Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-05-28
MIL RIVER INVESTIG4TION.

The following testimony of the reputed
heroes of the Mill River disaster. and the sec.
rotary and treasurer of the company, against
whom there existed considerable feeling, APP
pears in the report of the investigation:
There was an electrical stir and thrill
through the audience as the next witness, Col
Inns Graves. was called to the stand. He
proved to be a young man, probably under
thirty, with well-knit figure, of medium
height, a quiet, strong, honest face, with
thick, brown mustache and hair negligently
everything square, firm trow, we'll balanced
head, and a demeanor that was even shy.
He was going his rounds in his buggy ped
ding milk, when he noticed Cheney ride into
Belcher's stable yard with such an anxious
look that he drove in after him to find
what the matter was. He asked Cheney,
George what's the natter" Cheney an
swered, 1.-The reservoir is giving way" "Do
you mean it?" said Graves. YES replied
Cheney, 81 do" Then Graves sad, "Well,
if that's so, somebody has got to let them know
it. You, George, alarm the folks here and
I'll drive down the river" and with the word
he started. He gave the first alarm at Mr..
James wooden mill, telling Tom Brazil that
the reservoir had broken away and he must
alarm the hands. Then he drove on to Skin
nersville, met Mr.. Skinner and told him. lie
cried aloud as he passed every house, but met
no person on the road between Williamsburg
and Skinnersville. He met Nash Hubbard at
the door of the silk factory and called out,
'tThe reservoirs give away and is right here.
All you can do is to get away" He also met
George f. Smith and told him, Thaddeus
Bartlett, Mr.. Kaplinger and a boy, in breath
the same news. Ali this while he had not
seen nor heard the food. On he went. At
Hay den & Cores Office he left the same word
as at SINNERS. Drove on to Harris barber
shop and thence to Deacon Elan Graves
store, when he turned around and went back.
He first saw the flood as he got into the dug
way above the brass works, bearing down up
on him, and again turned down the river
Drove this time to the hotel and told Loomis,
the landlord, who then got his horses out of
the barn, and had hardly dene so when the
dam was gone.
Mr.. Graves was then questioned as to his
meeting any person on the way, and said he
met no one all the way to Haydenville, but
met jerome Hillman on horseback coming
from Skinnersville just as he entered the dug
way to go thither; that he caught sight of
Hillman and the great wave at the same time,
and heard him call out, ''Turn around, the
reservoirs right here" He escaped the flood
by driving up over the railroad track by the
church, and saw the houses and shops 90
down, and when he once more reached Cap
tain Kingsley's, near the dugway, everything
had been swept away, the time being, he
should think, some six or eight minutes. He
gave the alarm all along his way, but he could
not tell whether all of the people heard him.
The general alarm at Skinnersvlle was given
by ringing the factory bell, which struck as he
started away.
Myr0n Day, the forerunner of the flood to
Leeds, excited nearly as much interest as
Graves as he took his place to testify. He is
an older and more serious looking man than
Graves, and wears an air of business-like res
olution and keen sense Of duty and princi-
PIE. He is bereaved by the disaster of his
sister, the much beloved Mrs. Birmingham.
lie was driving to Williamsburg on his ex-
press wagon that morning and was before
Waite's store in Haydenville, on the west side
of the river, when he saw great rush of men
from llayden's brass works across the street.
Thinking there was fire he started for the
bridge, when man motiOned him to keep
back. At the moment he saw the water rush
by the savings bank; Immediately he wheeled
his team around and dashed towards Leeds,
hallooing as he went. AS he passed IIayden's
tobacco works he cried Fire" thinking they
would take alarm at that quicker than at
"aleI' ne cdlicu out 10 Il ulau at the cotton
mill as he turned on the iron bridge, and there
noticed the water coming over the cotton mill
dam. He drove as rapidly as possible to
Leeds, alarmed the silk factory and the emery
wheel works, then reused the boarding house.
ana down through the street to the button
factory, and to Hennessey's house at the foot
Of the street, and then turned back, and in
tended to cross the bridge to the west side
again; but the water was up TO his horses
knees, and he wheeled sharply and drove up
the hill by Ross store, where he stood awhile
and warned back the girls Of the silk factory.
who were making for the bridge, which in an
other minute was swept away. lie thought
he was seven or eight minutes between Hay
denville and Leeds, and knew he must have
gained on the water in that distance or he
could not have done what he did atterward.
On a suggestion that some one should 20 20
Florence, he drove down there; but the water
had lost much Of its force by that time.
One of the most important witnesses of the
inquest next stepped upon the platform in the
person Of Mr.. U. u. Spellman, secretary and
treasurer, since its organization, of the Will
liamsburg Reservoir Company. He was ex-
amined as to the dam and his connection with
it. He stated that he had been secretary and
treasurer OF the reservoir company since its
existence. He, Spelman, himself bought the
reservoir land in his own name There were
no preparations made for building before that.
He was up there perhaps not as often as three
or four times week, but was there very
often. He had nothing to do with making the
contract with Mr.. Bassett and Mr. Wells, but
understood that they were bound by the spec