The Portland daily press., 1874-07-17
History of Seven Days.
The news for the week ending Wednesday
July 9Th.
ANOTHER WEAK RESERVOIR.

the same state breaks, and a torrent of water
pours over the country, doing damage to prop
erty but happily no lives are lost. Saturday
night and Sunday the rainfall in Massachu-
sets was much heavier than here and this
caused the water to rise in all the streams to
an unusual height. The Middletield reservoir
is situated on brook of the same name near
its junction with the Westfield river. The wa
ter covers about 100 acres and the dam was
built thirty years ago Above this, three miles,
is another reservoir covering between 80 and 80
acres, built dozen years since. The upper
reservoir broke first at o o'clock Sunday after
noon, and swept over the lower reservoir max
ing break in the highway dam at the foot of
it, four rods wide. The upper dam was built of
earth and the whole suddenly gave way. The
man at the upper reservoir fastened to alarm
The people living in the valley below. His
warning and the strength of the lower dam
prevented repetition of the Mill River calam-
ity. The total loss is put at $3.50, OOO-ashalf of
which falls on the Boston s. Albany Railroad
Co., all of whose bridges along the Westfe!d
EVER. which it crosses several times, were either
swept away or injured, and for twenty miles
the track is so badly washed that travel cannot
be renewed until Thursday. The mill and 9TH
er property at Blacks Hollow and Middlefeld
factory village, and one unused wooden mill we
swept away, carriage factory with valuable
machinery was ruined, barn full of wool went
down stream, and many buildings were more or
less injured The highway is entirely washed
away in places and several bridges lost
THE TILToN-BEEcBER SCANDAL.
The lull in the interest that the Tilton letter
caused has been broken by declaration that
Mr.. Beecher called upon his church for an in
yest:gation as as the Tilton letter was
made public and that such an investigation is
now going on by a committee of the most
prominent men connected with the Plymouth
society.
Tilton, reported to be insane, has made
this fact an occasion TO give the public another
letter, (Which might have been embraced in a
dozen words) to the committee informing them
that he was ready to testify in the case. A
statement is also published to the effect that
Mrs. Tilton denies any knowledge of any i'm
proprlety on Mr.. Beecber's part, but that dur
ing the time that Tilton was infatuated with
the Woodruff woman, declaring his belief in
''free-love' theories, she Mrs Tilton9 in
her great trouble went to her pastor for counsel
who advised her to leave her husband. When
Titons free-love fever cooled, he learned of the
advice of Mr.. Beecher to his wife, and, in conse-
qence, was greatly. incensed and has evidently
taken this method toinjure the Plymouth pas
tor. 1t is further asserted that Tilton is insane,
insanity being hereditary. When the investiga-
tion Closes which will not be until next week, the
public is promised the whole facts respecting
the lamentable affair
GRAssHoPPERs AND DRoUTH.
The ravages of the grasshoppers in Mime
sofa are more extensive and serious than at first
contemplated. The latest advices indicate that
about one-tenth of the area of the state en-
bracing onet thirteenth of the population, has
been swept of nearly everything by clouds of
these insects. In many sections the surface is
as bare as if b rned over by fire. The same
section of the state, or large part of it, was
scourged last year. Gov. Davis reports that
the people are in state of great need if not
verging on starvation He has asked the War
Department tie give him the value of the quota
of arms belonging to that state in provisions
or clothing for the suffering district. The Sec
Rotary of War replied that he had no power TO
do this. The people of the state and many
outside are rendering generous aid.
The cry of want comes from southern and
western Kentucky where there has not been
rain enough during the season to lay the dust
Plentiful rain now cannot save the corn
Wheat rpened in time to escape the drouth
Much restitution is reported and tie Governor
is asked to convene the legislature. Rains are
now reported in Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio
and Arkansas, all of which have suffered more
or less from drouth
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL.
In politics there is dreary dullness and it
promises to continue. 1t is a good season for
small fry to thrive. On the whole, Massachp-
sets is the most promising field for lively
time and those who enjoy thing of that kind
had better go there. The Butler people, al
though they have the run of the custom-house
at Boston are not half so happy as last year.
Indeed, it is reported that the ''poor boy
Simmons has told his master Butler that after
the currency veto there was no chance for Kim.
Gen. John L. Swift us been appointed deputy
collector at Boston.
In the West the sore heads seem to find
amusement in forming new parties 1t is a
privilege no one can deny them if be would.
only the gen eral opinion is that it isn't good
year for pioneers.
The New Hampshire Legislature has adj
Jorrned. 1t upset the judiciary and everything
else it could reach except the prohibitory law
1t failed on that by small majority.
Arkansas voted 10000 against 5000 for a
Conventional Convention. 1t met Wednesday
OF 81 delegates, 20 are Democrats
Mayor Hayemeyer of New York is doubtless
mule, but even mules get scared At least
in his case it was SO, for the re appointment of
the condemned police commissioners, Char
lick and Gardner, stirred up such an indie-
nant protest and threatened such serious con-
sequences that he got them to withdraw and
instead appointed Matsell and Voorhis, two of
his friends of bad fame. Those who moved for
the oustng of the old fellow are vet PUSHING
and notices of the charges have been served
upon him by Gov. Dix. This might better
have been put under the head of crimes.
The funny journals and certain Southern
politicians of the other side in the late I'M
peasantness ara making a great deal of talk
about third term of President Grant Gen.
Gordon, o. S. Senator of Georgia has written
letter saying that his relations are intimate
with the President and that he 1nfers from
conversation that Gen. Grant would like to be
the peoples candidate in 1876 Ex-Gov. Har-
vey OF Louisiana takes occasion to declare that
the South have confidence in the President
ana that the ex-reb;l element would vote fer
him. The ex-Gov. has just been appointed
Levee Commissioner Perhaps. &c.
Trouble is apprehended in Louisiana nendino
the fall election, because of the organization Of
''whte leagues and purpose on the mort of
the conservatives to make the contest one bo.
tween races
Last week we announced that til, ee Judges of
of the United States courts, sitting at Madison.
Wisconsin, declared that the Potter law" en-
acted by the last legislature of that state, is
constitutional, and that the legislature has full
power to regulate tariffs. The decision is a
very important one not only to the railroads
but to thu country generally, for it is the ques-
tlon OF questions A fuller account of the mat
ter may be found on the 4th page. The effect of
the decision has been to derange the railroad