The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-07-17
ANOTHER BURsTED RESERVOIR.
Middlefleld Valley, in Massachusetts,
Swept by q Disastrous Flood
Village of Chester Engulped-
Damage Estimated at $3.50, ,OOO-
No Lives Reported Lost.

lAA1kC VI &MCSAC1 6nE A1BCO
Damage Estimated at $3.50, 900
No Lives Reported Lost.
SPRINGFIELD, MASS, July 14.-De-
tails are coming in of a second flood in
Hampshire county, Massachusetts,
caused by the giving way of the reser-
voir of factory at the village of Mid
dlefeld The Union gives the follow
ing particulars in its noon edition:
The reservoir was situated on the
Middlefeld Brook, which emptied into
the east branch of the Westield River
at MiddIefield switch. 1t covered near
" one hundred acres, and was built
about thirty years ago by Uriah Church,
father of the present owners
The reservoir was used for the stor-
age of water for Church Bros, running
two broadcloth mills, for William
Blush, a felloe, thill, and stave factory,
and for mill owned by Oliver Blush,
and formerly used as wooden mill, but
lately as a grist mill. These were all
mills situated on Middlefeld Branch,
below the reservoir, between Middlefield
switch aud Chester.
From Middlefeld switch the food
poured down toward Chester, where it
did very serious damage.
The waters swept over the farms, gar
dens and woods, and several houses
were moved some distance. The heavi-
est loser at Chester is that of DIR. He
mans Lucius, who estimates his loss at
$4,000. by the partial sweeping away of
his emery mill. The water went
through the lower story, carrying off
about two thousand dollars worth of en-
cry. The water also did considerable
damage to the Hanan Edge-Tool Com
pany. The water-power of this compa-
ny is entirely destroyed.
The Lucius farm of fifty acres was
badly damaged, also n large farm of
Newton Cowles. Nearly ali the valley
residents in the vicinity of Chester
have suffered more or less by damage to
farms and gardens. The Boston and
Albany railroad is very badly damaged
for distance of nearly twenty miles,
Every bridge between Middle6eld and
Huntington is wholly or partly destroy
ed.
The road bed also washed out in many
places, and travel between this city and
Albany will be suspended for several
days. The wires are still down beyond
Chester, and no definite information has
been received as to the loss of life at
Blush Hollow, which is now thought
must have been considerable.
A special dispatch to the Union, from
Chester, gives the following additional
particulars Of the food: About twelve
years ago a second reservoir was built
about three miles farther up the stream
by the Church Brothers. This was
smaller than the lower one, and covered
from fifty TO eighty acres. The upper
reservoir with an immense volume of
water, making a break of about four
rods in the highway. The dam of the
lower reservoir was built of earth. and
the whole dam suddenly gave way
Harry Meacham was at the reservoir at
the time and fastened to warn the peo-
pie at Blush Hollow. His warming,
and the fact that but part of the lower
reservoir dam had gave way, prevented
loss of life, and also much lessened the
damage done.
The village of Chester owes its escape
from an almost entire destruction to the
fact of there being so many stone arch
bridges above that place, by which the
food was stayed for time, accommodating
in little ponds, to be let down in in
stallments on the village below. A sec
ond cause was the considerable width of
the valley mile above the village,
where tie waters spread out somewhat,
as they did i'll the Mill River food on
Florence Meadows, at Huntington,
There was but little damage done, the
flood having mostly spent its force be-
fore it reached there. Some of the
farms were flooded, and the water broke
over the back head of the Highland
Manufacturing Company's Mills, swept
through the lower story, and done some
damage to finished goods stored there.
At Westfeld, the next town below
Huntington, the island and some low
lands were flooded, but no great harm
was done.
The Springfield Republican estimates
the damages by the Middlefield disaster,
in roand Numbers, at $350,0OO, nearly
half of which falls on the Boston and
Albany Railroad. There was no loss of
life, Through travel westward can
hardly be resumed before Thursday,
while it is quite possible the railroad
will not get into running order till Ia