The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-06-10

IN POWNAL
Debris Covers Road to
Depth of 20 Feet.
LARGE FORCE AT WORK
Travellers to WiIIiamstown Must,
For the Present, Go By
Roundabout Routes.
LARGE FORCE AT WORK

Pownal, June 1O:-An immense slide
of rocks, trees and sand completely
covered the highway between Pownal
and Williamstown, Mass, Thursday
morning. The slide occurred II miles
South OF Pownal village at the point
known as the "Dugway."
Here the mountain comes abruptly
down to the river and the road is
cut out of the side of the mountain.
The town officials have known for
long time that this road was in danger
but they thought the danger was from
the river undermining the road.
In some places the road was covered
with debris to a depth of 20 feet. This
highway is the main artery of travel
between Bennington and Hoosick to
North Adams and its stoppage is a
great annoyance to traffic. There are
two other roads leading TO Williams
town, but they re round about and
exceedingly hilly and besides are al
so in bad condition through being
washed by the heavy recent rains.
Road Commissioner VIM L. Campbell
and Selectmau A. J. Merchant have
large force of men at work and they
hope by Friday night to have the road
fairly safe for teams which are not too
heavily loaded.
Reports from neighboring towns
show that the rain storm of Wednes-
day night and Thursday morning was
the severest in years, although no SER
GUS damage has been reported outside
of Pownal. A correspondent from
that town says:
''It Is the most disastrous high wat
er known in years. The river has rose
steadily for hours and covers the Bur-
CESS fats and other lowlands along |
the river course. The road along the |
west side of the river was covered with /
water from William Larabie's place to
the covered bridge and small bridge
across ditch was CARRIED away MAX
ing it necessary to go across the fields
TO reach the village.
at proved necessary to shut down
The mill, the floating trees and debris
on the high water making it impossible
10 run the machinery at all
Several slides occurred, one of the
largest being 80 feet long by 10 wide,
IN the farm OF Brownell Wilcox.
There was another near the farm of
Charles Barber which partly filled the
'oad and still another on hill lot of
D. T. Bates.
1.-THE bridge over a small brook near
Gardner S was under water for
'ome time and many gardens along
he river are inundated and probably
'uined. All roads are badly washed.
At Sanford the water was the high
st for years but no particular damage
vas done although far couple of hours
Thursday morning it was feared that
! couple Of bridges would have to go.
n Woodford, following the usual
curse Of recent years, the roads we're
badly washed in some places.
At SALISBURY come reports of ex-
eedingly heavy rains, but no damage
1as done.
In Bennington pet dog belonging {
o Arthur Elliot, who with his wife is {
assing the summer here, had quite
n experience. Mr. and. Mrs Elliot ;
rent over to School street to see the
Valloomsac as it rushed down, a rag
lg torrent, full up to the top of the I
'anks. The dog, a full blooded Irish {
errier, it is supposed saw a two
'ound trout go by, for it suddenly I
ave jump and landed in the center t
# the stream. Whistles and calls had t
10 effect in getting it back, and al
hough it made strong attempt to |
each shore it failed. The dog how I
yer kept its wits about him, and pilo- v
ed itself down the stream, nose out of
'ater: for safetys sake.
1t passed over the dam at the Put
am works, under and through the