The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-03-13
LINE is BLOCKED
UNTIL TOMORROW
Three Bridges Washed Out
In Duxbury, and There
Is No Access by Road to
the Scrabble Hill Region
Some People Had Mar
row Escapes from Driv-
ing into Torrents.

! The cold wave from the west reached
Vermont to-day just in time to pre-
vent severe freshets and great damage,
as the snow was rapidly being turned
/ into water under the influence of yes
terday's rain and warm temperature,
and the brooks and rivers were being
raised into torrents. But even before
the frigid weather arrived, consider
| able damage had been done. Between
Mortified and Roxbury the track of
the Central Vermont railroad was
washed out so that train service had
to be discontinued In Duxbury three
bridges were washed out during the
night, shutting off access TO the Scrab-
bic hill region.
The washout on the Central Vermont
came near wreeking the northbound
passenger train due in Montpelier at
3;40 this morning; and passengers say
that the reason the train was not de-
rallied was because of the speed with
which it was travelling, the train be-
ing quite a bit behind schedule. The
washout is at Bleed crossing between
Mortified and Roxbury, and about so
feet of track is washed out, so that be-
tween 75 and 100 ears of grout will be
required to make the fill
Some of the passengers on the north
bound night train thought the train
was travelling at the rate of 50 miles
an hour when it struck the weakened
track, and it seems certain that the
speed was as much as 40 miles The
passengers in the day coaches felt
something unusual and some OF them
were thrown out Of their seats as the
train lurched. Conductor Dunbar
jumped for the emergency call when
he felt the movement and gave the
signal to stop; but the cars had been
drawn completely across the washed
out section before the train was
brought to a halt
Robert w. Simonds, former state
commissioner of industries, was one of
the passengers and he feels certain
that his ear rode on the fange of the
car wheels for moment as he had
the sensation of being iounced when
the car settled back into its true posi-
tion
Most Of the passengers and tho
trainmen went back and took a look
at the place Of the near-wreck and
themselves on getting
by without injury.
Word of the trouble was sent to rail-
road headquarters and orders were
given to prevent the passing of other
trains. Some of the early trains went
to the washeut and then backed to
other stations Meanwhile a pile driy-
er was sent from St Albans TO use IN
The repair Of the track Ii was stat
hat the fill might be completed before
morning but 1t was thought by SOME
hat the track would not be put in
shape for traffic before late tomorrow
because of the delay in getting granite
yrout to the place.
While the track Is closed the trains
IN the Central Vermont will be de-
oured by way of the Montpelier &
Wells River railroad, Montpelier to
and then south OYER the
}oston & Maine railroad to White
river Junction. The trains thus de-
CURED this afternoon were the two
Sew England States Limited trains,
Iorth and southbound, and the evening
nail train from the south. There was
possibility. too. that the milk train
night be sent over the Montpelier &
Wells River iron.
Duxburv. March l3-The section of
his town known a. Scrabble Hill is
ompletely cut off from the surround
NJ country by the washing out Of
hree bridges. two Of them, the half
,ay bridge and the French Hill bridge,
cling on the state road TO Camells
lump and the other, known as the
Wilder Thomas bridge. Just of the
ate road. The halfway bridge was
comparatively new one, built about
vo years ago.
Mrs. A T. Durkee came IN on the
gening train last night. which was
.te. and crossed the two bridges on
ie state road about o'clock. At N
clock. when George Byron Morse. who
orks al the electric plant came 20
IS duties for the night, he found the
rench hin bridge gone and notified
be sclectmcn. The road leads down a
eep hill almost directly onto the
-idre and Nr Morse narrowly missed
irving into the opening where the
-idre was gone II was not until this
orninC that the washing out of the
her two bridges Was discovered
The scrabble hil brook has Tracti-
ITS freed itself from icc About
lON00 fees e legs are vet 90 BE-
ought from The section cut q % the