The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-05-19
THE LATE DISASTER.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass, May lS.-All accounts
attribute the disaster to the weakness and
insecurity of the reservoir works. The
works were not thick enough to resist the
pressure of 125 acres of water averaging 80
feet in depth.
SPRINGFIELD. May 1S.-Thousands OF
people have gone from this place and sur
rounding country to Northampton and
scenes of the Mill River devastation to-day
The quest for dead bodies has been going on
all day and will be continued under the
best possible management for several days,
and perchance even weeks.
The meadows are so deeply covered with
debris that it is feared many dead bodies
have yet been undiscovered. A number
were recovered to day, and it is now thought
yesterdays computation of two hundred
lives lost may tall short of the actual truth.
Hayden, .Jere & CO., at Haydenville, pro-
prietors of the destroyed brass works, com
menced the work of rebuilding this morn
ing. but were constrained to desist on ac-
count of the rain.
Much suffering prevails, but means will
be devised for system of continuous relief
SPRINGFIELD, May 1s.-The man who
took up the cry at Haydenville and carried
it to j. eds was Myron Day.
A little before 7 o'clock, while all people
VI WIS Diattt Ntic just going W WoTk, OF
finishing their breakfasts, their attention
was attracted by the appearance of Myron
Day, from Haydenvlle, on a horse shouting
wildly: "The reservoir is broken, save
yourselves, for a flood is at hand.'
He rushed for the bridge over the dam,
and had got about half way over it when
the roar of coming waters was heard by the
inhabitants. Day then dashed towards
Florence, and the people, looking north,
toward North Dam, saw there what appeared
to them as the crest of an enormous moving
wood pile, fifty feet high. They knew what
it was, and rushed confusedly up slopes to
safe quarters. The houses were left, Just as
they stood, with tables spread for breakfast
In less than three minutes the stone dam
had given way, and the great column of
water, laden with frame houses, pianos,
sewing mae! ines, boilers cows. sheep, poul-
try and human being from Haydenville,
plunged into the Valley of Leeds. Meas
ures for immediate relief have been inst-
tuted.
At Haydenville, Mr.. Hayden sent out a
notice to rebuild his work, and offers to
employ all those who ever worked for him
and as many more as are needy.
In clearing away the debris and making
preparations for work, hundred acres are
found to be covered with the sad remnants
of the village, and a tract of country run
ring for eight miles through Hampshire
county is now barren waste Of land, COW
cred with stones, ruins and corpses.
Boston, May 1s.-The Committee of the
Massachusetts Legislature, appointed to
investigate the Mill River disaster, with
view to extend necessary aid, started on
mission at S P. NJ. Mayor Cobb has called
informal meeting at the City Hall, to-mor-
row morning. to devise means re ief. Gov.
Talbot, who returned from the scene of the
disaster to-day, states immediate wants of
most destitute are being supplied by
Springfield and other towns of tie vicinity,
but more permanent and systematic relief is
demanded. Besides 800 or 400 families rend-
cred homeless, large number Of operatives
are thrown out of employment with loss
Of everythinr