The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-14
A SECOND MILL RIVER DISASTER.
Mills, Houses, Bridges and Barns Swept
Away-LOss of Life Feared.

A special from Springfield to the Boston
Herdd of July 12, says: Western Massa-
chusetts has experienced another Mill River
disaster, but, happily, SO far as is known,
without the fearful loss of life which ac-
companied that memorable calamity. Dur
ing nearly all Of Saturday night the rain
poured in torrents throughout that section
of the state. and the Westfleld river, a
usually small, but rapid mountain stream,
which is crossed and rccrossed twenty times
by the Boston and Albany railroad between
Wostiield and Washington, was suddenly
sweled TO an almost unprecedented height.
Passengers by Sunday mornings express
train from Albany observed that the water
was up almost to the tmbers ct the bridges,
and danger was at that time apprchcnded,
but the train passed over in safety. Sun
day afternoon, however, the dam Of S. L.
Church q Brothers rcsel voir in Middle
field, on the west branch of the Westiield
river, proved too weak to hold back the
sudden and immense accumulation of water
behind it, and giving way, the whole con
tents of the reservoir, covering about one
hundred acres, swept down the steep and
narrow gorge into the main stream. The
full extent of the damage at Middlelicld
cannot be ascertaned, as all telegraphic
communication west of Chester Is cut OIL
1t seems hardly possible that the wooden
mills of s. |. Church u Brother. and the
extensive paper mills Of Buckley, Dunton
l 4. .,l sgl
being either washed away or seri-
ously damaged. 1t seems likely,
also that there was some loss OF lie.
although the valley is a rocky. sterile re-
gion, sparsely inhabited. But, leaving
conjecture aside. the damage known to
have been wrought by the Hood further
down stream. from whence reports have
been received, is bad enough. Every one
of the six or seven bridges On the Boston
| and Albany railroad between Middlcheld
| and Huntington, IS either wholly or par
| italy washed away. The cmbanlJment of
the railroad is also badly washed out in
many places, and there Is very serious
break between Beckett and Wash
ington. In fact the railroad is
damaged TO an extent uncquGlled in any
previous flood. for a distance of twenty
miles. A dispatch received from Chester
suNS tiltb lilt itti'Dtti dlttl va ittNsAiAt iNii-
way bridge and two dwelling houses at
Middefeld switch station are gone. At
Chester, Vests dam and shoddy mill and
four highway bridges, b. W. Palmers barn
and Samuel Otis shop are swept away, be-
sides two railroad bridges partially destroy
cd The dam of the llampden Emery com
pany at Chester is also carried off and Il
large amount of emery with it. No trains
were sent west from that city Sunday night
and the western bound passengers who
Arrived from Boston on the o'clock
and . o'clock trains, continued their jour
ney by way of New York. Direct travel
between Springfield and Albany viii be
entirely suspended for three or fom days,
rs it will be impossible. of course, to
carry by as is usually done when the
break is only a shor, one. y wrecking
train, with large gang of bridge builders
and road repairers, left Springfield Mt a.
m, Sunday and another will proceed cast
ward from I'ittsfelt. Further details of
the disaster are awaited with great anxiety,
as it is feared they will bring tidings OF
considerable loss of life.