New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-17
THE VERMONT CLOUDBURST
FIVE MEN KILLED AND MUCH DAMAGE
DONE.

Barre. Vt. June 16-In addition to great prop
erty damage caused by the cloudburst over TINS
region late last night, five railroad men lost their
lives freight train on the Central vermont Hal-
a,5 having run into a washout at Middlesex.
The Winooski River to spring freshet pltch
and several bridges were washed away
The dead include the conductor. the engineer and
fireman and brakemen.
The train was northbound from Montpelier juno
,to, u consisted of a locomotive and twelve cars
passing through Middlesex, the engineer was run
ming at a fair rate OF speed. when he struck
ditch washed out by a torrent OF water "hich
rusbad down the side Of Carel's Hump Mountain
-r,. Locomotive leaped into the ditch. and the
freight cars piled up top OF It, The engineer
and frernen killed. 1t is thought at the mo
mont when the engine struck in the ditch. and the
conductor and two brakemen were ouried uicer
the ruins Of the freight cars
The main line Of the Central Vermont Railroad
is tied up as result Of the washouts and wreck
at Middesex According 10 the officials or the
road it will be impossible 10 run any trains over
the line to-day The cloudburst caused a great
deal of other damage The railroad bridge at
Bolton was destroyed, and a sawmill together
with the house adjoining. was demolished in the
town of Middlesex and the wreckage carried down
the Winooski River. The sawmill was owned by
John Esan who lived in adjoining house. He
and his family escaped injury. All Of MI Egan S
live stock was killed, and. in addition TO the loss
of his house and sawmill. hundred thousand
feet of logs forced down the river by the tor
rent of water from the mountain.
The cloudburst seemed TO strike the peak of
Camel's Hump Mountain, and its waters divided.
one part descending into the valley the east and
the other into the valley the west. In the
valley on the the torrent washed out the rails
of the Montpelier and Wells River Railroad at
Plainsheld fifteen miles from here. 1t also caused
considerable damage in the town of Cabot where
It is reported that several highway bridges
wrecked Bridges in Waterbury also reported
20 be carried away.
All of the power lines OF the Consolidated EIec-
tric Company. which furnished power to the
ioritv of the manufacturing establishments. in
Guiding the granite quarries. were Frustrated. and
none Of the establishments We're able TO operate
to-day. 49,
dwelling houses in its path
Many persons viewed the scene Of the freight
wreck to-day The great volume of water which
struck the railroad carried away everything before
II leaving a gully fifty feet deep and forty feet
long The entire train precipitated into this
opening The railroad officials declare that IT will
be necessary to construct permanent bridge
across the washout.
Montpelier. Vt. June 16-This citv was visited
by a terrific downpour of rain last night Streets
were inundated bridges and cuverts damaged or
carried away. and cellars We're flooded. Streams
burst from their banks into highways. and to-day.
after the water had subsidized streets and sidewalks
in many sections were covered with mud slime and
debris.