Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-03-08
THE HIGH WATER MARK
 NAUGATUCK OVERFLOWS
Damage to Railroad Tracks and Bridges-Berkshire Division Bridge at Mill River Carried Away. Pomperaug Valley Flooded and Swept Piers Away-No Trains Over Bridge = Passengers Transferred on Hand Car.

Ansonia, March S.-The Naugatuck
 river reached the highest water mark in ten years early this morning, and
 during the height of its rampage
 threatened much destruction. The
 heavy rains of yesterday soon made a perceptible difference with the height of the water, and all yesterday afternoon the river swel1ed until at fines in the heart of this city and con- menced to lap the railroad tracks. The greatest amount of damage was done
 at the temporary spile bridge on the Berkshire division of the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad, l where one section was swept away,
 the large spiles being snapped off like pipe stems by the huge blocks of ice
 from fifteen to twenty inches thick. The ice and rushing water played
 havoc with the confectionery store of
 John Lyons, which holds position
 close to the water front. The sup ports beneath the building were swept away, its secure foundation to one side of the river alone saving 1t from toppling over.
 l Back water in the tailraces which run beneath several of the streets in the heart of the city, flooded the base ments of many of the business blocks and in several instances much damage l to stock occurred.
 of hn river, and with the subsiding waters no further damage is expected.
 New Milford, March S.--The Berk- l shire division radlroad bridge, three | miles south of here, was carried away to-day by the high water which l followed yesterdays storm, and train service on the division was blocked. Tn the Housatonic valley the water l is at flood height and fear of damage to bridges was felt this morning. 1t l was expected that the breaking of the l ice gorge above the plant of the New 1 Milford Hat Go. in the northern part of the village. would endanger high way bridges. Up to noon, however, l the ice had not broken up badly, l though the river had overhoWed it's banks and covered all the meadows.
 Hundreds of people on both sides of the river watched it's rise all day, and l gunners for muskrats driven from
 their holes by high water had lively sport. Little fear was felt of dam- age to houses in this vicinity as only
 an unprecedented rise of water could
 reach them.
 l South Britain. March S.-Part of 1 the Hestle work in the middle of the high bridge on the Highland division of the New York. New Haven &
 Hartford railroad across the Pomper-
 aug river has been carried away by a
 freshet. The. Pomperaug river last
 night reached the highest point
 known in several years, and great masses of ice, three feet in thickness, l were hurled against the bridge ! structure, seriously damaging 1t. No ! trains are allowed to cross the bridge 1 to-day, but passengers are trans ferred. The bridge is temporary structure, 400 feet long and 80 feet
 high, built to take the place of a bridge which was burned year ago. Roads along the Pomperaug valley are impa ssable in places on account
 
 1 up by the freshet
 Bristol, March S.-Beyond the food Ting of cellars, little damage was caused here by the richest For a time last night the rise of the Pequa-
 buck and of North creek flooded sev-
 eral streets to the depth of six inches, but early to-day the water subsided Wilkesbarre, Pa. March S-At 9 o'clock this morning the water in the ! north branch of the Susquehanna
 river was 2S feet inches above low
 water mark and is still rising. This is the greatest food since 1902, when the entire city was flooded. All of
 the lowlands are under water and the towns on the west bank of the river are cut off. The Pennsylvania
 and Delaware, Lacl1awanna & Vest
 ern railroads are completely cut off from communication with the city. Some of the anthracite mines in the vicinity are flooded There is a great ice gorge seven miles south of here
 and the backwater of it extends to
 Pittston, 16 miles away. Another
 gorge three miles north of Wilkes
 barre is threatening serious damage.
 At BurWOod and Westmoor the resi-
 dents were compelled to leave their
 homes in boats. The railroad track
 at Catawissa. below here, has been
 washed away. Nescopeck creek, a
 tributary of the Susquehanna, is very
 high and three county bridges were
 washed against the large bridge on
 the Hazleton division of the Pennsyl-
 vania railroad, moving it several
 inches. If the flood increases the
 bridge is almost certain to go The
 business sections of Plymouth and
 Edwardsville are under water and al-
 most all of West Nanticoke is sub
 merged. These towns are close to
 Wilkesbarre.
 STEAMER SINK