The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-03-28
The Telephone Service.

The Reformer and many who used
the telephone last night appreciated
highly the unfailing courtesy and the
untiring efforts of the night operator,
Miss Nellie Hager, who eXerted effort
to obtain for subscribers information
as to flood conditions and their rela-
tionship to interests in Bratleboro. The /
Reformer especially made many calls .
during the night, and received even /
a larger number. and while Miss Hag-
er frankly admitted that it was the .
husinest night of her experience. there .
were no DELAYS in handling the busi- .
ness that piled mp, certainly none that .
could he avoided.
Train Service Almost Abandoned.
While the trains from the north had
been late for two or three days, owing to
the high water in the northern part OF
the state. Brattleboro had not been serious
" affected As regards train service until
late yesterday
The first train To get into real difficulty
Was the evening train on the West River
line. When the mixed train came down
in the afternoon the engineer reported that
the track was in a wohhly condition and
that ii was doubtful if il would he safe
TO venture farther north than Newtane.
When the evening passenger train on
this line of 36 miles with 29G curves left
the local station 1t was with orders not to
60 beyond Newfane 1t went less than two
miles. Up on the Barrett flat the engineer
Jerry Curtin. discovered lack Of track
and stopped. Investigation showed that
some 20 feet of it was missing. No attempt
was made to supply the deficiency at the
. time and the train carefully backed to the
local station where the passengers disem-
barl.ed with the assurance that there would
be nothing doing i'm the way OF longer
train ride on that road that night Later
from various sources The Reiolmer learn
ed that there was total q ~ wa<houts
ON the short hue.
The 4.23 train from the north came in
about 10 o'clock and worked its way
south over the Hunt meadows although
the water then was within FEW inches
of the track Of the Central Vermont road
John McCraw. division superintendent
Of the Central Vermont, who has been IN
Brattleboro the last two days in order to
he in closer touch with the dangerous sec
tons of the road. gave orders that train
40 which Is dud to leave here at SD and
which left Just after Q o'clock. should not
make over five miles hour between here
and South Vernon and then report the
condition of the track before any attempt
was made to send further traffic along.
The report was made in person at the
Brattleboro station by Conductor Hayes,
who. after his train had backed to the
station from the Hunt meadows, reported
, to Superintendent McCIaw. who was i'm
> the telegraph office;
II did not dare to take the chance I
went ahead OF the engine and stuck d
. stick down and there Is two feet of water
: under the ties" That report ended tlaf
= tc south of Brattlcboro for the night and
:, today until such time "a the water rcyJ,t,.>
d and repairs can be made to the track aad
roadbed
p Obviously if train 40 could not 70 souti
! train 81. due from the south at 1871
5 could not 90 north so the engine Of tran
u 40 was turned around and that train va,
: sent north to Bellows Falls a. tram ~
# for that distance Thus such portion o.
# this section of the road a. could be operat
= ed was in operation.
t Another Phase of the Flood.
l. Farm Superintendent \. W. Roel OF tn,
e Retreat said at clock last evening tina
( he had been connected with the institu
ton 81 years and he never before had sa1s
the Retreat meadow absolutely under wa
: ter and the water up to a level with III
road near the farm house Occupied by him
49, The day before yesterday morning th
meadow was partly covered by water. =
had it been on other occasions, but b.
the middle of the afternoon the water wa
lie creeping up farther and farther and befor
ID & O'Clock had covered the meadow and wa
Of ready to climb over the highway. A lttl
d. later in the evening he reported that tn
lie water for the first time in history was owe
l. the road and still rising
id Still Another Record.
ID Superintendent Leon White Of tn
of Twin State Gas and Electric compan
'e said last evening that there was 90 inche
Mt of water in the lower floor of the powe
ne house of the company on Whetston
-, brook. Since the company has taken pOWe
from the Connecticut River Power con
ed pany and from their own small plant a
%, West Dummerston this lower floor ha
On not been used, a fortunate circumstanc,
r for were it necessary to use it there woul
20 have been no electric lights in town las
he night The next best high record at tn
ks quarter was A. ID inches four years ag,
r. when there was serious difficulty in pre-
p viding electric light and power for anyon
IL for a day or two.The West Dummersto
$ power station was abandoned because
to excess water two days ago and there Wa
ne more going over the dam there than eve
IN before in its history.
&c All Trains Annulled.
o. Division Superintendent John McCTar
-" announced this morning at the local st;
ton that all trains in any direction WEI
annulled until this afternoon at the earl
est and probably for the remainder Of til
sd day.
~ Fort Drummer Road Submerged.
In The height of the water over the ralroa
Is. track through the Hunt meadow may :
judged by those familiar with the localit
bx- tho information +ba+ tho road from