Year: 1862

current were bearing volumes Of water
that must wash away acres of fertile soil.
The main bridge yet stood firm on its
abutments and intervening pier, butt he
force of the current against its upper
sides had bent each span more than foot
down the stream. About noon the toll
house, two-story building near the east
end of the bridge, swung from its moor
ings aud sailed off down the river. This
was soon followed by the dwelling-house
occupied by Mr.. Bingham, which was un-
dermined the day before. At this point
the waters commenced to subside but SO
slowly that for some time the diminution
was scarcely discernible. The change in
the weather from Friday night to Satur-
day morning doubtless was the occasion
of this subsistence, for the hills are yet
nearly covered with the material for an
other food. ..,. ......s.1. .r--..
During Saturday night West River
bridge was carried wholly from its foun-
dations, and although but a few feet
above the Valley Railroad bridge at that
place, it struck the latter with sufficient
force to defect it several inches. Fortu-
nately the water was so high that the old
bridge was retained in the position where
it had lodged until morning, when it was
drawn up into cove near by and secured


The damage caused by this unprec-
edented food is large, although small
compared with what it would have been
had there been any ice in the river.


1t will require at least $4,000 to re-
store the facilities for travel to as good a
condition as before this freshet. M


Fortunately throughout this whole af-
fair no life was lost and no person injured.
With the exception of the island, which
for all practical purpose was part of our
village, but very little damage was sus-
tained by our citizens individually. 54


We learn that quite number of far
mers along the river suffered more or less
damage from this food. A Mr.. Shaw on
Putney Meadows lost all his buildings.
Mr.. John Stearns of Hinsdale, about four
miles below this village, was obliged to
remove his cattle and grain to higher
land, and it is reported that his family
escaped from their house through the
windows The bridge being destroyed
and the Hinsdale road for more than a
mile under water, it is impossible to as.
certain the extent of the damage on that
side. We however are informed that
more than half of mile of the highway
on the opposite side Of the river, and near
the Little bridge, is washed entirely away
as low as the bed of the river. Mr.. Eb-
enezer Howe of Vernon has had washed
entirely away from his farm two acres Of
valuable meadow or " intervale" land.


Such are the most obvious features Of
the unparalleled food of 1862, as observed
in this section, From other parts of the
State above Bellows Falls we have not yet
received any information. Below here al
Northampton, Springfield, Hartford and
other places the damage is great. Beside
the injury to villages and buildings prob
ably a large proportion of the beautiful
farms in the valley of the Connecticut
have been temporarily damaged or perma.
nent injured.


From The Caledonian.


\ Along with the destruction of property
and the interruption of mail communica.
ton, the high water has some less troub
lesome accompaniments. Those who were
fortunate enough to be near the Connecti
cut river at Stevens Village in Barnet
one day last week, witnessed ,grand
d sight A solid field Of ice, more than al
acre in extent, came floating down the
swift current, sweeping everything from