The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-03-30
TOWN OFFICIALS
TAKE QUICK ACTION
Will Base Their Course on
the Assumption That the
Power Co. is Responsible
for the Loss of the Bridge
Sentiment About Town
Seems to Be Unanimous
That This is the Fact
Further Danger Likely

Three facts stand out conspicuously
in today's developments in connection
with the flood situation here:
A general movement of the ice, result
ing in another overflow of Vernon street.
An effort by the Connecticut River
by the use of dynamite.
Action by the officials of the towns OF
Brattleboro and Hinsdale to fix the la
bilitv for the loss of the steel arch bridge
which the ice showed into the river Sun
| day night and which spanned the west
branch of the river from the island to
the railroad yard.
| So far as the river in general is con-
cerned the water has been falling ever
since yesterday morning, the only places
where the water is high being at points
where the ice jams or moves in large
quantities. At such points the displaee-
ment is such that the water is forced out
of the natural channel of the river.
At the Connecticut River Power Co.'S
dam the ice has not broken up this
spring, and has proved an obstacle to the
ice which has broken up to the north.
Last evening the company closed the 10
big flood gates in the dam, and after the
water had risen to the desired height the
games were opened and the water drawn
again. 1t was hoped that the raising and
lowering of the pond would cause the ice
to break. up. 1t did not do so, however,
and second attempt was made with the
same result, the gates being opened this
morning.
| The company then resorted to dyna-
mite, and several men set off a number
OF explosions this forenoon. The princi-
pal result was to blow holes in the ice,
without shattering it sufficiently to start
+ a general movement. More charges are
being touched off this afternoon.
As to the liability for the damage to
/ the bridge the selectmen of the town OF
4 Hinsdale and Brattleboro are convinced
that the Power Co. is liable. They held a
| meeting yesterday afternoon and decided
to ask the company to provide new
bridge, and this will be done at once by
Town Counsel Arthur z. Carpenter.
As means of substantiating their
view the selectmen have engaged a civil
lengineer, Hiram A Miller of Boston, tC
! come here tonight and to 60 with them
tomorrow to make general survey oi
conditions between the suspension bridge
and the Vernon dam. Mr.. Miller was the
engineer at the construction of the Chi
eago drainage canal, the Ohio basin and
other large enterprises.
The selectmen also met this morning
@ and selected a number of well known cit
liens to accompany them on a similar
d trip this afternoon.
" When the Connecticut River Power Co
If was chartered it was provided that ths
l. company should be liable for resultant
d damages, and it is the understanding O
the selectmen that there have been M
a reservations or amendments or releases
rom liability so far as Brattleboro is con
Icerned
'el A few years ago, when the ice came u,
e dangerously close to the bridge counsel fo
e the Power Co. were told that the com
II ipany ought to raise the structure to pre-
vent possible loss, and the attitude of th
counsel then was that the company coul,
not be held responsible for damag
caused by ice jams and that the buildinl
'. of the Boston & Maine railroad bridg
n with its several piers, and the narrowing
i OF the stream by the railroad compan,
T was the real source of danger
a. 1t is hoped by the town officials tha
N some definite step can be taken soon t
ID provide new bridge, which doubties
ID will be on higher abutments than was til
d old one. Meanwhile the selectmen O
N Chesterfield, n. H., viii put the Mountai
road in condition as soon as possibl
with a view to accommodating the Hins
/, dale traffic by way of the suspensio
"a bridge. This win add about four mile
o-l