Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-02-01

lance OF ABOUT nVG rOQS, anu Cnon Q6-
scended very steeply, from eighty to
a hundred feet, into a valley. On
this bank, at the distance of three
there was an elevation shaped much
like windrow of hay, about three
feet through the base, and from two
to three feet high. This run parallel
with the margin of the pond for
considerable distance, and had evil
IDENTIFY been thrown up by the action
of the water, when it was higher than
they found it. The bank was covered
by bank of shrubby trees, such as
poplars, white birch etc., not more
than two feet high, and easily pulled
from the grouLd by the strength of
two or three men; while the valley
below was heavily timbered with
trees whose tops rose to about level
with the bank. The only tree on the
bank which required the use of an axe
to remove it was a cedar about six
inches through, between which and a
very large cedar stump there was a
depression of the bank, affording a
very favorable place for cutting the
proposed channel.
The trees being removed for a suffi-
cient space, the work of digging COM
menced. 1t was found that the bank
thrown up by the pond was clear fine
sand, and that the principal part of
the main embankment was of the
same or similar material. Through
this they dug a trench, about a foot
wide, and varying in depth according
to the inequalities Of the surface, the
bottom being nearly level. Under the
highest part of the embankment, the
out at the surface, two and half
rods from the margin. Where it
struck the waters edge it was two
feet deep. Three or four feet from
the edge of the pond AMI about two
feet below the surface they found a
bank ten or twelve inches thick COM
posed of fine yellowish sand and grav-
ell, SO hardly compacted together that
essary to force passage through it,
This bar, as afterwards appeared,
continued nearly perp endicularly
downwards for many feet. When the
trench was completed and the water
was admitted, they discovered that
the bed of the pond consisted of a
deposit of fine gravel closely cement
ed, and forming a solid crust one or
two inches thick. ard extending under
| the water for several rods. Over the
edge of this crust the water poured,
as over dam, thin stream into the
trench.
To the surprise of the spectators,
instead of forming a rivulet through
the channel, the water at first entire
| ly disappeared in the sand At length
a little stream flowed along the sur.
face, but the falling earth from the
side of the ditch several times inter.
rupted its course, when it again was
absorbed by the sand till some one re-
moved the obstruction with a shovel.
Fifteen or twenty minutes elapsed be-
| fore it acquired volume and force
enough to cut it's own way around OF
through the little heaps of earth
which caved in from one side or the
other. When at last current was
fairly established through the whole
length of the channel, the sand wa.
rapidly washed away, and the trench
widened and deepened every moment
At the waters edge, the widening Of
the channel was prevented on one side
by the cedar stump already mentioned
until some of the company cut it,
roots and turned it over into the
channel. 1t stood erect and was
gently moved along, when Spencer
Chamberlain, exclaiming, 'I''n have
a ride, jumped on to it and claspe(
his arms around the trunk, but tn.
force of his leap overthrow the tree
and he was thrown into the water, t,
the no small merriment Of the spec
tators.
All this while, the deposit which
constituted the bed of the pond re
NAMED unbroken, except just at tn,
margin, over which there poured
constantly widening stream. A cur
rent in the pond flowed so strongl,
towards the new outlet, that one O
the party who attempted to wad
across, where the water was no
more than six or eight inches deep
was unable to maintain his footing
Several persons who were net on thu
same side Of the channel with the ma
jority and wished to pass over, wer
unable to do so. till they joined hands
and putting the strongest man for
ward, rushed rapidly into the current
and were met half way by 81 nilarl
united party from the other slue, VIII
drew them across. The chann.l con
tinued to grow deeper and Wiler til
it was nearly forty feet deep and O
proportonate width. Its banks con
tinually crumbled away under the fee
of the men, some of whom mario WY es
capped a plunge into the chasm. Div
er Wilson and another person wer
holding by tree, one on each side o
it, and leaning over to look into tn
, channel. when the top of the tree wa
observed to be swaying over, thong
they were so intently looking tina
they did not notice it, till a shar
Scream from one of the party warne
them of their danger, and they ha
hardly sprung back from their post o
observation, when the tree and cor
siderable of the surrounding cart
: fell into the abyss.