from The Port Hope Times  Friday February 11, 1876
The heavy rains commencing on Wednesday night last, and continuing until Friday morning caused an immense flood in the creek here, the largest body of water coming down that has ever been known. More damage has been caused by floods in past years, but this has been owing to the immense quantity of ice which generally finds its way to the lake through the channel of our creek. Fortunately, on account of the very mild winter, there was but little ice on any of the ponds on the line of the creek, and what there was, was very thin and easily broken up. The only pond covered with ice to any extent is Mr King's, but that, fortunately, remained firm, during the flood, for, if it had been started, everything in the shape of a bridge between King's mill and the lake would undoubtedly have been swept clean away. The damage done by the flood was not so great as might have been anticipated, although there was quite enough. During Friday afternoon great care had to be taken at each of the bridges, that none of the ice that did come down should be allowed to lodge. The ice came down in such small quantities, however, that this was a very easy task. A lodgment took place in Mr Salter's pond in the morning of that day, and another at the channel of the old harbour. A few charges of dynamite soon got rid of each of these. As the evening advanced, the water began to flow down in larger quantities, and between twelve and one o'clock it was rushing toward the lake in an immense torrent. The creek began to overrun its banks at the bridge at the upper end of Cavan Street.

It first raised a large portion of the sidewalk on the west side of the street, from its moorings, and landed it among the cedars at the opposite side of the road. Large pieces of ice were floated up, and lodged in the centre of the road. The water ran down the street for a considerable distance, and many of the houses on the side nearest the the creek, had water on their floors to the extent of ten or twelve inches, the yards being completely flooded, and everything in the shape of loose boards or planks carried away. A pile of lumber was floated from the vicinity of Wood's shop, and carried bodily down the stream. Had it continued down and lodged at the railway bridge, the damage would have been very great, but fortunately it struck a piece of ice, which threw it into an eddy out of the channel, and it was landed nigh and dry intact in the rear of Lambert's yard.

On Ontario Street considerable damage was caused. A quantity of lumber was floated off from Mr Walker's yard, but a good deal of it was captured at the railway bridge, and drawn ashore. Mr Geo Lambert suffered very much. The water covered his yard and stables to the extent of about three feet; his cellar was completely filled, clear up to the floor of the bar and dining rooms, and everything that could float did so. He had taken the precaution to have the taps out of his liquor barrels, and secured them firmly else his loss would have been considerably more than it is. Very little was carried away from the car works, an eddy forming in the yard, only carrying the stuff around in a circle, landing it high and dry again as soon as the water fell. The water ran along Ontario Street from the railway bridge, to Walton Street, and then down again to the creek. All the cellars in the building in which The Times Office is situated were completely flooded. Of the occupants of these, Mr F Lockwood was the most unfortunate. There is no storehouse attached to his place, and he has to keep a large quantity of his stock in the cellar. This was all covered completely with water; sugar, currants, rice, and other heavv groceries. His loss will be considerable.

The Walton Street bridge was badly broken on the north side. We think the Council should widen the channel here, and put a new and respectable bridge up. This is the second time it has been broken this spring - or winter rather. A decent bridge will have to be put there some time, and we think the present the best, and trust the Council will take the matter in hand. The water rushed through the break in the bridge up to the road, depositing large cakes of ice on the middle of the street. Mr J L Russell had his cellar completely filled, and the water rushed over the top of the floor to the depth of a foot or more. A large lot of his stuff was damaged, but he succeeded in getting considerable of it raised up out of the reach of the water. He was so badly flooded as to make it necessary to suspend business for a while on Saturday morning to get things in shape.

On Friday afternoon, Mr G R Garnett had a narrow escape from being thrown into the midst of the flood. He was standing on the platform that crosses the creek to McCabe's mill, when a large cake of ice struck it, and loosened it at one end, nearly throwing Mr Garnett into the rushing water below. He however, scrambled to the far end, which held secure, and a rope was procured and thrown to him, by the aid of which he succeeded in extricating himself from his perilous and insecure position...

More or less damage was done to the ponds and bridges on the entire line of the creek. A bridge belonging to the township of Clarke was carried away. Walker's old mill, and the bridge over the creek on the 6th concession of Hope, were both carried away. Very little damage was done at Mr S Parson's dam.

The look out at Mr Geo Salter's mill at Canton, on Friday, was rather a doleful one, as the water rushed in torrents about two feet over his dam, and in spite of the efforts of that gentleman and a number of workmen it was found impossible to do anything to lighten the strain on the flume, which they expected to see move majestically off in a body, but it didn't, fortunately, and when the flood subsided it was found that very little damage had been done. The ice remained firm on the pond, which probably accounts for the height of the water and the little injury inflicted.

This has been the most extensive freshet within the memory of the oldest inhabitant. About sixteen years ago there was a great flood, and probably more damage was done than at the present one, but that was caused by the breaking of what was then called Molson's pond, and the letting down of the large quantity of ice which was then on that pond, thereby causing a jam at every bridge on the line. On that occasion, we remember, the water and ice ran over all the bridges, carrying some of them away and if a person living on Protestant Hill wanted to buy some groceries or dry goods in the centre of the town, it was necessary to go around about two miles to do so. Rather a pleasant fix, but it only lasted a couple of days.