The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-28
THE DELUGE OP THE VALLEY
Partial Revival Of Tranquility and In
duStry in the NeighbOrbOod.
THE NUMBER STILL MISSING.
Testimony Of a Civil Engineer on the
Construction of the Dam.

NORTHAMPTON, Mass, May 81, 1874.
Restored tranquility and partial revival OF In.
dustry are mingled with the general gloom and
melancholy OF the Mill River Valley. It win be a
long time, though before the desolated aud de-
vastated region will resume its former thrifty ap-
pearance, and not for q whole generation win be
removed the cloud OF sadness which the disaster
has brought upon this once happy and prosper
GUS community. or the lao victims actually
known to have persisted in the awful
deluge Of the fatal morning all but nve
have been recovered and identified. When
the disaster occurred many were reported missing
who have since appeared alive and well, and on
account OF their absence the death list was mad
vertently exaggerated.
=. .M THOSE NOW MISSING,
and whose bodies will probably never be found,
are Alexander Lanier, Arthur Sharpe IA boy), ana
child OF Edward Harmon, OF Leeds, and daugl-
tiers oil Mrs. Posey and Mrs. John Wilson, OF Hay
densvile. both OF whom were lost with their chill
dren. 1t was probably the body OF one or these
children that was seen to go over the Connecticut
River dam, OF Holyoke, the same afternoon that
the dam broke away. W #84
The work OF rebuilding will soon be commenced
with more or less vgor In some Of the devastated
manufacturing regions The reconstruction or
VIC uCotAVJCu oAu uumdScu highways anu DTluReS
in the line OF the food has already commenced,
ana the old thoroughfares are rapidly becoming
passabe. much to the delight OF the crowds OF
curious visitors who daily visit the scene OF the
disaster. 1t now appears that there is no GER
tanty that Hayden, Gere & Co. will erect their
brass works on the site Of the old mandatory,
the cnief drawback being difference
with the New Haven and Northampton
Railroad Company. The firm, when their
factory is IN full operation, pays about
$4,000 per month 10 the railroaI company
for freight, and on account OF the corporation re-
using to expend S. 600 for turnout between their
factory and the main road the firm are seriously
considering the matter OF building elsewhere, an
event which will wholly destroy the commercial
prosperity Of haydensville. The other points
talked OF are Chicopee and HOlyoke.
THE CORONER'S INQUEST
There Is an earnest and painful interest mani
tested In the Coroner's investigation, which has
Ssnaay All s Town thus sns s
have been faulty ana signted in every
particular. The testimony to-day, like all that has
tended to strengthen this opinion Even one col Of
the contractors said that when he was building 1t
he was dissatisfied with the work and called the
attention OF the company TO the faults which ap-
peared dangerous in his mind. At one time he
said he thought seriously Of abandoning the job
would have done SO ii he had not sunk $4,000 in
the work. Even one OF the original corporators OF
the company VINO was On m the stand tods said
stood IN dread OF just such calamity as the one
which has occurred. Apart from these develop.
ALWAYS REGARDED AS UNSAFE
by many who lived in the line OF the fatal deluge.
Conductor Chandler, who lost his family by the
disaster, informed the HERALD correspondent to-
day that Tor years ne has lived in ear OF the struc
turc giving way, and more than one night, when
there were heavy rams, ne and his family aban-
doned their home, and lodged with negnbors who
now In progress is very thorough and the
jury very intelligent, 1t 10 not likely that
to the men whom their verdict as Wen as cubic
opinion Will designate as responsible for this ter
rfole calamity All they can do is to express an
opinion as to the cause ana responsibility, and
recommend measures to prevent recurrence OF
such catastropnes. There are no criminal laws TO
company, and inasmuch as the nimsy work was
approved and accepted by the County Commission
sponslbiilty Tor damages Occasioned BY the break.
ing away Of che DAM aA
THE TESTIMONY TAKEN.
The hour OF assembling this morning found but
small audience IN the court room, the people
generally evidently prelerring to read the news
FIRST man on the stand was George Raymond, civil
engineer, and employed by A. ID. Briggs Il Co., OF
surveys and estimates made for the Reservoir COM
pany prior 10 the building OF the destroyed
dam. He testified more particularly as to the plans
yesterday. showing by diagram Its general &c.
sign The more interesting and valuable part OF
ton Of the 1ns Of the reservoir which was more
was attended with the exhibition Of a large
ing. soil, &C., from the spot. map of
the reservoir, drawn on the black board, gave an
idea OF its present condition, the different sections
showing the length OF the several parts destroyed
and OF those remaining. A piece oil loan was eX-
n ha 40 N al q
point being ten or twelve feet above the level Of
the stream ITSELF the appearance OF the earth rem
dering II neary certain that IL was In its natural
position and he'd not been washed there Bunches
o. matted roots were also shown, taken from
ane ere aSovs the 9am Wncn won
weakening the dam. Investigation o. the bed
ding stone before referred to showed IL to be
only four ieet Elk inches In width and resting on
o very inadequate and insecure foundation,
though having to snstain a pressure OF several
tons from the twenty-five feet stone work above
1t. Special investigation was also made OF points
where the water trickled through the walls,
and on digging on the mortar one opening was
found seven Inches by an inch and hail. through
which the water had lowed; another three
inches by one inch, and at another place
mond found one twelve inches by three and one
half From the 1rst Two ne brought away speci-
9na sraef dne Wns k
o. the dam, near the outer lace, was cxhiolted,
water upon it; the sol and matted roots, first al.
| luded to, we're presented as showing the kind OF
material that underlay the embankment.
Joel Bassett, OF Easthampton, one Of the con-
tractors was recalled. He said he first received
the specifications under which the dam was butt
from Engineer Fem; with his partner, Mr.. Wells
been informed BY the COMMITTEES, Messrs. CLARK
| and Clement that the materials on the ground
| could be worked In, and would make as good y
| dam as they expected to build. They found the
stones on the lot TO be boulder rOcks--cobble
| stones, some Of which could be split and worked
IN to advantage while others could not; OF course
| when the wall became small toward the top they
had to lay small stones; Mr.. Bassett said that he
and Mr.. Wells dug testing holes to ind what SOIL
return they told the committee what they would
do the work for, according to Mr.. Fenn's
| estimates; II the amount was more, they were
10 be paid more II less less, with the understand.
Ing that whatever reductions were made by order
OF the committee should be from the top or the
diameter, but when 1t was put IN IA matter the
contractOra had nothing 10 do with AZ was fonnd