New-York tribune., 1874-05-21
THE MASSACHUSETTS FLOOD.
. coRoNFR,s JIIRY SUMMONED.

CORONER'S JURY SUMMONED.
MEMBERS OF THE Jury wEIL-KNowN CITIZENS
"A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION PRoMlsED-AN
EXAMINATION OF THE RUINED DAM BY THE
JURORS.
fRY TELEGRAPH TO THE tribune
NORTHAMPTON May O.-There Is now reason TO
believe that the disaster caused by the breaking OF
the Williamsburg dam will be made the subject OF
searching and thorough investigation. THIS morn
ing Mr. Ansen Wright, Coroner of Northampton
County summoned ajury of six citizens OF the vicin
age to whom the duty of quest is condee In accord
ance with the State laws providing for an investisa-
ton in cases of death from casualty or crime Ihese
jurors are Capt. EnOs Parsons foseman, of North
amptop by profession a lawyer; George w. Hubbard
of Northampton President of the Smith Charities !;
John Mayher of East Hampton, agent OF the East
Hampton Pump Company. and practical machln-
ist silas S Hubbard of Hatfield, tobacco dealer
and farmer; Hiram Nash of Williamsburg. farmer ;
Dr. VIM. NJ Trow of Haydenville physician The
duty of selecting the jury no less delicate than
important. and it seems to be generally admitted
that Che Coroner has discharged 1t with commend
able discretion. These gentlemen, upon whom his
choice has fallen of education and property
and none of them can be accused of prejudice or par
tiality.
They met this morning in the Town Hall at Will
as to the mode of procedure all asserting to the
suggesting of the Coroner, Mr.. Wright that the in
vestigation should be pursued with a view to ascer-
tanning. not only the circumstances attending and
Immediately preceding the breaking of the dam, but
All the facts as 10 its construction and management,
90 that the responsibility for the disaster may be
placed beyond doubt, where it belongs, wherever
that may be. The jury will, therefore examne'the
members of the corporation known as 1.-The Mil
River and Williamsburg Reservoir Company" the
Building Committee of that corporation, the con-
tractors aud builders of the dam the civil engineer
IN charge of its construction. the County Commits
sioners by whom the dam was examined and ap-
proved and perhaps one OF more engineers experts
IL the inquest is carried in the spirit manifested
this determination great verdict not without its
lessons to mill-owners and reservoir constructors,
may be confidently expected.
The special subject Of the inquest is the body of
worthy mill operative named John Atkinson of
Williamsburg The man was drowned in that viii
lage and the corpse was found near Leeds This
morning the jury viewed the body. a matter of
form. and the Coroner ordered its Interment The
inquest was then adjourned until next Monday
xlorning at 10 o'clock, when the witnesses will be
examined in the town hall at Northampton.
After the adjournment, the Coroner and the Jurors
made private examination OF the ruins OF the
reservoir and dan. a. which the writer was allowed
80 be pr6Snt. All who had not seen the dam before
were evidently surprised to find that it was such
0Imsy affair. a measurement of the stone wall at
various points showed that il was nowhere
wider than five feet and six inches. and the
average width was about five feet and three inches
The jurors seem to think that the width at the top
could not be two feet, but as the measurement of
that part Of the wall required come dangerous
climbing il was not ATTEMPTED on this occasion
Energetic and persistent probing failed to reveal
any "hard pam under that portion Of the dam
which was undermined and gave away nor was any
found under much Of the wall now standing. Sew
eral specimens of the cement used in building the
vail we're examined. and it was found that much of
il WAS easily crumDled between the fingers, while
contact with water resolved it very speedily into
sand. juror found little difficulty IN loosening
almost any small stone in the dam. by a judiciOus
nse of the crovbar, and without exertIag any con-
siderable degree Of strength.
In only one matter was there evidence that the
constructors OF the dam had been liberal, and that
was in the quantity of earth heaped either side
Of the stone wall This earth constituted a fOrmid-
able looking embankment being 120 feet wide at the
bottom and 10 feet at the top and 1t was faced with
rubbe-stone but ii too sandy to form serious
obstacle the pressure Of body of water covering
ia acres and with average depth Of not less than
95 feet While at the DAM the jury informally in-
terrogated the father of George Cheney, the gate
keeper. who was present when the water first began
10 trickle down the sides of the embankment. He
said his son had always told him and Others that the
dam would give way just where 1t did. The gate
Keeper and his father, mother. and wife will be
summoned TO appear before the Coroners jury on
Monday next