Connecticut western news., 1874-09-18
The NIiddlefiela Disaster.

NE. EDITOR Middlefield has become known as the scene ot tho second Hamp- shire county flood During my sojourn here, four or five weeks past, have trav- ersed the track made by that freshet What was formerly mere brook flowing through fine meadows, now resembles the bed of a river as large as the Housatonic, except that the roots of overturned trees are piled up here and there. The broad meadows are laid waste by deep gullies and sand and gravel. followed the path of the torrent more than five miles, the latter half of the way where had been along the rivers bank the road from Middlefeld Hollow to the railroad station. For many rods, perhaps for half 8 mile, the stream now flows in deep channel where the road formerly passed. The road had been used thirty-five years.
 had an interview yesterday with the he TO of the hour, Dea. Harry Meacham. Ills promptness it was, together with one of those accidents which arc more truly term ed providences, that prevented this disaster from being marked with the destruction of life. His house is thlee miles from the church at Middlefeld Center. At the latter point, and in the Hollow mile to the west. there had been on that Sabbath day but slight rain. But at Dea. Meacham's house and four or five miles north in Hinsdale and Peru, where are the sources of the stream. occurred the hardest all day ram that was ever known. It also rained the previous night and during the week. The Deacon after his return from church went in search of two boys who had gone down to the dam half s mile to the west. He at once saw that the reservoir was very full, so full in fact that he concluded an upper smaller pond must have broken loose. Still there seemed at first view no immediate danger; but tine dam made of earth, with road over it. had become softened by the rains, and before he left the spot he saw it give way-'a hole in the middle of the dam as wide as this room'-the parlor where we were. He made for the house saw the boys he had come in pursuit of in the road; called to them to get out the horse and bridle him, and dashed down the road shout ing 'Reservor' at every house as he passed. Half mile from the Center, MT. Oren Pease hearing the alarm, started across the fields, and with stentorian lungs and throw ing up his arms, passed the word reservoir to the Hollow little before the Deacon was in calling distance.
 Another thing which contributed to the saving of life was the fact that the reser- voir nearest the factories had been lowered three feet. This latter circumstance was the salvation of the more skeptical, who in view of the situation. were very slow. Two sides of the Factory Village were thorough ly.swept. leaving an island on which the store and three or four of the largest resi- dences were left unharmed. Among the buildings thus passed over was barn In which was young man who staid little too long. When his situation flashed upon him he was with difficulty prevented from plunging into the stream rushing on both sides of him.
 The Church Brothers are vigorously at work rebuilding the chief reservoir. The county commissioners meet the l7th day of September to locate a road between Factory Village and the depot Complaints have been made in some quarters. as was per haps natural, of the losses which have fall en upon individuals in consequence of this flood. It is true that life was imperiled by the condition of the three reservoirs in such season as the present. Still had the rain been as severe at Middlefield as it was three miles north of here, the damage would have been averted by drawing off the reservoir. AS it was, favoring circum- stances accomplished what, under ordinary conditions, human foresight would have effected. A plain dictate of humanity is to guard in rebuilding against the possibility of such another calamity, or worse, recur- ring. AS regards actual losses in property and from the increase of taxes, it should be considered that the Church Brothers by their enterprise have benefited Middlefield far more than the freshet has now damaged 1t. Thanks to them, the citizens vhave daily mail. The church and every good cause have in them liberal supporters They pay fully third of the taxes of the town. As was said by prominent business man here, Take away what the Church Brothers have done and bIiddlefeld would be no more than tho poorest of these hill towns. It will pay the farmers to weigh their indebtedness to the proprietors of a thriving village in their midst, and like pru- dent men do all they can to retaln among them such business tact and public spirit, such source of general prosperity.
 N. G. B.
 Middlsfeld, Mass, Aug. osth, 1874.