Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-05-18

IN nfteen mlnutes. 1t was then about y. 81 |
o'clock. Driving to the house of Mr.. Spell |
man, who had general charge of the reservoir,
he summoned that gentleman from his break
voir' sgoing!' 1t was but the night b-fore that
Cheeny had been talking with him about the
reservoir, and both had agreed that everything
looked all right for the summer. Speelman
could not at first credit the statement He
thought the man little sacred, and to his
startling announcement replied, mo; it can't
be possibleI' but CheeDy quickly told him
about the giving away OF the earth and streams
of water rushing through, and soon convinced
that the danger was most imminent, the first
duty was to warn the people farther down the
stream Cheeny's horse was exhausted, and
he directed him to 60 to the livery stable,
where again precious moments were lost 10 con-
yincipe incredulous people. The messengers
story could not be true. Finally horse was
made ready, and fresh man got of to notify
dwellers further down the stream.
| Collins Graves, mikman who was at the
| livery stable 10 Williamsburg where gate-keep.
er CHEEKY was trying to get some one to spread
the news, exclaimed: "lf the dam is breaking
the people must know i'll and asbing his
horse into run he dashed away toward Hay
denve, shouting, 1.-The reservoir is right here;
run It's all you can do 1t was now quar-.
ter of eight, aud meanwhile Cheeoy had rung
the bell of the Congregational Church to FUR
Their warn the village folk. On went the horse
and driver, spreading alarm, Graves shouting
all the way. He made directly for the manu-
featuring establishments "For, said be, "the
people in the streets and houses could hear,
but the roar of the factories would drown any
warning for the operatives"
At Skinnerville the messenger was i've MN
utes ahead of the coming torrent, but at Hay
denville bad but two minutes in which to
spread the alarm. This famous ride of Collins
Graves which saved many hundred lives, end
ed at the hotel 10 Haydenviile. The horse and
rider we're both exhausted, and here another
herald took up the tidings. Graves could hear
the thunder of the coming food, but, not fully
approaching its extent, he turDed to 60 back to
Williamsburg At the dugway the disaster
which he had predicted burst upon his sight,
and he had just time to turn off into bank
when it crashed past him. Indeed, he vas
not twenty seconds too soon, and as 1T was be
had almost despaired of reaching place Of
safety, and had soon thought OF abandoning his
tired steed to it's fate.
The reservoir broke about o'clock 10 the
morning, aod the water came rushing down
the hills, carrying everything before it, 1t
struck the southeastern portion OF Williams
burg village about two miles north OF Hayden
vile, carrying away large number OF dwell
ings, thence to SkiDnervllle, where it swept
away Mr. Skinner's large silk mills and his
boarding and dwelling houses. Continuing on,
HAYDN, Gere 4 Co., sweeping it away in an
instant. Large stones and machinery were
swept through the main streets of Haydenville
at fearful rate, and we'll built houses were in-
stantly crushed, not giving the inmates mo-
ment's warning.
The food then struck the village of Leeds,
where large number of shops, dwellings, &C.,
we're swept away The loss of life is very
heavy, whole families 10 some instances hav
ing been carried away oyer dams, aud were
either killed or drowned. Whole blocks of
tenement houses filled with women and chill
dren were swept down the stream, and all the
| inmates of course, were lost. During the day
at Haydenville bodies were constantly being
brought in and laid 10 the church. Most of
them can be recognized.
There were narrow escapes. A butcher
named Michael Henegan vas caught, and with
his horse and wagon carried along until he
managed to get into the top of a tree, aud thus
escaped. Thomas Tomesay was carried two
miles aaoat 90 some timber untll he finally es-
capped. Ira Dunning was in like manner car
ried over half mile, and Charles Brady, after
riding 10 Imminent peril for mile. escaped 10
tree. Dr. johnson warned his wife in sea-
son to enable her to escape in safety, but in
trying to save his three children he was caught
by the food, and they all four persisted 10 sight
of the agonized wife and mother.
| Conductor E. NJ. Chandler passed over the
road early Saturday morning with his train,
from Williamsburg for New Haven just ahead
of the food, which swept away his wife ADD
child Engineer Roberts, who was to start out
on the next train, lost his wife and child just
below Williamsburg the food swept away Skin
uer's factory, with several women operatives.
who has just begun work.
Reports were in circulation IN Boston
that Lieut.. Gov. Talbot and his wife we're in
Hydenve at the time the disaster occurred,
but they are untrue. Governor Talbot left
here on Thursday for Northampton on private
business, accompanied by his wife, who has
since returned, and he is supposed to be 10
Northampton.
There we're between fifty and sixty dead
bodies recovered on Saturday, and organized
searching parties are going over the course OF
| the food 10 search OF Others
| The bodies recovered are terribly mangled,
and many of them are stripped of every particle
| of clothing.
At Haydenville and L ,edsItbe dwellings not
destroyed are turned into charnel houses and
hospitals.
A train on the Canal road has gone out to
Leeds with provisions,
Florence thieves are pilferng the trunks of
factory girls at Leeds
Sunday bad been set apart at Haydenville for
memorial services in honor of the late Lieut.
Governor, when all the members of the family
were expected to be present.
The mills on the stream, reckoning from
Williamsburg down to Northampton, are as
follows: VIM. Thayer's tool factory, employ
inc twenty. five men, and two button factories,
together employing thirty hands, men aud girls
the tour-set wooden mill of Henry James, EN-
ployine about fifty hands; the large brass works
of Gere & Co., at Hayden, employing some
three hundred hands, and perhaps the largest
and best appointed factory Of the KIDD in the