New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-14
LATER ACCOUNTS OF THE DISASTER.


TIE LOWER RESERVOIR SWEET AWAY BY THE FLOOD
FROM THE FIRsT-A TIMELY WARNING GIVEN TO
THE PEOPLE OF BLUSH HOLL0W-THE BOSTON
AND ALBANY RAILROAD COMPANY HEAVY
LosFR-NARROw ESCAPE OF THE VILLAGE OF
CHESTER FROM UTTER DEsTRUCTIoN-THE TOTAL
loss ESTIMATED AT S3OOCOO NO LIVES RE-
PORTED LOST.
SPRINGFIELD. Mass, July ia special dispatch
to The Springfield Union from Chester gives the fol-
lowing additional particulars of the food:
About u years ago q second reservoir was built
about three miles further up the stream by the
Church Brothers This was smaller than the lower
one and covered from 80 to so acres The upper
reservoir broke away first and swept over the lower
reservoir with an immense volume of water, making
a break of about four rods in the highway dam OF
the lower reservoir. The upper reservoir was built
of earth and the whole dam suddenly gave way.
Harry Meacham was at the reservoir at the time,
and made haste TO warn the people at Blush Hollow.
His warning and the fact that but part
of the lower reservoir dam gave way,
prevented loss of life, and also very
much lessened the damage done. The Boston and
Albany Railroad Company suffered heavily At the
Middlefeld switch, the long, two arched stone
bridge. under which the Middlefeld brook and the
turnpike run was swept away, and Also a consider
able length of the track, amounting in all to about
200 feet. 1t will cost about $4,000 to repair this
track and will require considerable time. Between
the Middefield switch and Chester depot there are
eight railroad bridges, five of which are either un-
harmed or but slightly damaged. Two of these are
of stone costing each $4,000. OF the three bridges
which are damaged badly enough to need rebuild
ing one is a stone bridge costing $4,000 The two
Others are those next west of Chester of which
was to have been replaced this Fall by an iron
bridge. The loss on these bridges is about $4,000
The bridge next east Of Chester station, which IS
soon to be replaced by an iron structure is damaged
by the loss of one of the abutments but it will be
repaired by noon so that trains can run between
Springfield and Chester The track is washed out
in many places west of Chester, but no damage OF
any amount is reported west of Middlefield switch.
Superintendent Russell has been on the ground all
the forenoon. Work will be prosecuted on the
bridges as fast as possible. but the Superintendent
estimates that it will be several days before the
road will be passabe. 1t will probably cost $4,000
TO rebuild the bridges and repair the road, while
the loss by the INTERRUPTION of business will be very
heavy, particularly as this is the ween '.
lege races at Saratoga. The mills of the Church
Brothers are standing but 1t is reported that their
new mill is partly undermined. a wOol-house and
a barn belonging to them were carried away with
carriages Oliver Blush's old wooden mill and VIM.
Blush's barn were also carried away. The barn
contained new 800 carriage. Several other barns
aud outbuildlngs were carried away, and three or
four houses reported TO have been destroyed or
badly damaged The highway between Blush Hol-
low and Middlefeld switch was entirely Obhterated
and six bridges-two of them private ones, four
belonging TO the town-were carried away 1t is
not known at this time that any lives lost but
several narrow escapes from drowning occurred.
Three OF four persons reported missing, but it
is hardly probable that they are drowned.
At the Middlefeld switch. two unoccupied houses,
one OF them new, owned by West, Buckley Il Co.,
paper manufacturers, were swept away, and also an
old red house used pay-ofice when the railroad
was building Several barns and outbuildings were
also carried off at the switch, and the farms aud
gardens were badly damaged. The wooden mill.
midway between Mddlefeld and Chester, owned by
John West jr., of Pittsield, was not injured, but
both ends Of his wooden dam and the head of his
raceway were destroyed. His loss will be from
81 900 TO $1,000 tenement-hOuse occupied by the
| family of Leon Jane1aux, was swept away. He was
absent, and his wife. mother-in-aw. and four chill
/ dren were, with considerable difficulty, persuaded
10 leave the house just before it went off,
The village of Chester owes its escape from an
almost entire destruction 10 the many stone arch
| bridges above that place, by which the flood was
stayed for time accommodating in little ponds to be
let down in nstallments the village below. A
! second cause was the considerable width of the
valley mile above the village, where the waters
spread out somewhat rs they did the Mill River
| food Oh the Florence Meadows. At Huntington
there was but little damage DONE the food having
mostly spent its force before il reached there Some
of the farms were flooded and water broke over the
bnlkhead Of the Highland Manufacturing Company's
mills, swept through the loweEstory, and did some
damage to finished goods stored there. At Wet
held, tie neat town Je.VW HA..lIs.on. Ia. I.iald