WILLETT INUNDATED

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, June 20, 1890.

WILLETT INUNDATED.

The Bursting of a Rain Cloud Causes Great Damage—Full Particulars of the Storm.

   Situated on the east side of the rich and fertile Otselic valley in the southeastern part of Cortland county, some nine miles east of Marathon, is the thrifty and enterprising village of Willett, which, previous to Thursday evening last possessed as evenly graded streets, carefully-kept walks and attractive private grounds as one might view in many cities. To the eastward is a highway leading up to a very narrow gorge and over the hill to Greene. About one and one-fourth miles up the hill are located two reservoirs or dams, one fourth of a mile apart, known as the Burlingame reservoirs (old and new), the first one held by a wall of masonry, logs and earth some twenty feet high and holding a body of water covering seventy acres of land; the other is very similarly constructed but covering an area of nearly a hundred acres. The outlet, ordinarily a mere brooklet of these pent up waters flows down through the ravine passing to the southward of the business part of the village, discharging into the Otselic to the southwest of the cemetery. The rise from the river to the reservoirs is fully two hundred feet, distance about one and one-half miles. Strangers will obtain a very accurate idea of the surroundings from the accompanying diagram:

   Last Thursday afternoon rain began to fall in torrents at about 6:50 o'clock and Mr. S. C Dyer held his watch to note the duration of the shower, little dreaming of the exciting hours in store for the community. Only fifteen minutes had passed before a torrent of muddy water was rushing down East street shutting off communication across the street, time-keeping dropped then and there and attention was directed to protection of property and means adopted for the preservation of life.

   During the subsequent six hours it is doubtful whether in the history of Willett there had ever been such excitement, such fear and trembling throughout the village and by residents residing down the valley. A boat was speedily brought up from the river, a rope shot across from the second floor of C. P. McVean's building to the north side of the street, made fast and passed back again; the boat being then attached several fruitless efforts were made to cross the torrent, the boat capsizing on every trial as quick as thought.

   Here was a dilemma. A madly rushing current in the street to northward, the bridge gone and natural creek overflowed cutting off all hope of escape to south; in short, surrounded on all sides, darkness enveloping the scene and momentarily anticipating the destruction of the buildings one may more readily draw conclusions rather than describe the situations and anxiety of the people. To heighten the terror came the report that the dams were going out. People to the outside of the path of devastation hastened to place women and children in safe positions and in every conceivable manner endeavored to rescue the imperiled. Shortly after midnight it became apparent that the worst had been experienced, but the separated families and friends knew naught of each other's fate until break of the following morn. While there is universal rejoicing that no lives were sacrificed the scene presented when the waters subsided was depressing in the extreme.

   The path of the flood is traced from Georgetown (the name by which the reservoir is known,) the earth being torn and several of the buildings more or less undermined and damaged. Coursing down the creek bed of the gorge it rushed until it reached the little bridge on East street close to the wagon shop of Mr. C. D. Finn, a two story 24x40 structure containing new and improved machinery, tools, etc., which was built close to the side of the little brook—a dam being constructed at the rear for furnishing power to the establishment. Mr. Finn had the forethought to loosen this frail dam at the opening of the shower that the water might have the freedom of the channel. The building was carried sixteen feet to the westward, the floor lifted and the contents scattered for a distance of one-fourth of a mile.

   The grounds surrounding Mr. Finn's residence were the pride of the village, but to-day rocks, fragments of vases and ornamental structures and a conglomerated mixture from 2 to 3 1/2 feet in depth surrounds his residence. From this point to the cemetery is one continued chaotic accumulation of lumber, rocks, trees, contents of barns, etc., varying from two to five feet in depth; gardens that are not covered have been washed out to a depth of five feet and under. Cellars are filled with water, open wells are choked up and the south side residents are living in damp unwholesome quarters.

