THE FLOOD OF 1843. 43 



in a state of nature ; presenting even a more wild appearance 

 than it could have exhibited before the first improvement was 

 erected upon it. The county bridge at Button's was almost 

 wholly carried away, leaving nothing but one damaged abut- 

 ment, and a very small portion of the other remaining. The 

 greatest height of the flood at this place, was thirty feet six 

 inches, as given by Mr. Jonathan Button, and the time of its 

 greatest height about seven o'clock. 



By a series of measurements made near these mills, by 

 Professor John F. Frazer (who happened to be at the farm of 

 Samuel West, a mile below, at the time of the flood) the cross 

 section of the flood was found to be about seven thousand 

 square feet. The point at which Prof. F. made the above 

 measurements the flood attained a height of 25.16 feet — the 

 creek being flush of water at the time. 



Professor Frazer made a very accurate measurement of 

 the flood on the farm of Mr. West. The following particu- 

 lars in relation to which are extracted from a letter which 

 that gentleman had the kindness to send in answer to the cir- 

 cular of the committee. "The height of the flood I meas- 

 ured with as much accuracy as my means would permit, and 

 am confident that my measures are correct within one or two 

 inches, at the same time I must observe that the elevations 

 are taken above the level of the creek, a day or two after the 

 flood, when from the continuance of wet weather, the creek 

 was still above its ordinarj^ level ; how much it is impossible 

 for me to say. At the position where I first measured it, 

 (upon Mr. West's upper meadow) the creek was about sixty 

 feet wide, and averaged about six feet in depth, (it is the 

 upper end of the back water from Flower's dam). The ver- 

 tical height of the flood was 20.58 feet above the water line, 

 or 26.5 feet above the bottom of the channel of the creek. 

 The breadth of the water line at the highest point of the 

 flood (measured at right angles to the direction of the creek) 

 was 534.8 feet, (say 535 feet). The meadows overflowed, on 

 either side, are quite flat, and appear to have been at some 



