Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1920-04-02
BRIDGE CARRIED OUT.
CONTINUED from page 81

on the part of the company that the
auction sale of purebred Holstein cattle
set for next week was postponed two
weeks.
Soon after the ice started on Tuesday
it clogged the mouth of MILESTONE brook
forcing ice cakes into the archway of the
Boston & Maine bridge across the mouth
of the brook. The water on the side near
the electric light plant rose to within
two inches of the record of the night be.
fore, coming within about two feet of the
top of the arch.
Ice at Dam Moves.
Brattleboro awoke Wednesday to find
that the Connecticut river was clear of
ice east of Main street except for a few
stray cakes, the bulk of the ice having
gone out at early dawn. The jam left
trail of damage north of here, causing a
slide $50 feet long on the Boston & Maine
railroad north Of West river and another
about 100 feet long north of Dummerston
station, while at Island Park the north
west corner of the pavilion was damaged
part of the lower pavilion floor and bal
ustrade being taken away.
After the ice moved the river immed-
lately fell several feet, five feet in some
places, but at the Connecticut River Power
Co.'s dam at Vernon the water rose
somewhat, seven and half feet going
over the dam at 0 o'clock
At > Wednesday afternoon there had
been no breaking UP of the solid sheet
of ice which covered the river for two
miles north of the dam, although the
river was practically clear for some dis
lance south of the Brattleboro Lumber
corporations plant, formerly the Vermont
bst block factory.
Sky rockets were received by the Twin
State Gas g. Electric company and were
used for shooting a line across the river
Wednesday where the bridge went out
and after several attempts line was put
safely across, to be used in pulling cleo
trio wires across and re-establishing the
Hnsdale circuits.
The first movement of the ice jam OPP
posite this village since Tuesday fore
noon began about 10 o'clock that night
but it continued only about 10 minutes
and did no damage. As in previous in
stances the movement was preceded by
the appearance of small open spaces,
showing that the ice was fast rotting
away and that a general closing up process
was about to occur.
During the night also the ice at the
mouth of West river broke up, and the
river there is now clear for the most part
The water there went down several feet,
and a similar drop occurred on the Brat
tleboro Retreat meadow, where the over
flow from West river had covered the
meadow, also most of the highway from
the Retreat farm north to Charles r.
Adams S house, quarter of mile
above the pumping station.
A l. 1. 4 1
the cellar and rose to the doorstep, but
there was no ice as the ice for some dis
lance south of that point went out Sun
day. Tuesday night the water there
dropped five feet The highway past the
meadow and up West river is now clear
but on Tuesday pedestrians going north
from the Retreat farm found it con
venient and rather necessary to walk OF
the wall beside the road as far as a. p
d. Robbins's place.
Two Railroad Slides.
When the ice jam in the Connecticut
north of the mouth of West river moved
out Wednesday the water dropped rap
idly and caused two large slides on the
Boston g. Maine railroad. The larger
slide was just north of the railroad bridge
over the mouth of the river. The high
water had soaked up the ground and as
it receded the roadbed for $50 feet slid
into the river, leaving the track sus-
pended about 80 feet in the air
Less than quarter of mile north OF
the Dummerston station another slide
occurred. 1t was nearly 100 feet long and
some 20 feet deep, the track being sus-
pended in the air as at the railroad bridge
The ice in LitC.e river, the branch OF
bn Coppant inut aSt of thp iSlan nd ~ art cd
out Wednesday noon at 1890 The GOV
cred bridge over that branch of the river
has net been damaged.
At the Connecticut River Power Co.'S
dam at Vernon the ice gave way yester-
day morning under the pressure of The
jam combined with the wearing process,
of the water and the melting due &c
warm weather.
A channel was broken through about
O'Clock and the general movement started
at once, and it was not long before TIN
river was comparatively clear, as the
volume of the Jam had been greatly re
duced The movement caused no appre
cable increase in the depth of water ant
no damage whatever, and the height O
water now running over the dam is aroun
five feet, or about half what it was IA
the highest point of the freshet.
Public interest now shifts to the qucs
ton of a new bridge, together with tn
choice of site and a determination q
the liability for the loss of the bridg
which extended from the west bank G
the river to the west bank of the isant
There is a division of sentiment as t
where the new bridge should be located
Some favor crossing at North stree
others at Walnut street. others at tn
old site and others below Broad brook.
If the bridge were to be placed mort
of the old site there is no question bu
that North street would be more advanti
geous than Walnut street so far as e.
pense is concerned. The bulk of the bu
mess interests, however, doubtless wi
oppose going any farther north. To l.
cate bridge at North street would mea
a great loss to Brattleboro in automob
tourist business and the merchants al
keenly alive to this fact. II change
made the Hinsdale selectmen probabl
would favor a site south of Broad brooI
which would be better for this towns il
terest than TO go to North street,
No. Coyo pr;doa