Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1908-09-17

pusse Wssssss Ever In vss~e"G
An unprecedented drouth dss to
ppculkae stmospberic conditions OF Ione
standfng has bssn upon many pens Oh
Vermont. while there 10 mot . section
which he's mot felt the effects more OF
les. The dsouth seems 70 fei snn
heavier forcs on the northern and centfsi
parts Of the state. and gfsst many
places have reported conditions OF io~
wster never before known.
Rivera which were once imrassible ex-
ceux by host can nov be crossed drysbod
bv persons stepping from rock to rock
Brooks ere eitbsr stopped entirely or
reduced to mere ribbons Of water. Springs
are in many places dried to dust. Even
Lake Champiaiu 10 exfrsmeiy iow, - IN
dicatsd By the report from vergennes
that perpons could walk hsif-miie into
the ted OF the lake, which was once
covered with water.
pastures are burned to Q crisp and farm
err have had to lead their stock four or
ave miles for wsfer. In the cities and
larger towns which have public water
systsms, the conserving Of the reservoir
suppliss has been . matter OF great con-
Germ.
An unparalleled situation has con-
fronted the people Of Rutland, where the
city reservoir contains only IL fncbes
Of water. The present level 10 nine feet
ana one inch below normal, and 10 prob
ABLY the lowest condition OF the water r.
corded since Rutland became . city.
There 10 Q l2-inch main connecting the
city reservoir with the Chittenden stream
and in case of great fire this pipe could
be opened to increase the water supply.
This would, of course, contamtnsfe the
city water supply 90 that IL would be
unit for household purposes, but the
xsfer could Be utilized In case OF inaoii-
ty to fight nre With the regular supply.
Similar conditions, although not 20
severe. are found in other communities.
Barre has its troubles, also, but 10 not 90
bad on ~ Rutland. Burlington, with its
lake to draw upon, il the best nxed, 50
far - quantity of water ID concerned
All OF this makes apprehension when
considered with the possibility OF con-
nagztion.
The protracted dry weather has been
causing serious trouble In and near Yer
eennes and farmers have been Obliged 10
draw water for household purposes ~
well - for stock. The lake has also been
below Low water mark, il being possible
TO walk with rubber boots from Psnsou
shore on the bar to Mud island Last
wesk Wednesday, the Rev. J. Hall Long
drove team TO Mud island. II was also
possible to walk to the rocks beyond the
island, . distance Of one-half mile.
The Middlebury water commissioners
notified the users OF the village water that
they must net take any more water for
lawns or gardens under present condI-
tions. Although nearly the whole of the
surrounding territory for weeks had been
short OF water, the village supply held
out in One shape.
The wooden mills and the machine
shops in winooski closed last Thursday
on account of low water. The water In
the river was at the lowest point IL bad
reached in years, many places in the riv-
er bed being entirely dry. Alexander
Mcdonald, the veteran nsacbinist. who
will have completed SO years of service al
the Stevens machine shops next May.
said that this was the first time that he
had known the shops to close for low
water.
What Is said TO be the lowest point
ever known has been reached in the Mis-
sisquoi river at Swanton and every plant
there that IL equipped with steam has
been using it. Those that had no steam
power were shut down. AboYe the dam
a person can walk across the river on the
bare rocks.
For the first time in its history. the i'm
mense village reservoir Of North Troy il
now practically empty, thus demonstrate
Ing the wisdom OF adding another brook
to the supply, which Is now being done
Desperate work by a large gang of men
brought q forest FIRE on SIT. Mansfield,
which Was spreading with alarming "a
pidity, under control. A high wind was
blowing and with everything ss dry a.
finder the situation appeared fraugh;
with danger rs the smoke in Stowe village
was very dense. The fire was checked By
digging . trench around IL after IL had
spread over two acres Some men in
Shermsn's lumber camp above the Half
way House started the trouble by burn.
ing out . hornets nest. leaving IL, a
they supposed. extinguisbed. When
they returned after dinner. however, they
, found lively forest fire in progress tina;
. had already burned over an acre and wa,
spreading rapidly. IL vas on the prop.
, erty Of G. Z. and r. O. Burt, lumbermen.
and threatened the timberland of H. r
Shaw. Charles E. Burt gathered as large
. force as possible and mustered SONS
|, forty men who were hurried 10 the seems
and under his direction did able work IN
. controlling the flames The area oyel
which the 6re spread was on the Stow,
, side, under the fore bead of ssthe old mar
. OF the mountain" and did not reach near
, er the Summit House than . mile and 4