Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-07-13
TELEGRAMS TO THE STAR,
DISASTkOUs FLOODS In MASSA.
CHUsErrS.
More Loss OF Life and Property fran
b. Oxen Reservoirs

BosTos, July l3.-There was q great food
Saturday night and Sunday in western Massa-
river. dispatch from Chester says tie raiI-
read arch bridge, highway bridge. and two
dwellings at Middleheid Switch station are
gone. At Chester waste-dam aud Sh0iiy mill
tour highway bridges, b. w. Pslmer's barn
ana Samuel OTIS shop are swept away, besides
two railroad bridges partially destroyed. The
Gam OF hampton, Emory x Co, az Chester, Il
a'so carried away, and large amount OF emory
With IL. Every one OF six or seven BRIDGES o.
the Boston and Albany railroad between Mid
dieheld and Huntington Is either wholly or par
italy destroyed. TAe embankment OF the rail-
roao u also badly washed out in many places
aid there is a very serious break between
Beckett and Washington. Railroad travel be
tween Springfield and Albany will be inter
rupted Tor several days.
ANOTHER DAM DISASTER.
SPRlNGFIELD, Mass, July l3-DetAils are
coming 10 hand of a second flood in Hampshire
county, lass, caused by the giving way OF the
reservoir OF factory az the village of Middle
held; The Union gives the following psrticu-
lars In its noon edition; "fhe reservoir was sit
usted on Middlefeld brook, which empties into
the west branch OF the wastield river AT Md
dleheld switch. IL covered nearly one hundred
acres, and was built about thirty wears ago by
Crish Church, father OF the present owner, who
started the business now carried on by his four
sons. The reservoir was made by the raising OF
the main road from Middleteld center TO North
Becket, the hills on either side Of the stream
forming the sides Of the reservoir. The road
dam was raised about twenty feet fer distance
OF nom thirty To forty rods. The dam gave way
once before II was finished, but since its COM
pietion II has been regarded safe, and was
csed Tor the purpose OF furnishing additional
water for the large new mill now being erected.
IL was the intention TO raise the dam two feet
during the present season. The reservoir was
used Tor the storage OF water for the Church
brothers, running two broad cloth mills, for
Blushs felloe, thiell and stove factory ana for
the mill owned by Oliver Blush, and formerly
used as @ wooden mill, but lately as q grist mill
These were al the mills situated ON Middle
held branch. Below the reservoir between
Midclefeld switch and Chester there is upon
the west branch OF the Westfield river, into
which Middleteld stream enters, Vests wooden
mil, formerly used as a shoddy mill, and at
Chester there is the Hampton emory mills
From Middlefeld switch the flood poured down
towards Chester, where il did very serious dam
age. The waters Swept over the barns, gardens
and roads, and several houses were moved
some distance. The heaviest loser at Chester
Is DR.. Hemans Lucas, whose loss is 900 by
partially sweeping away his emory mill. The
carrying of about 500 worth OF emory. Ii also
did considerable damage TO DIR. Lucas axe man.
nfacturlDg business, carried on in an adjoining
building, under the name Of the Hannum Edge
Tool company. The water power Of this COM
pany is entirely destroyed. DIR. Lucas farm of
80 acres WAS badly damaged, as was also the
large farm OF Newton COwles. Nearly al OF
the valley residents in the vicinity OF Ches-
ter have suffered more or less damage.
tofaTms and gardens. Bradford Palmer's farm
and Samuel Otis shoe shop were moved some
distance, and VIM. Fay & Sons furniture ware
house was badly flooded out. The building was
undermined and turned partly around. High
water continued at Chester for about an hour.
and had it continued much longer the damage
would have been much more severe. The town
or Chester suffers heavily in the loss of bridges
and damage to roads. -Four bridges were
carried of. To replace these bridges will cost
about ten thousand dollars, and seve-
raj thousand dollars will be required
to repair the roads. The Boston and ALBANY
railroad is very badly damaged for a distance
of nearly twenty miles. Every bridge between
Middleheld ard Huntington is wholly or par
italy destroyed. The road bed is also washed
out in many places, and travel between this
city and Albany will necessarily be suspended
for several days. 1he wires are still down be-
yond Chester. and no definite information hs-
been received as 10 the loss of life at Blush Hol-
low, which. il is now thought, must have been
considerable.
TWO RESERVOIRS CONE.
SPRINGFIELD, July ia special dispatch
from the flooded district says that two reser
voirs, each covering about 100 acres, are gone
FURTHER PARTICULARS.
SPRINGFIKLD, MASS, July "a boom
holding an immense drive OF logs in ia
Com ecticut river, ar Turner's Falls, gave wav
this morning. The NoTthfeld bridge is though
to be in great danger.