Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-05-21
General News.
A Reservoir Breaks Out.
a NtstIVUII DIt1AS UUl.
Several Tewns Nearly De.iro,ed.
ON HUNDRED LIVES EEroKIED LOST.


NEw HAVEN, CT, nc.
The large reservoirs about Williams
burg. Mass. constructed to supply the
manufactures OF Williamsburg, Leeds .nd
liaydemsille. gave way early this morning.
The water Is sweeping everything before
il.
The above named towns were almost
entirely destroyed, including immense
brick factories.
Large loss Of life is reported. but at
present II is impossible to give any c>tl-
male. though it is probably not less than
one hundred.
FLORENCE. Mass, 10.
The reservoir above Williamsburg broke
this morning. loosening large volume OF
water. which carried away nearly every
house in it, course. Al Leeds the silk
mill aud button shop were both carried
away.
Tue station agent Of the y. II. & y. Co.
with his wife, were both drowned. At the
same place many persons were swept down
stream.
The water i now falling. and il is ex-
pecfed that in few hours more correct
and definite particulars may be obtained
Several bodies were seen going down
stream. but 50 swift was the current. that
they could not be recovered.
HAYDESsyiLLE, Mass, lG.
\ large reservoir, about four miles north
of tli, place, burst about eight O'Clock
TINS morning. and the water came rushing
down the hill. carrying everything before
". IL struck the southwestern portion of
Williams bur. Village. about two mile.
north of This place, carrying away larr.
number of dwellings. thence to SINNERS
VILE. where il swept away SINNERS large
sIlA mills and his boarding and dwelling
house; continuing on ii struck the large
brass mandatory of Hayden. Geer & Co.
ahd sweepln. II away in AN instant.
Larg" stones and machinery were swept
through the main street at fearful rate.
and well built houses were instantly crush
ed, not giving the inmates moment,
warning.
The Hood then struck the VILLAGE of
Leeds where large number OF shops.
dwellings, Nc.. We're swept away. The
loss OF life was very heavy. Whole fami-
Hes Ia some instances having been carried
away over dams. and were either killed or
drowned. Ii is impossible ut this time TO
give The number OF lives lost.
Twenty-three bodies have been taken
out OF the rubbish on shore. Whole blocks
OF tenement houses filled with women and
children were swept down stream 10 All in
I
az NJ bodies are constantly bein"
brought in and laid in the church; most Of
them can be recognized.
LATER.
SPRINGFIELD, May l..
The most terrible disaster in the annals
of Massachusetts occurred III Hampshire
county on Saturday. The WILLIAMSBURG.
Reservoir, covering a track OF 100 acres.
gave way early in the forenoon, precipi-
fatlng the vast mass of water it contained
tnree miles down steep and narrow val
ley IN the thriving manufacturing village
of Williamsburg. thence farther down the
valley. through the village Haydenville.
Leeds and Florence into the Northampton
meadows. where the streams empties into
the Connecticut. The huge torrents DASH
ing INTO w iiiiamsburg. swept awav in
moment the manufacturing establishments
and numbers of dwelling houses, causing
enormous destruction OF property and ter
ribie loss Of fuman life. The lower vii
lagos suffered only the loss awfully. The
latest figures OF the less of life make the
total number IA. divided between the
three places as follows: Williamsburg 60;
Leeds 40; Haydenvilc IS. These figures
only represent the persons whose loss is
positively known, through the bodies Of
all are not yet recovered. Bodies are con-
siantly being found, and in some cases. of
persons not supposed to be lost, so it seems
perfectly safe TO say the total loss will ex-
coed $50, If, Indeed, it does not more near
ly approach 200.
1t Is utterly impossible as vet to give de-
tailed estimates Of the losses. Aside from
buildings destroyed and damaged. bridges
have been carried away. roads ruined and
hundreds of acres of meadow land render
ed almost valueless. The total loss must
far exceed 81 100000 and will probably
come nearer o., 100000.
All through the centre nothing remains
Of the high wall of stone and earth, which
rose to the hight of forty feet In the bed of
the stream, save the stone work running ut
right angles with the cam at the bottom.
In the very bed Of the stream nothing is
left, AMI where the water now flows harm
lessly along its ancient channel, not a
stone remains from top to bottom. A
small portion oft eastern part of the
reservoir and larger section Of the west.
ern still remains.
Above, the eye sweeps oyer the bed of
the reservoir tract of Ill acres. covering
the southeasterly corner of the town ~
Williamsburg near the Conway line. This
land nestled In among the hills is for the