The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-03-12
Worst Floods For
 Ouer Thirty Years
by the racing rivers, filled with ice
 floes and overflowing their banks.
Continued from Page D

by the racing rivers, filled with ice Hoes and overflowing their banks.
 Hartford, Conn, March 12.-(UP). Acute flood dangers were reported throughout Connecticut today as re- suit of heavy rains, thaw and loosen- ing ice jams.
 The Naugatuck and Housatonic valleys were especially hard hit. Sev- eral New Milford and Southbury residents were forced to flee their homes. The town bridge at New Mil- ford was threatened by clogged ice and canoeists rescued passengers from three marooned automobiles on the Danbury-New Milford turnpike.
 Dam Liable to Go
 The 500-foot dam across Assawaga river at Wauregan, which was re- paired last summer at cost of $50,00O, was reported in danger Of collapse.
 Crews from the Wauregan- -Quin- nebaug Mills worked to break up an ice field which had carried away portion of the top of the dam. A score of leaks were reported at the base.
 The water was rising steadily. Highways were blocked Residents, however, were in no danger.
 Highest In & Years
 The waters of the HouSat tonic river were said to be the highest in 36 years and the rise was estimated at a half q foot an hour.
 The Connecticut river was rising rapidly. At o'clock this morning 1t stood at 7.5 feet at Hartford. It was rising at the rate of two-tenths Of a foot an hour and was expected to reach flood stage Of l6 feet late tonight.
 Ice, breaking up to the north, was expected to make the rise even more rapid as the day passed.
 Glastonbury orchards were inun- dated and smaller streams in the northern section of the state had oyerflowed their banks.
 Throughout the hilly Naugatuck Valley widespread damage was rec ported. Streets oin Ansonia and Seymour were under water, cellars were flooded and merchants were warned to move pcrishables to safety.
 & Feet Above Normal
 The Naugatuck river was nearly eight feet above normal and state highways were covered at several points. Traffic on Roosevelt Drive at Derby was threatened for a time late last night when huge boulder toppled over a 20-foot cmbankment and blocked the roadway.
 The Stevenson dam was expected to take care of the overflow from Lake Zoar and relieve serious dan ger in the lower Naugatuck valley.
 Spectators lined the banks Of the Housatonic river through the night, waiting for the town bridge to go out under the strain of jammcd ice. It was feared the pack would have to be blasted
 southbury Homes Vacated
 Five families deserted their homes at Southbury early last night when the river started overflowing It's banks. Others fled during the night, loading their valuables into automo- piles.
 The first sign Of danger at New Milford came yesterday afternoon when hundreds of muskrats scurried from their holes along the river banks and took to higher ground.
 The l00-year old bridge at Corn wall Bridge was washed out and six families were forced from their homes.
 The ice jam at West Cornwall was reported breaking up and the river was nearly five feet above normal
 Mad river at Winsted was rising rapidly.
 At many places, especially New Milford, huge ice blocks, from { 10 36 inches thick were tossed Up on the highways.
 Spectacular Rescue ! A spectacular rescue was affected at New Milford early this morning.
 Frank Chase. driving home from New York state. abandoned his car and tried to cross the river on the Ice. The ice broke up and he grasped an Overhanging branch of tree Co safe himself from being crushed
 John Steck. a telephone company Iinesman, hauled himself hand over hand along cable 25 feet above the ground for more than 600 feet to n spot above where Chase was clinging Co the tree. lowered him a rope to secure himself and then 0b- tained another rope t0 which q small wooden seat was attclped. Thia ne lowered t0 Chase who was able to swing in security above the roar ing river until the danger from the IaiDe had passed.
 Hundreds 0f speetatOgb cheered Sfeck as he fought his way along the cable. Several times icc cakes threatened l0 tear down illf poles and proclpiisie illlg i'lio ibf cloRRed river,