The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-14
ANOTHER DAM BuRSTED.

tails are coming 10 hand Of q second floot
in Hampshire county, Mass, caused By
the giving way Of the reservoir of fac.
tory at the village OF Middlefeld. The
Union gives the following particulars In
It's noon edition: The reservoir was sit
uated on MlddleHeld brook, which emp
ties into the west branch Of Westfeld riV.
er at Middlefeld switch. 1t covered
nearly 100 acres, and was built about
thirty years ago by Uriah Church, father
Of the present owners. The reservoir was
made by raising the water road from Mid.
dlefeld Centre 10 the north Of Beckel
Hills, on either side Of the stream forming
the sides Of the reservoir. The road dam
was raised about twenty feet for q. dis
tance OF from thirty TO forty rods. The
dam gave way once before 1t was finished,
but since It's completion 1t has been re-
garded as safe. ltwas built for the pur-
pose OF furnishing additional water Tor q
large new mill now IN course Of ferection.
1t was the intention TO raise the dam two
feet the present season. The reservoir
was used for the storage Of water for
Church & Bros, running two broadcloth
mills; for William Blush, ielloe, thill and
stsye factory, and for a mill owned by
Oliver Blush, formerly used as wooden
mill, bat lately as q grlst mill. These
were all mills situated on the Middlefeld
branch below the reservoir. Between
Middle6eld Switch and Chester there is
upon the west branch OF Westaeld River,
into which the Middlefield stream enters
from the west a .wOolen mill, formerly
used asa shoddy mill, and at Chester is
the Hampden Emery Mill. From Mid
dlefeld Switch the food poured down
toward Chester, whereit did very serious
damage, The water swept over farms,
gardens and woods, and several houses
were moved some distance. Ilsfs
The heaviest loser at Chester is Dr..
Hewans Lucns, who estimates his loss at
$4,000 by the partial sweeping away Of
his Emery Mill. The water went through
thelower story, carrying of about $4,000
worth Of emery. The water also did con.
siderable damage to the LHannie Edge
Tool Company. The water power of this
company Is entirely destroyed. Lucins
farm OF so acres was badly damaged.
Also the large farm OF Newton Cowles.
Nearly all the valley residents in the
vicinity Of Chester have suffered more OF
less, by damage TO farms and gardens.
Bradford Palmer's barn and Samuel Otis
shoe shop were moved some distance and
VIM. Faybson's furniture warehouse was
badly flooded. One building was under
mined and turned partly around.
The high water continued at Chester
for about an hour. The town Of Chester
suffers heavily in the loss OF bridges and
damage to roads. -Four bridges were car
ried of; and to replace these bridges will
cost about $4,000. besides several thou
sand dollars to repair these roads. The
Boston & Albany Railroad is very badly
damaged for distance Of nearly twenty
miles. Every bridge between Middlefeld
and Huntington is wholly or partly dc.
stroyed. The road bed is also washed
out in many places, and travel between
this city and Albany will be suspended
for several days. The wires are still down
beyond Chester, and no definite informa.
tion has been received as to the loss of life
at Blush Hollow, which, it is now thought
must have been considerable. ;,s ID n
s' FURTHER PARTICULARS.
SPRINGFIELD, July 13.-A special dis-
patch 10 the Union from Chester gives
the following additional particulars Of the
food: About twelve years ago island
reservoir was built AbDut three miles
further up the stream by Church Bros
This was smaller than the lower one and
covered from fifty to eighty acres. The
upper reservoir broke away first and
swept over the lower reservoir with ar
immense volume Of water, making breah
Of about four rods in the highway dam O
the lower reservoir. The upper reservoir
was built Of earth, and the whole dan
suddenly gave way. Harry Mecham wa
OF the reservoir at the time and made
haste to warn the people at Blush Hollow
his warning and the fact that but a parl
Of the lower reservoir dam gave way, pre-
vented loss Of life and also very much
lessened the damage done. ra7e
The Boston 8 Albany Railroad Com
psny suffers heavily. At sMiddleaelt
Switch the long two arched stone bridge
under which the Mlddlefeld, Brook &
Turnpike run was swept away, and also
aconsiderable length ofthe track, amount
ing in all to abouttwo hundred feet, It will
coat about 100000 to repair this break
and will require considerable time. Be
tween Middleaelds Switch and Chester
depot there are eight railroad bridges
five ofwhich are either unharmed or bu
slightly damaged, two Of these are otstont
costing esch &75OoO. OF the three bridge
which are so badly damaged as to need
70 be entirely rebuilt one is stone bridge
costing $4,000, the two others are thos,
next west Of Chester, one which was Il
have,been replaced this fall byGin iror
bridge. The loss on these bridees 4
about $4,000 each. The bridge mex
east ol Chester station, which is soon Il
be replaced by an iron structure Is DANA,
ged by the loss Of one of It's but.
ments, but 1t will be repaired b,
noon SO. that the trains can run
between Springfield and Chester. Th,
track is washed out in many places Yves
Of Chester, butn damage Of any amour
Is reported west Of Middlefeld Switch
Work viii be prosecuted on the bridge
as fast as possible, but the Superintendent
estimates 1t will be several days befor,
the road will be passabIe. It win prob