   To the credit of the citizens it should be mentioned that [in] the work of making passable, the streets first received prompt attention. The damage to property throughout the town is placed by careful investigation at fully $15,000; this sum includes bridges. The sterling worth and energetic make up of the community will be noted in their prompt efforts to reclaim the land, by removing the rubbish which will be found no easy undertaking. A large expenditure of money and labor will be required before the streets and walks are again restored, without taking into consideration the recovery in individual losses.

   Careful investigation tending to the foundation for wide-spread rumors that a portion of the dams had been broken and recently repaired, thus imperiling the village, failed to verify such statements. The structures appear intact and as firm as ever. Many conservative citizens claim that such a body of water could not possibly deluge the village were both reservoirs let out in a body, as rushed through the place on the evening of June 12, 1890.

CAUGHT ON THE DRIFT.

   Hundreds visited the ruins each day from a radius of fifty miles.

   The premises north of East street suffered mostly from cellar flooding.

   In 1865 the town was last visited by high water, but nothing compared with 1890.

   Sixty people passed the night at Austin Mooney's residence anxiously awaiting the result.

   The natural lay of the ground was the guardian of the north section of the village.

   The year '90 has placed a second Johnstown in our borders, great destruction of property both public and private.

   Otselic river overflowed its banks, marking ten feet above low water at the Willett covered bridge.

   Standing in C. P. McVean'a finely furnished basement was 4 feet 2 inches of water three days after the flood.

   Upward of 20,000 feet of lumber, wrecked barns and wagons are piled upon the flat meadows of Messrs. Crittenden and Burlingame.

   Hitching room was at a premium even in the hotel barn, the floor of which was covered with a sediment six inches deep besides wreckage.

   A frame of bits and augers belonging to C. D. Finn were picked up on Main street Saturday, every tool in position in holes bored in the frame.

   The public hay scales could not balance the weight until lifted across Main street when the beam tipped in their favor directly in front of the market of Leach Bros.

   A string of eight sheds in the M. E. church yard were turned one-fourth of the way around, and there is about four feet of gravel washed up at the west end of the church.

   More or less traces of the storm are apparent near East Freetown, through Texas to Willett and thence down the valley, fields and roads, being seriously washed out in frequent stretches.

   Walter Forshee's hardware store situated on Main street, south of the creek, is undermined and the north side of the building rests upon the bed of the creek four feet below grade of street. Stock badly damaged.

   About a week before the flood the hotel was closed and the possessions of the landlord were packed awaiting shipment. Hospitality was extended by citizens generally and visitors came away with high opinions of courtesies extended.

   Henry Marion, formerly had beautiful surroundings and an apiary of 40 swarms. Chaos rules about his home and after an unexpected bath and ride several hives have been recovered and the little busy insects were working busily Saturday.

   Some impression of the force of the waters may be formed from the fact that several flintstone 16x16x30 to 36 inches were found on East street, bearing clearly defined marks of having originally rested in a bed of earth six to eight inches deep.

   An occasional spear of corn marks the former location of George Barnard's garden, while a gulch some five feet deep has been left through the rear grounds of Mrs. Rose and William K. Gardner. It is stated that only one bridge is left spanning the small streams in town.

   Juryman David A. Wiles found his stock quite extensively watered when he reached home Friday. A large quantity of kerosene had been overturned by the water which did not increase values of cellar stock. His store is intact save a small store house in the rear which was moved a few feet.

   By throwing logs and other obstructions close to the east of Augustus Burlingame's fine barn the force was checked and the building saved, though fully one-third of the foundation was swept away. One large willow tree remains at the southeast corner of the barn while its mate is nearly 30 rods down the path of the flood.

   A barn belonging to C. F. Jenison, about 22x30 feet, was taken by the current and in a twinkle crushed like an egg shell. The contents of the barn were ruined. This is the second experience this gentleman has had in which his barn was destroyed. But his little porker survived Thursday's ordeal nobly while all about the sty was in a turmoil.

