Hartford, March 2.---The great rainstorm which was in progress all day Saturday, Saturday night and yesterday morning caused the greatest damage to property throughout the state known in 20 years. Many serious accidents, washouts and wrecks are reported. The Connecticut river is swollen until it has reached a point three times greater than its normal proportions.

At Forestville, four miles below, people living near the river were obliged to abandon their residences, as the water broke into the lower stories in many cases before the inmates were out of bed. The roar of the flood aroused families for miles around, and many people, whose houses the flood had not reached, packed up what effects they could, in anticipation of being summarily evicted.

The bridges on nearly all roads crossing the Pequnbuck were swept away. Ten in all have gone out and others are badly damaged. The streets of Bristol and the village of Forestville were badly washed in many places. The lower stories of dozens of houses were covered with water all the morning, and much property in the cellars was ruined.

The New England roadbed was undermined in many places, and wrecking crews have been at work all day.

The highway bridge at Forestville, Forest Centre, sagged several feet, and is in an impassable condition.

The Fitchburg Sentinel, Fitchburg, MA 2 Mar 1896
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!