The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-10-05
RECORD FLOOD HERE
HAPPENED SO YEARS AGO
Story of Destructive Freshet Taken
From Bennington Bannsr of
October 7, 1869.

The most destructive freshet--Clr
as 1t may perhaps more properly
be styled deluge-ever known in Ben.
nington county, ever indeed in Yer
mont and all territory adjacent, visit.
ed Bennington on Monday, far sur
passing the. one last spring which then
was thought that there could be none
more sweeping and devastating. But
the watery outpouring OF which we
now write has completely outdistanc-
ed all It's predecessors in the volume
OF its resistless power
The heavy rain which preceded
the flood, commenced about midnight
Saturday night, increasing In violence,
until on Saturday the flood gates OF
Heaven seemed let loose. All Sunday
the rain continued pouring in tor
rents, causing entire desertion OF the
streets. But there was no abatement
of the storm king who seemed. as II
were, determined in his desolatng
missions
Monday morning the rain was still
pouring with sure prospect OF an
other dreary day. The first alarm was
sounded at 10 o'clock, when II was
noticed that the cutters were rising
rapidly. Soon the streets were "all
afloat" In few moments thereafter
huge volume of water came plough
ing down Main street and in less than
Is minutes, Main. North, Pleasant,
Pottery, Stafford, Gage. River, VIII
low, Depot streets and Smith and
Washington avenues were flooded and
almost impossible.
The North street bridge. sone OF the
new structures put In last season, was
built to remain, and wei Ibid 1t do
its mission. although destruction seem.
ed inevitable at times. The Furnace
bridge was carried off and every
bridge In Woodford Hollow swept off
like feathers, while monstrous trees
were torn up and hurled along like
cprks. At the Burt bridge the scene
was terrible. The Hathaway bridge
was torn away by the first swelling
OF the flood
The residence of Charles Barnes
was turned around and tipped into
the stream Mr. Barnes was sick at
the time and had to be carried out.
Barns wefe swept off on the side OF
the stream, but lodged little way
down Not vestige remains to mark
the location OF Willard knapp's house.
Messrs. II. w. Putnam and s. B. Hunt
and others also lost heavily from dam.
age to their ground. Mr. Alfred Board.
man has lost seven acres OF corn, II be-
Ing washed away in the current.
Henry Sibley and Norman Greenslet
had q truly miraculous escape at the
Bennington bridge. They had just
crossed it--in fact, the hind wheels
of the team wagon they were driving
had hardly left the bridge when the
bridge collapsed. Had they been a
moment later their death would have
been certain 19Ya"2' $3.50
No trains have arrived here since
nine o'clock a. m. Monday. neither
has there been any departure. All
communication, by rail is totally sus'
pended and the telegraph is working
irregularly. nc, .ig tslats
The body of Mr.. Rivers was found
close by Godfrey's. Ochre Works, on
the Branch He leaves no family.
Lyman Knapp was killed while help
Ing Mrs. Potter to take down a bed.
The house tipped over. 1t was thought
that he was instantly killed.
The total loss to Bennngton-pri-
vate and town damag, Sis estimated
at from 100000 to S125,000.
From different parts OF the country
come reports of the prevalence of the
monstrous flood, and the vide DESC
latlon Il has wrought.