Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-05-23
THE RESERVOIR DISASTER.
Terrible Scenes in Mil River Val
ley--Relief for the Survivors
Thrilling Accounts of the Great
Calamity.

n
Calamity.
New York, May 18.-Specials
from the scene of the Massachu-
sets food state that on the west
bank of Mill River in the Goshen
reservoir, larger by nearly one
i,alf than the bursted Ashfield res
ervoir,to which it has been always
reckoned inferior in strength. 1t
is owned by the same men whose
own fortunes with their own res
ervoir have just been wrecked.
The people OF the valley sent Up
on Saturday three messages in
quick succession 10 get the gate
way Of the Goshen reservoir open
and left o. Ell till the dam could be
examined and strengthened, if ne-
cessary The gate Keeper refused
to open it, and finally Saturday
night an agent of the water COM
pany went up in person and COM
PEELED him to leave off the water.
Here there are two reservoirs, one
above the other iu the same line,
the lower and larger twelve years
old, and the latter new. The PEG
pie of Mill river valley have prom
ised themselves that no want OF
care shall make possible such
another overwhelming disaster.
Rumors as to the dams having
leaked two weeks are rife, but it is
also stated that they had been in
spected on Friday and reported all
right.
THE MAN WHO TOOK UP THE CRY
at Hadenville and carried it to
Leeds was Myron Day. A little
before eight O'Clock, while all the
people of this place were just go
ing to work or finishing their
breakfast, their attention was at
tracted by The appearance of My
ron Day from Haydenville on a
horse shouting, 1.-THE reservoir is
broken save yourselves, for
flood is at hand" He rushed for
the bridge over the dam, and had
got about half way over it when
the roar of the coming waters was
heard by the inhabitants, who at
this time stood at their doorstepS.
He dashed toward Florence, and
the people looked north toward
North dam, and saw there what
seemed to them as the cres of an
enormous moving wood pile, fifty
feet high. They knew what it
was and rushed wildly up the
slopes to safe quarters. Their
houses were left just as they stood,
with tables spread for breakfast
and children getting ready for
school
Measures for immediate relief
have been instituted at Hayden
vile. Mr.. Hayden sent out no
tice to rebuild his works and offers
to employ all those who ever
worked for him, or are needy, in
clearing away the debris.
The number of dead and missing
will number far more than any
has heretofore anticipated.
Hundreds of acres, are covered
with remnants of the sad villages
which once adorned the tract of
coudtry running miles through
Hampshire county, and now a bar
rem waste of land, stones.
RUINS AND CoRpsEs.
Ladies and. children in North
ampton are contribu ing to the
wants of the living by sending
garments to the committee at the
town hall. To devise further aid
a meeting to day will be held at
the town hall, and this morning
again trains full of men were to be
sent 20 clear away and build up,
temporarily at least, on the ruins
Ofthe villages.
ONE OF THE III ERoES DE THE OC'
is Collins Graves, a milkman who
was at the livery stable in Viii
liamsburg, where Gatekeepei
Cheney was trying 10 get SEINE
one to spread the news below
"The dam is breaking" said
Graves, after listening TO Chen
ey's fragmentary story, "the folks
must know it," and lashing his
feet horse into a run, he dashed
away toward Haydenville, shout
ing: "The reservoir is right here.
Run-it's all you can dol" On went
the horse and rider, spreading
the alarm, Graves shouting all
the way. He made directly for
the manufacturing establishments
"for," said he, 1.-The people could
hear il. but the roar of the facto-
ries would drown any warning
for the operatives" At Ckinner-
r Vile the messenger was five min
utes ahead of the coming torrent,
but at Haydenville they had but