The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-07-03
GREAT DAMAGE
BY FLOODS
Bridges and SawmilIS Washed
Away.
BIG CROPS ARE RUINED
Lightning Adds It's Prankg to Destruc-
tive Agencies and Plays Several
Pranks-0ne Narrow
Escape.

Seven bridges and two saw-mills
were washed out, roads were torn to
pieces. dams were weakened, crops were
ruined and several persons narrowly es-
capped drowning on the Worcester Branch
which flows into the Winooski river at
Montpelier. because Of a cloud burst
at Worcester Saturday night. Never
in the memory Of the people at Hamp-
shire Hill has there been So high water.
The Hill brook and the Elmore road
brook were transformed into raging tor
rents. The latter rose between fifteen
and twenty feet
The bridge near the Mosquito school
house, or at Reeds, was the first to 90
out shortly after eight o'clock, and the
road for 25 roads is quilted deep,
Below the H. 3. Hancock was a
covered bridge, built three years ago
which was considered strong enough, but
the strain pushed out the abutments
and the bridge sailed down the river.
Two miles below the L. Hancock, q
third bridge was located, and this was
easy prey for the food. Two private
bridges Of James Darby and Dean Hunt
were picked up like chips and carried
down. Besides these two other bridge:
on Hampshire Hill we're dislodged and
broken up.
But the greatest loss falls upon r. Il
Howlson and Arthur Camp, whose saw
ing and dressing mills were carried out
with d large quantity Of lumber. Sis
feet of the top Of G. n. Ladds' dan
above Worcester Corner was carried
away, allowing many logs to floai
away There was a rush of water sew
eral feet deep through the mill Of G. G
Putnam at Putnasmville, and for time
it was thought that the dam would q
out. For three hours water stood SIS
feet deep in the highway at Putnams
vile, the highest in ten years.
A large quantity Of logs and over 300
cords Of slab wood were swept into tht
current, and are now lodged along thl
meadows between Worcester and Mont
pelier On these meadows there is great
.0ss II standing grass and crops 1t il
estimated that 500 tons OF hay anc
200 Of crops are ruined. Besides, saw
dust covers the fields. Exclusive Of The
two mills which were swept away, the
loss is placed at $4,000 in the Worces
ter section alone
Harry Amidon and a party Of sever
people had a close call. They were or
the way from Montpelier in large
team, the members of the party being
summer boarders Near George Put
namis they started to ford river il
the road, and when in the middle were
struck BY a big jam. All the passenger
were thrown out. Their plight was
seen, however, and they were rescued
The horses were also rescued. The sur
rey was deltaiished. Later water ttsi
feet deep was flowing over this place
where they had attempted to cross.
At Montpelier there was great appre
hension. The North Branch rose rapidly
and the chief Of police notified the mer
chants to move their basement goods t,
places of safety. There was little dam
age done, although the water crept int
some Of the cellars.
The storm was accompanied BY I
brilliant electrical display. Lightnin.
struck the eupola Of the house Of J. +
Dutton on Seminary Hill in Montpelie
and knocked off some slate but did no
set fire. A little Dutton boy was knock
ed out of a chair, and Mr. and Mrs. Duttol
were stunned Tor moment. The ma
chinery III the Ryle q Mccormick com
pany's shed was disabled BY bolt, btl
there was no fire.
The electric railroad was ineonven
fenced somewhat The motor on on
car was burned ont, and switch a
the Dodge crossing was put out Of com
mission
The barn of Fred Duby at Webster
Vile was struck early in the even
ing, and burned. With it a horse wa
burned, also quantity Of hay.