Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-05-20
THE WILLIAMSBURG DISASTER.

Our Massachusetts and New York ex-
lengthy accounts of the terrible disaster in
williamsburg and other towns. We copy
from them the following facts and incidents:
Mill River, the scene of the disaster, rises
in the town of Williamsburg and runs south
easterly until it emptes into the Connecticut
just below Northampton. On its banks are
situated the manufacturing villages of Will
liamsburg, Skinnersville, Haydenvile, Leeds,
Florence, and Bay State Mills. The first
three are in the town of Williamsburg, and
the last three in Northampton. The river, in
the summer, being subject to severe drouths,
the volume of water is kept uniform by two
great reservoirs, one at Goshen and the other
at Williamsburg. The valley of the river is
peculiar in its formation, being very narrow,
and not over GOO feet wide at any place. AT
Skinnersville and Leeds it is extremely mar
row. The river is liable to sudden freshets,
and, owing to its narrow valley, rises to
great hight.
The Williamsburg reservoir has always
been considered unsafe, and in times of flood
serious apprehensions have been felt by the
dwellers in the valley. A young gentleman
in Haydenyille told the writer that two years
ago, at the time of heavy rain, his father
would permit none of the family to go to bed,
but kept them up with lights burning all
night, so great was his apprehension concern
ing the reservoir. The reservoir is in the
village of Williamsburg. The two branches
of the river meet, the west branch coming
from the Goshen and the east branch from
the Williamsburg reservoir. 1t had an area
of I04 acres, and it was made by damming up
a valley between two mountains. The dam
aho,, ,pl
feet wide at the bottom, sloping gradually to
the top. 1t consisted of an embsnkment OF
ordinary gravel, in the center Of which rose
wall Of masonry of ordinary rubble- stone laid
in waterproof cement. This wall was four
feet wide at the base, and tapered wedge like
almost to point at the top. At the bottom
and through the center of the dam extended
l5-inch iron pipe, about so feet long. The
waste water ran out of the reservoir at the
top through a sluice-way on the right, close
to which was the gatekeeper's house.
The great defect seems to have been 10 the
wall OF masonry at the dam also in its width
and material. This wall, it now appears, was
laid On the solid rock bed on the west side,
but on the east the foundation was several
feet higher, and appeared to be laid on moth
ing but the natural gravel. 1t was here that
the water was first seen leaking through the
bottom. Here was the fatal error of the con-
structors. Though the dam has generally
been considered unsafe, the County Commits
siOners viewed the work when completed, six
or seven years ago, and pronounced it safe.
The wall was then, however, concealed from
view, so that its faults of construction could
not have been noticed.
1t was in Williamsburg that the food be-
gan and where its effects were most disastrous
TO human life. Fifty SIX lives were lost in
this single village. The signs of ruin are
most horrible. At the empty Reservoir is
seen the Jagged walls of the dam. Below,
for Thousand feet and more, the bed of the
stream is gouged out in chasms to a depth Of
30 feet. Beyond, acres Of woodland have en-
tirely disappeared, leaving not trace behind.
For miles the fertile meadows have been de-
stroyed and can never be regained. They
are quilted and completely covered with sand
and gravel, and imbedded with great bowl
ders, many Of them weighing over ton apiece.
About one-third of the village has been de-
stroyed, the food having cut a broad swath
through the place, carrying houses down the
stream. The river, just below the meeting
of the two branches, changed its course, and
leaving its old bed, has spread out over the
entire meadows, where it is now running. In
this typical New England village the contrasts
between prosperity and misery, beauty and
Hesoiuliou, aic ehdip anu suuueu. FROM
tasteful cottages, smooth lawns and blooming
flowers, one stares at once into scenes
of deepest woe, where the SCARED and
seamed ground, great shapeless masses of
spiinters which were once houses, or houses
half destroyed, with their sides torn out, or
upside down, are in place of the prosperity OF
yesterday morning.
In the little Town Hall are laid the recov.