Year: 1874

thunder storm with heavy rain set in and continued with short intermission until nearly morning. About midnight Mad river, which is very easily excited, began to overflow it's banks and to flood the streets and cellars through the village. The

 Williamsburg horror was SO fresh in mind that the inhabitants took alarm and Ian terms and anxious faces might have been seen on every hand, and from that time un- til morning there was very little sleep. The water continued 10 rise with the storm, and soon after five o'clock neighbors were con- sulting eagerly, predictions were frequent that trouble was coming and the whole town was alive.

 | The real music came soon after seven 1 o'clock. The dam on Lake stream at the Hurlburt iron works gave way, releasing a small body of water, which swept down Mad river with great force. In reality the damage done was almost inconsequential, but in the nervous condition of the inhabi- l tants, wearied with their night watch, it was sufficient to produce very thorough scare. Scores of men ran shouting through the streets Take to the hills, the pond has given away;' the alarm bell sounded, and without stopping for barley the whole in = habitants, men, women and children, scam pered for the high ground. It must be borne in mind that the overf1owing waters from Mad river were coursing through the streets, from two to four feet in depth, making pedestrianism anything but pleas ant, especially for the ladies. But there was no time to stop for etiquette or cere- mony, or for regarding toilettes It was better to go to the hills in dishabille than to float down the torrent in the same con dition. So there was general exodus be- fore the anticipated deluge. Strong men carried their wives and mothers and moth, ers-in-law, and young men endeavored to make way with their sisters or other female friends; and ladies who did not happen to have gentleman handy waded in and wrought out their own salvation with fear and trembling. It was a very serious time just then, although it's ludicrous side was

 

 too, it proved for one young mother, who, startled by the general alarm from the bed where she had been confined in childbirth only twelve hours before, made her way to the street and waded through the chilling stream for several rods until she was found in an exhausted condition and carried into the Clarke House. Her babe died before the flood subsided. Another lady in weak condition from ill-health and hen orrhage, was found by her husband just as she was about to plunge into the water, and was carried by him to place sf safety.

 But comparative quiet was soon restored as it become known that the lake dam had not given away, and that the alarm was needless. H

 The chief loss was caused by the over flow of Mad river, and is confined to the streets, doorYards and cellars along it's banks, but the severest evidences of the waters power are to be seen immediately in front of the broken dam. One edge of the wave struck portion of the dooryard of J. R. Alvord's handsome residence and swept It ss bare as river bottom, removing his front fence and gullying out the street. Crossing the street, it badly demoralizcd the cellar, dooryard and garden of Mr. Karrman, corner of Meadow and Munroe streets. The neighboring gardens and yards were injured to a small extent.

 The streets through the borough arc bad ly washed and will require an outlay of several thousand dollars to put them in re. pair The Clarke House basement was tlooded.and the yards and sidewalks torn up. MT. Forester, the landlord, estimates his loss at about $500. His house is usual ly deluged once or twice every year. The Winsted Hoe and Tool company had part of an abutment washed away, and the eel lars o1 several shops deluged. Probable loss about $lo0o. The damage to Mir. AL worlds property is probably $15O, and to MT. karrman about $25O. The old gas company will lose some two hundred dol lars in mains torn up, and the new compa- ny's grounds were thoroughly soaked. The New England Pin company will have to pay $2OO to restore raceway and repair | other damages. Mr. William Sweet, cor. per of Elm and High streets, loses 800 lbs. ot tobacco which was stored in his cellar, By similar overflow in April he lost 15oo pounds. The millinery shop of Miss Ety vas slightly damaged The Gilbert clock lost portion of little brick torchouse which was undermined, and are otherwise damaged probably about $25o. Nearly all the residents along Main street nd the intermediate vicinity are damaged lightly as to their door yards and side walks. At Dudley's tannery on Mad river, ome fifty casks of foreign hides had to be oiled during the night from the bank to a 'osition of greater security. In tue East illage the cross-road to the Conn. Western reight depot was nearly obliterated, but he bridge remains standing. Below the illage considerable amount of tramway vas washed away.