Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1874-05-20
A TERRIBLE FLOOD.
THREE WHOLE VILLAGES SWEPT DOKs
THE CONNECTICUT.


THREE WHOLE VILLAGES SWEPT DOKs
THE CONNECTICUT.
One Hundred and Fifty Lives Lost.
BURSTING OF A RESERVOIR AND DEsoLATIos Of
THE VILLAGES OF WILLIAMSBURG, HAIDESs
VILE, sKINNERvILLE, \ LEEDS.
The most terrible disaster iE tie annals
Of Massachusetts, occurred in Hampshire
COUNTY on Saturday. The Williamsburg
reservoir, coverings tract of over ono hun
bred acres, gave way early 10 the forenoon,
precipitating the vast mass of water il
contained three miles down a steep and
barrow valley iu;o the thriving maDufac'
turing village of Williamsburg, and thence
farther down the valley through the WI
lagos of Haydenville, Leeds and Florence
into the Northampton meadows, where the
stream empties into the Connecticut. The
huge torrent dashing into Williamsburg
swept away, in a moment the manufac-
turing establishments and plumbers of
dwelling. houses, causing enormous de-
struction of property and terrible loss of
human life. The lower villages suffered
only less awfully. The latest figures of
the loss Of life make the total number IA,
divided between the three places as fol-
lows; Williamsburg 60; Leeds 40; Hay
denville 50. These figures only represent
the persons whose loss is positively known,
though the bodies CT all are not yet recov-
cred. Bodies arc constantly being found,
and IN some cases Of persons who were
not supposed to be lost, So it seems per-
tectly safe to say that the total loss of life
will exceed $50, if, indeed. It does no.
more nearly approach 200.
TIE LOCALITY.
Mill River, the scene of the disaster, is
a stream of about the width of the Me-
ponset, though not generally of as great
1t rises III the town of Williams
burg, and runs southeasterly until it emp
ties into the Connecticut just below North
On it are situated the manufac-
turing villages of Williamsburg, SINNERS
vile. Haydenville, Leeds, Florence and
Bay State Mills. The first three are in
he town of Williamsburg, and the last
hree in Northampton. The river in the
being subject to severe ~droughts,
be volume of water is kept uniform by
wo great reservoirs, the Goshen and the
Nilliamsburgh. The valley of the river
peculiar IN conformation, being very
arrow, and in no place much over SIX
uudred feet wide on the level. In places,
) at SkInnerville and Leeds, it is ex-
narrow, being li:tle more than a
efle between two hills. The river is IL
Bile to sudden frcshcts, and owing to its
arrow valley rises to a great height.
long its banks were located numerous
manufacturing establishments in which
as invested a capital estimated at So.
90, 900, and with which about FIVE thous.
I'D people were connected directly or in
The Williamsburg reservoir has
ways been considered unsafe. and in {
mes Of food has been thought of with
pprehension by the jewellers in the val.
y. A young gentleman in HaydenvilIe !
I'D the writer that two years ago at the
me Of a heavy rain his father would per-
lit none of the family to 60 to bed, but i
cpt them up with lights burning all night,
great was his apprehension concerning F.,
lie reservoir. The population of the val. {
y lies continuously along the banks of t
lie river, there being but little distinction I
the several villages. Most Of |
lc houses were built on the level portion {
the valley, which, where there were no ;
i0dings, formed small but very fertile {
eadows. {