The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-06 00:00:00

Bursting of a Reservoir in Cumberland.

On Wednesday last, a disaster occurred at the seaport of
Harrington, Cumberland, similar in some respects to that
which spread such devastation around Sheffield in the early
part of this year, though upon a much smaller scale, and
fortunately unattended with any loss of life. About
11 o'clock on that day a reservoir, three acres in extent,
situated at a short distance from Harrington, burst and de-
luged the mein street with a wide stream, some Oft or Eft in
depth, which rushed down the street with a loud roar, the

ion body of water finally emptying itself into the harbour.
The reservoir was one recently constructed to sandy the
new ironworks of Messrs Bain, Blair, and Patterson. It
was constructed in a valley, the adjacent hills forming two
aides, and the low end being shut in by en embankment
about 300 ft in length and 20ft high. This bank was Erft
thick at the top, and it gradually spread out towards the
base, sloping on either side. It is about ten months since
the construction of this reservoir commenced, and it was
almost completed when this catastrophe occurred on Wed-
nesday. The recent heavy rains had filled it, and the by-
fall which carries tho ovoid .w into a beck, and so into the
harbour, proved inadequate to carry off the surplus water,
which flowed over the side of tho embankment, and washed
away the earth on the outer side, and so gradually dimi-
nished the thickness of the embankment at one place until
it was incapable of resisting the pressure from within, and
the water burst through, making a chasm some loft wide.
One of the members of the firm (Mr Patterson) was stand-
ing on the embankment when the disaster occurred, and
just saved himself by a well• timed leap. A man who had
been employed at the dam, as soon as he saw the danger
that was impending, ran down to the town to give the alarm.
At this time the pupils of the national school were breaking
up for dinner and coming into the streets. They were at
once hurried into cottages, where they would be out of
harm's way. In a few minutes after the catastrophe oc-
curred. Tho torrent came rolling along in high waves of
four or five feet in height down the main street, inundating
houses alone its line of route, and sweeping off all mov-
ables that came in its way. It is stated that the [stream
occupied several minutes in passing. Fortunately no one
was injured, all the damage done being confined to pro-
perty, some people wore carried for some distance by
the flood, and a little boy who had sought refuge at the
railway bridge had a narrow escape from being•drowned.
The Whitehaven 2Vews thus describes the ravages of the
flood :—" On bursting the embankment the water had
overflowed the beck below, and, forming a stream several
yards in width, pursued its way down the valley, tearing
up a number of trees in its course. The first obstacle was
the bridge of the beck, the parapet of which, consisting of
three or four feet of brick and stone work, was completely
carried away. Nearly opposite this bridge is a row of
newly:built cottages. These were completely inundated
to the height of from four to five feet; the furniture was
floated about, and in most instances the fires were put
out. The schoolroom and two or three other houses
next door, being situated on high ground, did not suffer
muela,*. but at Mr Kendall's brewery the damage was
serious, two brewings, we understand, being completely
wasted. At a short distance from Mr Kendall's
brewery are three newly-erected houses, occupied respec-
tively by Captain James M,Greavey, Mrs. Glover, and
Mrs. Barnes. At this block of buildings the water seemed
to have dashed with immense force. Two walls at the}
back wore knocked down, the collars in front filled with
water, the pressure of which raised the flooring of the pass
sago and front room, and occasioned serious damage to the
property. At Captain M'Greavey's the water rose in the
parlour to the height of about 4ft. The water had got into
the room out of the cellar by forcing up the hearthstone,
which was shattered to pieces. The carpets, hearthrug,
to,, were one mass of mud. In the back room similar hams
was made. Mrs Glover's house presented a similar scene of
destruction. The water had found vent from the cellar by
forcing up the front room, up which it rushed, carrying a
large seta out of its place, and knocking over a massive
chiffonnier. The water here rose to the height of 3ft or 4ft•
From the house of Mrs Barnes, a laundress, several baskets
of clothes were washed away, and at a late hour had not
been recovered. Considerable injury was also done to the
woodwork of the house. The reason why this block of build-
ings suffered more than others is owing to their having
cellars attached to them, which becoming filled with water
could only find vent by forcing•up the ceilings above. Tho
many street is in many parts torn up, and trenches 2ft or 3ft
wide and several yards long, leaving exposed the water
pipes. have been made by the action of the water. The
foundation Of the iron railway bridge has also yielded to the
flood. Several large stones, fragments of the beck bridge,
wore found near the harbour, having been carried out bee
tween 300 and 400 yards.

BREAKFAST BEVERAGE.—ilomceopathic practitioners;
and the medical profession generally, recommend cocoa
as being the most healthful of all beverages. When the doc-
trine of homeopathy was first introduced into this country,
there were to be obt ‘ined no preparations of cocoa either at-
tractive to the taste or acceptable to the stomach the nut
was either supplied is the crude state, or so unskilfully
manufactured as to obtain little notice. J. Epps, of London;
Homoeopathic Chemist, was induced in the year 1839 to turn
his attention to this subjeot, and at length sucoeeded, with
the assistance of elaborate machinery, in being the first
to produce an article pure in its composition, and so refined.
by the perfect trituration it receives in the process it passes
through, as to be most acceptable to the delicate stomach.
For general use Epps's Cocoa is distinguished as an invigo-
rating, grateful breakfast beverage, Possessing _ a most deli-
cious aroma. Dr. Hassall, in his work, "Food and US
Adulterations," says -"Cocoa contains a great variety of im-
portant nutritive principles—every ingredient necessary to
the growth and sustenance of the body." Again: "As
nutritive, cocoa stands very much higher than either coffee
or tea." Directions—Two teaspoonfuls of the powder in a
breakfast cup, filled up'with boiling water or milk. Secured.
in tin-lined alb., alb., and lib. labelled packets, and sold by,
all grotters, confectioners, and chemists,- [Aprr.]