Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-02-28
GREAT FLOODS IN YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND.

HUDDERsFIELD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5.-This morn
ing most dreadful occurrence, attended with fearful
loss Of life and destruction Of property happened in the
Homhrth Valley, about six miles south Of this town.
Homhrth is situated at the foot Of range of hills which
form portion Of what is termed the Backbone of Eng
land The valley between that village and Huddersfeld
is studded with woolen mills advantage having been
taken Of the many excellent sites which the rapid fall Of
water from the hills to the lowands presents
Upon the many streamlets which flow from the hills
above Homfrh the characteristic is presented and
the several valleys and hsde TEEN with busy and enter
prising population, very considerable portion OF the
woolen cloths for which the West Riding is SO celebrated
being manufactured in this locality. As in summer time the
mills often had stand for want of water hcre being but little
from the hills in dry weather but than enough in wet
company formed years ago, number Of gen
temen incorporated by act Of Parliament and en-
construct large reservoirs for the storage Of water
winter be let down the rvues summer as might be
required the mills power being also given IA rate
the several mill properties for the benefits thus conferred
Amongst others the Homrh reservoir commissioners
structed reservoir called the Bbey reservoir situated
about three miles and half above Homfrth, the west
During the Last week there have been very Of
rain and the water has oyefowed the embankment Of the
entertained Of its safety by parties who resided IT,
who that IL had been accounted
Of rsate quality Wednesday day Of incessant rain
and the vue and streams in the neghborhood much
swollen.
About this morning Thursday the embankment this
large reservoir swept away and an immense volume Of
suddenly liberated The torrent rushed onward with
devastating force mills swept down others we're
Quilted machinery and materials both wrought and unwrought
Dwellings shared The fate. With n audiences that
rendered all alarm impossible the buildings with their sleep
ing inmates were swept along the engulphing At
olmhrth whole street Of houses thus carried away
with the inhabitants to the number Of sixty Hundreds
other dwellings were flooded and the escape Of
inmates IRON death has been wonderful The desruc
ton q property has been enormou The stocks Of the shop
Keepers who lined the streets each side Of the Holm
wholly destroyed or damaged be all but worthless
The furniture and clothing Of private dwelling arc also
destroyed.
One Of the beautiful valleys in the world has been
Hrfd
RED away and large steam-engne boilers lifted from their
seats and borne along by the overwhelming torrent and then
left in the fields trees torn up and the soil washed away from
the lands adjoining the course Of the main More than
seventy lives have been lost At the time we write i inn
possible 70 tell the exact number approximate 10 n
correctly Whole families swept away there are none
left 70 tell the number Upwards fifty bodies have been
recovered They deposited at the public bon
along the line Of devastation and the anged az
many Of them testify TO the force of the torrent which had
swept them before IT,
Millowners shopkeeper and work people have met with
common fate The calamity IL most frgbtfu likely 10 be
The ruin Of Of spirited manufacturing districts
Some Of the bodies recovered found fourteen miles from
the place where the reservoir 1.-THE Of this awful havoc
ras situated.