Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

MONTPELIER, JUNE.
INCREDIBLE!
On the 6th inst. the large pond in the N. E. part of Greensborough, in this state, which formed the head of the river Lamoille, burst its bounds, and, carrying ruin and destruction in its course, emptied itself into Lake Memphremagog, a distance of about 25 miles. The particulars are as follows:—The pond which was about 2 1/2 miles in length, 1 mile in breadth, and 100 feet in depth, was situated on the Green-Mountain, considerably higher than the surrounding country. About forty rods distant was another smaller pond, on the outlet of which stood a number of mills. The perpendicular height of the former above the latter was about 100 feet. It had long been contemplated to make a communication between them, in the expectation that it would greatly benefit the mills below the small pond. On the day above mentioned, a number of the inhabitants of Wheelock, Sheffield, Glover, and Barton, met for the purpose of digging a channel, and commenced their operations on the brow of descent, a few rods from the pond. They soon finished a channel five or six feet in depth. As the channel filled, the ground, which was composed of a kind of quick sand, began to sink, and the increasing pressure soon produced a vast chasm of upward of 100 feet in depth and 18 or 20 rods in width; the water issued from the pond with such dreadful impetuosity that it was completely drained in one hour. The sinking of the ground was so sudden, that the workmen, who precipitately fled, had scarcely time to save themselves, one sunk five or six feet, but was fortunate enough to extricate himself by catching hold of the root of a tree. The water rushed into the lower pond, and thence proceeded through a forest of heavy timber, six miles, to Barton river, carrying off everything it met, and tearing up the soil. It then took the course of Barton river, when it proceeded with the same devastation till it arrived at Lake Memphremagog. Although the country through which it passed is but thinly settled, yet the damage sustained is immense. Farms, which lay on the banks of Barton river, were covered, 10 or 12 feet, with stones, timber and earth, and their owners left in a state of consternation and despair. Two saw mills, a grist mill, blacksmith's shop, five bridges, a horse, and a large number of sheep, &c. were swept into the lake.

The scene it presented was awful. What must have been the sensations, produced by the sight of a column of water, a number of miles in length, and 30 rods in width, filled with trees and earth, & rushing with horrid crash and thundering sound; filling up the valleys and levelling the hills in its course! The earth for many miles around trembled beneath the flood. The noise was heard at a great distance; the inhabitants residing on Barton river, in the first moments of surprise, supposed it to be distant thunder: but the cloudless sky soon convinced them of their error, and the increasing sound presented to their affrighted imaginations the idea of an earthquake, but a nearer approach of the water discovered the reality, but then, alike ignorant of the cause and extent of so uncommon an appearance, they knew not where to fly for safety. Perhaps the history of America does not record a more extraordinary event. No lives were lost.