   A widow lady positively refused to be removed from her residence, just west of Mr. Dyer's store even when the water threatened to carry out the foundation, and the Rev. Mr. Sweetland, next door west carried his wife, who is blind, about eight o'clock to a place of safety on his back, wading through water hip deep.

   Directly west of the hotel resides Mr. Delevan. Himself and daughter were doing the chores at the barn, 25 feet from the house when the storm came on. They were kept prisoners in the barn all night and Mrs. Delevan's anxiety, herself a prisoner in the house, may be feebly imagined, a racing torrent and darkness keeping the welfare of each party from knowledge of the other until morning.

STILL ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

WILLETT, N. Y., June 15, 1890.

   Thursday afternoon, June 12, 1890, will be an event long to be remembered by the inhabitants of the little hamlet of Willet, N. Y. About 5:30 P. M., dark, ominous clouds hovered over and about the little village situated in the quiet valley. The main portion of the village is composed of one long street, extending east and west through a picturesque gorge, from which the babbling, tortuous winding of a mountain stream furnished power for several mills in years agone, flowed through the southern portion of the little hamlet. Just southeast of the village two large reservoirs covering several acres of ground, furnished power to run a grist mill, and perhaps another factory, situated near a little hamlet called Georgetown, about one mile east of Willett. One of these reservoirs burst its bonds several years ago flooding the valley and doing a considerable amount of damage.

   For years the inhabitants of the village have lived in fear of the bursting of either one, but that calamity has not visited them yet.

   The weather for the past few days has been more or less rainy, and the soil was thoroughly soaked with water. The little stream was swollen and noisy, and the water in the reservoir was higher than usual on account of the volume of water that had fallen for the last few days.

   All was lulled in a fancied security and the daily round of business went on with its usual course. All at once a distant rumbling, and the patter of immense drops of rain on the leafy covering of the trees, mixed with almost incessant flashes of lightning and deafening peals of thunder floated through the valley, and in a very brief interval the street was flooded with a black, turbid, raging mass of water, sweeping everything along in its course, tearing up the roadbed and sweeping away bridges and barns, overturning great trees and crushing all obstacles in its way. In a short time the street was utterly impassable. Great logs and all the debris thrown out by a flood rushed along the street.

   Most of the frightened inhabitants, thinking the reservoir had burst, deserted their homes and fled to safer quarters.

   All night long the angry torrent swept the streets carrying on its bosom logs, trees and all the flood wood that happened to lie in its course, bearing them into the Otselic river a short distance west of the hamlet.

   The horror stricken inhabitants watched the flood all through the night, black with the darkness that was felt.

   Several times a boat was launched in order to succor some of the inhabitants surrounded by the raging torrent, but the efforts proved unavailing for a long time, as no boat could live in the turbulent waters.

   Finally a rope was stretched across the street from the store of D. A. Wiles, and people could cross if necessary, but only at the peril of their lives.

   The south side of the street was entirely isolated, the water cutting off all hopes of escape to the few people remaining at their homes, surrounded as they were by the torrent.

   The bed of the stream from this one night of destruction has been changed in several places, and beautiful lawns have been entirely ruined. The wagon shop of C. D. Finn was undermined and the front partly buried in the sand and gravel, the inside being almost a wreck. The torrent rushed through the beautiful lawn on which his residence stood, covering it with a mass of stones and debris, entirely ruining the place. Scarcely a sod remains on the east side of the dwelling.

   The store occupied by Walter Forshee was undermined and partly turned over into the stream. Had it not been for the weight of his stoves and tin ware it would have undoubtedly been carried away.

