Bennington, VT Flood, Oct 1898

DESTRUCTIVE VERMONT FLOOD.

Many Bridges Carried Away Near Bennington and Other Damage Done.

BENNINGTON, Vt., Oct. 5.--The heaviest and most destructive freshet in this section for years is raging here tonight, and thousands of dollars worth of property has been destroyed. Rain began falling heavily Tuesday night and continued with little intermission for eighteen hours.

This afternoon the Otter River broke over its channel, sending a vast flood of water over the meadows near the Soldier's Home, and continued mostly along the highway for three or four miles toward North Bennington, taking away bridges and fences and washing big gaps in places.

Five or sic bridges on the Bennington and Woodford Electric Railway, and long stretches of the roadbed, are washed away.

A supposedly substantial iron bridge of the Bennington and Hoosic Valley Electric Railroad, at the north part of the village was carried away.

The Bennington and Rutland Railroad lost a bridge at South Shaftsbury, seven miles from here and no cars can be run north.

The Fitchburg Railroad lost a culvert and suffered a landslide, the track being covered with three feet of water. All travel into Bennington from the south and west is blocked. The damage is conservatively estimated at $80,000.

The New York Times, New York, NY 6 Oct 1898
__________________

Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!