Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-04-22
Much pamaae By tileh Water.


The rain which commenced last week
Tuesday and continued for As hours, with
the high temperature that prevailed, rs-
pidly melted the SHOWS on Worcester
mountains aud Mount Hunger, where it
is yet reported several feet deep, and
raised the wincoski river and its tributa-
ries to the danger limit in that valley.
The water was several feet higher than it
had been at any time this spring and, al
though there were no large individual
losses, the aggregate damage from
bridges and dams carried away and
ruined stocks Of merchandise in the base
ments OF stores in Montpelier and Barre
was many thousands of dollars.
All the manufacturing plants and
stone sheds in the two cities were shut
down and in Montpelier the boilers in
several feet OF water. All the highways
leading to Montpelier were submerged
several feet and traffic on the Central Yer
mont railroad was tied up BY washouts.
The dam at the mill OF {. s. Putnam &
Son at Putnamville, six miles above
Montpelier, was washed away Tuesday
and hundreds CT logs went down the riv-
er. Mr.. Putnam estimates his damage at
81, 900. The Bidwell dam at North
Montpelier was also tern away by the
force of the " alter and for a time a disas-
trous flood was imminent in that village.
The merchants of Montpelier as q rule
we're prepared for the high water, but it
rose a much greater height than they ex-
pected and consequently thousands Of
dollars worth OF goods in Easements and
private cellars were ruined. The Lang
don meadows and the streets on the mea-
dow towards Worcester were under sever
al feet of water all day.
John Moran, a rural mail carrier, had
an exciting experience below Green
Mount cemetery that afternoon. While
on his outward trip, high water over
turned his wagon, soaking much of the
mail he was carrying. On the return
trip, he unhitched his horse to lead him
through the high water, but the animal
became frightened and threw Mr.. Moran
l in four feet of water.
1 Al 2srre the Stevens branch OF the
| Winooski got on the rampage and the
\ easements of stores which abut on tnai
stream were flooded.
The heavy rain brought the Passumpsic
( river up to the highest point ever known.
Streets along the river were flooded, some
OF them several feet. All roads between
st. Johnsbury and LyndonviIle were i'm.
passabIe. The Boston & Maine track
near the electric company's dam at st.
Johnsbury Center was undermined.
AT East Haven, q boom holding a mil.
lion feet of lumber at the Williams Man.
ufacturing company's plant parted and il
was feared it would go out.
Lyndonville was practically cut of by
highway, as roads out Of the village in al
directions were submerged.
In Stowe, the showers raised tn,
streams rapidly and the force Of the watei
carried out about ITO feet of the dan
across the Waterbury river ct the love-
village belonging to P. ID. Pike & Son
Messrs. Pike have about 1900, 900 feet o
logs piled up ready to start up their but
ter package factory, which with the saw
mill gives employment to about 80 men
The colder weather Thursday checked tn,
rise of water and operations for rebuild
ing the dam were at once begun. Fiv,
hundred dollars will probably cover tn,
damage. The dam was put in IA year
ago and was of plank.
The Winooski river was over nine fee
above low water mark, due to the rains
and melting snow. The wheel pit of tn,
cotton mills was again flooded and they
we're Obliged to shut down in conse
quence.
Thursday the rains abated and the wa
ter receded. Mills in all parts of tn.
state were Obliged to shut down for a day
or two because of the high water.
At Brsttleboro, the water reached {
depth of IL feet ON the dam, which is q
feet high. The damage was comparative
ly small, as most Of the buildings on the
low lands had been raised in anticipation
Of high water by reason OF the dam. Til,
water flowed through the buildings OF
the Hunt farm, south of the village tbs
water standing several feet deep on tn,
floors. All the machinery in the electric
light plant was out of commission. tbs
water having covered the floor Of the
building to depth q three feet, but
electrical power was furnished from ths
company's auxiliary plant in West Dunn
merston. The lower chords in the Bos
ton and Maine railroad bridge north o.
the village we're under water and a sec
tion OF track on the West River railroad
100 feet long was washed out on the Brad