   To illustrate the sudden rise of water, Mr. C. T. Genson started to go to supper and before going into the house he noticed a wash tub floating in the stream three feet or more below the level of his premises, and thinking it belonged to some family above who would be making inquiries about it, fished it out of the stream and placed it on the bank, then went into the house. At that time it was raining quite a little. He had scarcely eaten before some person said the bridge near his premises was being taken away. He looked out of his back door and discovered a tree floating down the stream. It struck the bridge and carried it into the stream. A few moments after something crashed into his barn and it tumbled into the torrent and was gone. He now thought of crossing the street to a place of better security, but a surging angry mass of water had surrounded his house and about four feet of water was rushing through the street leaving him on an island as it were.

   The water did not recede any until morning, and all night long anxious hearts were waiting for dawn to lift the mantle of darkness so they might know what devastation had been wrought to their homes.

   Many a poor family has suffered terribly from this visitation of the elements. Such a cloud burst has never been witnessed in this vicinity before. Every bridge from the reservoir to the river has been carried away. At Georgetown it looks similar to the streets of Willett, where the bed of the creek lies. Many a tree was washed out of the mountain side and toppled into the stream below. It seems almost incredible that the small creek could create such damage.

   Rafters, roofs, great beams and timbers are scattered all along the shores. The road bed has been dug out here and there, leaving holes from four to five feet in depth in many places.

   The residence occupied by Mrs. McVean was nearly undermined and it would have taken only a little more washing to have thrown it into the stream.

   The American House and barns were completely surrounded by water, and flood trash and rubbish were all about the buildings.

   An addition to the store of David Wiles was detached and moved from its foundation. Fortunately no lives were lost. Many a garden spot was swept out of existence and nothing left to mark the spot save great masses of stone and sand.

   Mrs. W. Delevan, a widow lady, residing near the hotel, remained a lone inmate of her dwelling all night long. Her son-in-law and daughter lad gone to the barn to milk the cows, and the water rose so fast it became impossible to return to the house, so they remained in the barn all night. What anxiety must have been manifested in the hearts of those parted ones, not knowing for a moment the fate of either.

   Your correspondent was informed that a gentleman residing about three miles from Willet was reading a paper at his home, situated on the side of a hill, when the storm burst, and hearing a crash, he went to the window and a volume of water had struck the outside cellar door, driving it in and filling the cellar full of water in an instant, and a vast sheet of water was pouring over the hill, at least one foot in depth. Fortunately his dwelling escaped injury.

   At the residence of W. R. Bourne, nearly the entire water pipes (a foot underground) laid for about thirty rods to a spring, were washed out so as to be exposed to view. It looked desolate enough and it will be a long time before the village will recover from the visitation. The damage will reach not far from $12,000 to $15,000.

   W. Canfield has lost quite a large portion of his lot, the channel of the creek being turned across it.

   Although it is a severe blow for the little hamlet, the inhabitants bear up under their infliction with far better fortitude than it was anticipated.

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   The DEMOCRAT had two reporters on the ground at Willett on different days, besides its regular correspondent. We give all the reports in order that our readers shall have every particular of the flood.

OTHER LOCALITIES VISITED.

   Around Cincinnatus the high water done quite an amount of damage. The Brackle bridge went out and the farmers along the Otselic are seriously crippled in crop outlook for 1890.

   Marathon was visited at the same hour by a terrific storm though not accompanied by as demoralizing effects. East and Main streets were flooded and several gardens were covered with a sediment. The water rushing down the hillsides washed the road leading to G. Peck's farm quite extensively and the foundation of Squires & Sons stock farm buildings were partially carried out and fences swept away.

   Throughout Broome county the storm was terrific. The villages of Lisle and Whitney's Point were partially submerged. The town of Triangle suffered damage to the extent of $13,000. Bridges were swept away and cattle perished.

   Oneida came in for her share and two men fishing in Cowasselon creek barely escaped being drowned so rapid did the water raise. It was a cloud burst and not the going out of the reservoir dam. The Central Hudson tracks were washed out and Oneida village deluged. No loss of life reported. Lightning in a meadow to the southeast of the village making four holes in the ground about four inches in diameter from which issued blue smoke for nearly one-half hour thereafter.