to rise. Then he
received word that Harris pond,
above Seeley, had broken and would
make him further trouble. He has
tened down the Raceway and opened
the gates at the foot of the Race, and
started some of the water wheels at
the mill to relieve some of the pres
sure. Then he obtained help and be-
gan filling in the low places of the
banks. The rising waters, early Mon
day morning began to trickle over the
bank near the Central Railroad Men
worked hard to build up, but the in
creasing floods kept washing over un-
til the bank was cut, and at three
O'Clock the break came. In a twink
ling sixty feet of the bank was gone.
At nine O'Clock Monday there
was still full head of water in the
lake at the Park, and vast quantities
of water was coming down in from
the head.
Frank M. Riley, Trustee of the
Cumberland Nail and Iron Company,
will Immediately have the break in
the bank repaired and the water will
be raised as soon as possible. This
will probably be at least couple of
weeks.
Boating and bathing will be done
with practically for this month, and
OF course that means the bathing will