The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-07-14
by TELEGRAPH.
MASSACHUSETTS,.
Another Weak Reservoir.
Freshet iu the Western Part of ihe
State.
Many Buildings and Bridges
Swept Away.
Travel Suspended ON tiie Boston 4
Travel Suspended on the Boston &
Albany Railroad.

mill and four highway bridges, b. W. Palmer
barn and Samuel Otis's shop are swept AVA,
besides two railroad bridges partially destroyed
The dam of the Hampden Emery Company a
Chester is also carried oil and large amour
of emery with it.
Every one OF six or seven bridges on the Bos
ton and Albany, between Middlefield an
Huntington, is either wholly or partially wash
ed away, and there is a serious break betwee
Beckett and Washington. Railroad travel be
tween Springfield and Albany will be inter
rupted Tor several days.
oHRINGFIELD, July 13.-Details continue t,
DE received OF the flood in Hampshire county
caused by the giving way of the reservoir a
FACTORY Village, Middefed, between four ant
nve yesterday afternoon. The Union gives thu
following particulars:
The reservoir was situated on Middlefiel.
crook, which empties in the west branch 0
Westheld River at Middletield switch 1t GOV
ers nearly 100 acres and was built about thirt,
years ago by Urlah Church, he father of The
present owners, who started the business car
RED on by his four sons. The reservoir wa
made by raising the main travelled road from
Mlddleheld Centre to North Beckett the hill
on either side of the stream forming sides O
the reservoirs. The road dam was ra sed abou
twenty feet for distance of thirty or forty
rods. The dam gave way once before it wa
finished, but since is completion it has beer
It garded as safe, and for the purpose of furn
ishing additional water for large new mil
now being erected, 1T was the intention to raist
'ii M, .'atn TWO ieeG the present season
The reservoir was used for storage of watel
tor the Church brothers. for running two broad
cloth mills, VIM. Blush's felloe, thil and stavt
factory and for mill owned by Oliver Blush
la.eiy ased as d grist null. these were all the
u M Situated On the Miudieneld branch below
Sue Iesei'olI' between Middleheld switch and
Chester There is upon the west branch oil
the WeSttield river into which the MiddIafiald
stream enters, vests wooden mill, and al
oi1e ne, Inere ~ Inc Hanpden emery mill
rue toWu vi Ohester suifers heaviiY by the
.I9eisoIi uiSastei' IN tiie loss Oh bridges ana
.he ua,nase uohe 20 roads- eout bridges Were
en no on. 10 replace these VIII cost ABOUT
@io,ooo, auo seVefa, thousaua uoiiafs Will DC
required W repair the roads.
ABOUT t"eVe years ago a second reservoir
mas ouiio ABOUT unfee mics fufther up the
stream ny lhe Chufch brothers. ms was
sieiailer IMAM tue lower one, ADD covered from
my 10 elShty acres. Inc upper reservoir broke
away nrst, auout hai1-pas6 three, and swept
over Tue lower reservoir with an immense vol
ume OF water, making break of about four
rods IN the Highway dam. The upper dam was
buiit OF earth, and the whole bank suddenly
gave way. Harry Meacham was at the reser-
voir at the time and fastened to warn the peo-
pie OF Blush Hollow. His warning and the
fact that but a part of the lower dam gave
way, prevented loss OF Lille, and also much les
sened the damage done.
The Boston q Albany railroad suffers heav-
lily. AT Middlefield switch the long two-arched
Stong bridge was swept away, and also a con-
siderable length of the track, in all about 200
rect. LII Will cost about 100000 to replace this
break, ana VIII require considerable time Be-
tween the Middleheid switch and Chester de-
pot there are eight railroad bridges, five of
which are unframed or but slightly damaged
Ot the three bridges so badly damaged as to
fA hG nlKT ntNttttf
cost SfO,UUu. Iue other Two are those next
west OF Chester one OF which was to have
been replaced this fall with an iron bridge.
Inc loss on these is about Sl5, 900. The bridge
next east OF Chester was damaged by the loss
OF one OF the abntments. but will be replaced
to-day so that trains can come from Springfield
to Chester. Superintendent Russell has been
on the ground all the forenoon, and work will
De prosecuted on the bridges as soon as posi-
DE- Forces OF men will work both ways, COM
mencng at Chester and Middlefield, but it will
De several days before the road Will be passable.
1t will cost $3.50, 900 to rebnild the bridges and
remain tho road and the loss 5y lie Interrupt
tion Oh business VIII be very heavy, partcu-
iarly as thls IS the college sporting week at
oaIttoSa, ana Would dfaW many passengers
OVER ,II the road;
ire mus OF tne Church brotners are stand
my, pue IL Is reported that their new mill is
parity undermined. A wool house aud barn be-
longing to them We're carried off with contents,
including some valuable carriages.
Inc niSnway between Blush Hollow and
hiddieneid switch was entirely ool'terated, and
SIX bridges, Two OF them private and tour be-
longing to the town, were carried away.
1t is not known at this ii ne that any lives
were lost, but several narrow escapes from
drowning occurred. Several persons are report
ed missing but it is hardly probable that they
are drowned
a special dispatch to the Union from Pitts
field says that the heaviest rain known in
Berkshire county for years commenced Satur-
day evening, aud continued more than twenty
four hours. Between and Sunday .fternoon
the rain fell in floods, the eliminating point of
the shower being in Washington, Hinsdale and
vicinity from which the streams poured down
wlth.great violence. Ashley brock was swol
len to a torrent and the reservoir of the water
works was in great danger, but it was relieved
by the giving way of forty feet OF the DAM
which throws the water of the brook into it,
The water supply OF the town was suddenly cut
off, but temporary connection will be made
to day. unless, as is feared, the pipes are clog2ed
with gravel.
In Hlnsdae, the Tracy or Ramage dam and
the dam OF Plunketts mill were carried away
The roads and streets are very badly washed,
some small bridges are carried away and the
hay crops is damaged many thousand dollars
by the overflow and lodging.
No damage is reported to the railroads except
between PittSfield and Springfield. All trains
from the West are stopped here.
AT Mddlefield switch, two unoccupied hous-
es, one of them new, and owned by West,
Buckley & Co., paper manufacturers, were
swept away ana also an old red house used as
pay Office when the railroad was built Several
barns and outhuldings were also carried off at
the switch and farms and gardens badly dam
aged
The new WOODEN mill, middleway between
and C1ester, owned by John West,
jr, of littstield, was not injured, but both ends
of bis wooden dam and the bead of his raceway
were destroyed. His loss will be from 81, 600
to $1,000.
The following is later AMI correct statement
of the damage done at Blush Hollow and Mid
dleford factory village just below the broken
the large house owned by the Churches
aud occupied by Joseph King, was the first one
struck, the water passing clear through the
building and heaving out floors and windows.
The furniture dropped into the cellar Nearly
opposite was large house occupied by Alfred
% Brien. The flood struck this building upon
one corner cutting out the first story from the
main house entirely, while the floor of the Sec
ond story dropped down at one end and but for
a pile of debris which lodged near it the whole
structure woald undoubtedly have gone Off. On
the east SIDE OF the street. an old barn newly
htted, with horse shed, one house and build
ing formerly occupied Tor q boarding mouse put
recently used Tor storage, were swept away,
nothing remaining but few broken boards.
Just below tins is what remains OF Olver Blus-
ters house. one halt oil the large ell was torn
OIL and destroyed, and the upright portion OF
1t turned around at right angles, On the