The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1874-05-23
Terrible Calamity in Massachusetts.

Last Saturday morning, about O'Clock,
frightful calamity occurred at the manu'aC
turing villages OF Williamsburg, lIaydenvill
and Leeds, lying along Mill creek, in llamr
= shire county, Massachusetts,, Il few mile
north of Springfield. Mill creek is tributo
II nv of the Connecticut river, and Few mile
: above Williamsburg divides into tw'
u branches, the upper waters of which are col
lected into large reservoirs, covering pcrhap
n 1000 acres and 6 feet in depth, and where TIN
D branches unite there is another reservoir
. covering about 1875 acres and 30 feet in depth
) 1t was this last reservoir that gave way ant
caused the disaster. II was formed by build
: ing dam across narrow valley, the dan
} being some 60 feet wide at its base and bon
feet at the top. 1t was built of common ru1
base tapering wedgelike TO the top, and fill
ed in on the upper side with earth and gravel
For years the dam had been regarded as in
, secure but beyond an attempt to repair il
last spring, 10 efforts bad been made to rem
der it entirely secure.
A gate keeper lived near the dam to let on
or shut off the water that turned the machin-
cry of the mills at Williamsburg, two miles
below and at Haydcnville and Leeds, still
further down. On Saturday morning, just
as the gate keeper had sat down with his
family to breakfast he discovered that the
dam was giving way He hurried out and
amid the utmost danger opened lie gates to
Tighten the pressure, and then mounted a
horse and hurried to the villages below to
give the alarm, arriving few minutes ahead
of the waters. Of course the widest excite.
ment instantly prevailed, everybody rushed
into the streets, men, women and childen vel.
ling and screaming with alright and rushing
to elevated places for safety, But on came
the food, carrying everything before it. 1t
struck the southeastern part of Williamsburg
first, and carried away dwellings by the
score. Thence ii passed to "Skinnervllle,'
suburb of Williamsburg, sweeping away Mr..
SINNERS large silk mills, boarding and dwell
ing houses. Next Haydenvlle was struck,
carrying off Hayden, Gere 81 Cos large brass
works; and then it passed on to Leeds,
where large number of factories shops and
dwellings were swept away. In all these
places, so terrific was the force Of the waters
that large stones and machinery were swept
through the streets at fearful rate, bearing
down every thing before them.
The loss of property, Of course, was i'm
mense, few estimates putting it below So ,000,-
600 But the saddest part of the calamity is
the loss life. In most of the factories more
or less operatives had already gone to work,
few Of whom escaped except by the bares
chance; while scores of others were struck
Town in their dwellings or overwhelmed in
he streets and carried away. In one case
seven young factory girls had taken refuge
in tree, but which was uptorn by its roots
and all persisted. The loss OF life is es,imat-
ed at not less than $50 and may reach 200.
Bodies are constantly being found and in
some cases of persons not supposed TO have
been in danger
OF course the whole district is overwheln-
ID with grief Nothing" says a letter from
he scene Of disaster, could exceed the pain
full excitement Of the search for the dead uR-
less it is the still greater horror Of the extern. !
porised morgucs all along the road of the
calamity. To behold the scenes presented IN
hese temporary harborages Of the victims
made the stoutest heart quail, and the faintest
nerves shudder and almost give way with
sickening repulsion, They lay on the rude
boards, often without shred of clothing
left, or, if clad, with every garment irayed TO
mere shreds, men and women in horrible in
varlobieness of agony. There lay children, -
many little children,-their little beloved
faces beaten and bruised and yet now and
then one as sweet and placid as when its last
goodnight kiss was given. Many veteran
soldier, who had been hardened to death in
battle, and cared little for the sight of dead
men, found this spectacle of the innocent lit
tie ones more than he could bear, and many
strong man found his eyes moistening with
unwonted tears. No one was ashamed of
tears, there and thus; one would have been
less than human to hold them back"
Since the calamity and the burial of the
dead, the survivors are being cared for by
b liberal contributions from the neighborlng
: cities and states The state legislature voted
) large SUM to aid the sufferers while the leg
e isIalure OF Connecticut voted them $1,000,
Il ana contributions from New York, ALBANY,
Is ana all the surrounding cities are flowing IN
S with generous liberality
q |
Y Inc 'hicago Times devOtes whole page
to the political situation and outlook of the
h various congressional districts of this state
and prognosticates as to the chances of N,
different political organizations in the 70
spective districts next fall. In reference :,