Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-01-28

gang of men to do all that was possible
to put the bridge in a safe condition. The
heavy trusses on each side had been
raised to their fun height. but the girders
which supported the track had not been
attached to them. BY hard work all Fri
day night and Saturday the Orders We're
bolted on partially to the trusses, but II
was not until late Sunday afternoon that
they were attached firmly enough to be
safe Enough bolts had been put in place
to make the bridge sef-suppOrting, and
the blocking on top of the piles was
knocked out The piles were left in posi-
ton so that if any accident should happen
the bridge could drop only about six
inches In the event of the ice coming
down they could have been knocked over
out of the way quickly
The covered bridge was raised to its
full height earlier in the week and II
was supported by blocking at the ends as
well as by the timber horse resting on
the ice in the middle. When the water
began to rise in the river there was
danger that the ice would rise by its own
buoyanCy and lift the bridge higher
than was intended AS a precautionary
measure the blocking was knocked out
from under the centre Friday while II
could be done easily. The bridge was i'm
no especial danger so long rs the ice did
not come down in quantity. 1t had not
been Travelled over since it was raised, but
the failure of the crossing on the ice
made many pass cautiously over the
bridge with their teams. The selectmen
posted notices that all passing was "a the
risk of the travellers, but teams continued
to cross all Saturday and sunday. The
bridge was being strengthened slightly
after the raising process. Mr.. DeRocher
called attention to the danger which the
covered bridge would be in when the ice
finally went out of the mouth OF the river
unless protected. He said that the Ice
would set back against the southern abut-
ment of the highway bridge, and he ad-
vised placing a heavy log cribbing there
to protect the abutment from damage.
The concrete abutmeut will not be put
in place until warm weather.
The failure of the ice and the uncer-
tainty of the bridge made most OF the
milkmen from the north come to town
by way of the suspension bridge and the
mountain road. They We're several hours
late as the mountain road was badly
washed and had to be repaired at SeNerh
places before it was passable. w, NJ
Robbins came to the village that way with
his milk team and the sleigh was over =
turned by the sinking of culvert MI.
Robbins had to smash the front of his
| milk sleigh to regain his freedom ana
| he had some difficulty in getting ms
| horse back into the road. Much OF the
milk was spilled and many bottles were
| smashed. A temporary nfluBe ldlti was
| put in place over that washout
A bad washout on the railroad track
| at South Vernon delayed traffic all DAY
! Saturday. None of the morning trains
| from the South reached Brattleboro unit
2 o'clock Saturday afternoon, when they
all pulled in together The southoouno
trains were held up at the washout unit
| / o'clock, .-
The West Dummerston power stauoI
! of the Twin State Gas and Electric com
many was put out of commission for sew
| eral DAYS although little actual damage
was done to the plant. When the rusf
Of water came Saturday morning the ice
| I'm the pond above the dam broke up SUD
! denly and bore down on the dam an'
power-house in way that threatened t'
| sweep both structures away. When lh'
| ice struck the head rack which keeps
| debris from going into the penstock th'
| rocl, was demolished instantly ana th'
| avalanche of ice came down on the sonC
ice below. A huge ice cake nearly three
feet thick tipped up edgewise ana ciose'
| the entrance to the penstock as lshty al
| the hest constructed gate could 10 WIN
| tons of ice behind it and the water push
| inc behind. the ice cake remained III posi-
ton and the water wheel ceaseu 10 iu'
from lack of water. .,,., =,
For a few minutes the Ice continued u
nile m back of the penstock' ana IN
novger-house was in imminent danger
being covered up or swept away ny