Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-05-21

greater part tolerably level, sIoping or
partly more or less on every side aud dot
tel over large part of its surface with
stumps OF trees that formerly occupied IL.
Below the reservoir the sight Is most
impressive. The vast mass OF water sud.
denly loosed and dashing down the narrow
valley has wrought such dcvast station as
one would not have believed pos ih,e with
out having seen it, The very bed of The
stream has been cut In places many feet
below the original course. aud Tor a long
distance the valley j. dpttc sometimes
cramned with huge rocks torn from the
reservoir. while the trees that IN many
places lined its bank have quite vanished
and those that marked the outer edge of
the torrent are all tattered aud torn. In
deed. as one stands on the remaining wall
OF the reservoir and looks about. the scene
Is most desolate and impressive.
HAIR-BREADTH ESCAPES.
most wonderful rescue. and probably
the only one Ct All adult person from the
Hood ITSELF at Leeds, was that of Mrs.
Mary Z. Harding. She WAS at work on
the second floor of the silk factory when
the alarm was given, and had reached the
ground when the shout was raised. Run
across the bridge" She started, leading
the whole company, but soon the cries
were OF another sort, and Come back, :"
and Don't go over" were sounded on
every side. Ii was too late for Mr.. Hard
lhg. though she was on the bridge and 20
ilg back was as perilous as going forward.
she ran as woman seldom ran before, and.
no sooner had she and perhaps halfa dnz-
en- others reached the farther shore than
that immense debris struck the bridge and
1t went down with a crash. carrying with
II six or seven girls and women who were
just a little too late.
The woman kept on running for the Ross
store. and making, a. she AYERS, pretty
good time, while her companions who
had crossed the bridge. entered the fated
boarding house. She passed the little gate
near the bridge. and just got through the
larger gate below the steps leading to III.
store when the water rushed up. carried
on The gate, and threw her down near the
lower stair. Luckily two men were on the
pank, and she was drawn up, nut not
moment too soon, for Just then the stems
went and the three had to seek safety high
or up the shore. The escape from The
bridge, from the descending debris. from
the chance Of entering the house as her
companions did. and from the water amer
ward. make Mrs. llarding's case A most
marvellous one, she being the only one of
all the thirteen who started over the
bridge, that was sayel.(
TIE RIDE or COLLINS GRAVES.
One of the heroes of the occasion il Col
ms Graves. milkman. who was at the
livery stable. where Cheney was irving to
get some one 10 spread the news below.
III the dam is breaking" said Graves, af.
Ter listening 10 theney's fragmentary
story. the folks must know it," and lash
inS his feet horse into a run. he dashed
away toward Vaudeville, shouting. The
Reservoir Is right here; It's all you can do.
IL was now quarter TO eight, and meanwhile
fletcher and Cheny hal rung the bell OF th.
congregational church to further warn the
village folks. On went horse and driver
spreading the alarm. shouting all the way.
lie made directly for the manufacturing
establishment, for" said he. THE people
could hear Ii, but the roar OF the factories
would drown any warning Tor the opera
tive. AT Skinnersville. the pair were five
minutes ahead OF The coming torrent. but
at Haydenvlle they had but two minute.
III which TO spread the alarm. Here the
famous ride. which will be sung In story
and told TO the credit OF Collins Graves
around the ilresides of williamson, for
ever. rs the salvation OF many hundred
lives, ended At the hotel. The horse and
rider tired and exhausted, gave out. and
here another herald took up the tidinss.
Grave, could hear the thunder OF the com
ming Hood. but not fully approaching il,
extent. he turned TO 20 back toward VIII
lamsburg. At the "Du.-way" the disas-
ter which he had predicted burst upon his
sight, aud he had just time to turn OF into
a ba'k near Captain kinsley's when IL
crashed past him. Indeed lac was not
twenty seconds g.,
had almost despaired OF reaching a place
of safety. and had thought of abandoning
his tired s;eed Ia his fate. Graves. by the
way. is Williamsburg boy. and has a
pleasant home on the hill. out of all dan
ger OF floods.