Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-07-14
A Te5riblJ Destructive Raln.StOrm in
Berkshire, Observation-Disclosures
swollen to TOrreBts-Prep-
erty Ruined.
Giving Away OF Another Reservoir and
Several Uilldams-Nany Lives Sup
posed 70 have been Lost
Bridges Swept Away.
Several hundred Thousand Dollars
Worth Of Railroad and Mil Prop
erty DestrOyed-NarrOW Is
eapes-Full Particulars,

"
day evening and cOnlinUed more tha'
rwenty-fOUr hours. Between two an'
f1ur O'Clock SUNDAY evening the rail-
fen in stupendous floods, the culminat
imp point or the storm being in Washing
ton. Hinsdale and vicinity, from whicl
streams poured down with great viO
leuee. Ashley brook was swollen TO |
torrent. and the reservoir OF waller wa
relieved by the giving away OF forty fee
Of the dam, which throws the water 0
the brook into II, the damage being
about ten thousand dollars. The wetel
supplv Of tle town was suddenly cut OF
but temDoIary connection viii be made
to-day unless, SIS is feared, tue pipes are
clopred with gravel in the Hinsdale
Tracey or Ramsge dam; and the dam o
piunkett's Jericho mill were carried
away. The roads and streets are very
lladly washed. Some small bridges sr,
carried sway, and the bay crop Is dam
ared 20 the extent OF many thousand
dollars by the overflow and lodging
No damage is reported TO railroads eX'
cent between PiUtsfield and SpriE gfield
bg- sll trains from the west are stopped
here.
Details sIe coming to hand Of a second
Ao,d il Hampshire county, Massachu-
setts caused by the giving way OF the
reservoir Of the factory, at the village OF
Middle6eli. The Union gives the fol-
lowing particulars in its noon edition
The reservoir was situated on Middle
field brook, which empies into the
west branch of Washiield uveTi al
Niddiefisii switch. Ii covers nearly
one hundred acres, and was built about
thirty years ago by UTiEh Shurcn, lAtil-
.ero OF the present. owners. Inc reservoir
VS. made bv raising the main road from
gTiddiefiald Center to North Beckeihiils
On either side OF the stream, forming the
3 S6es Of the reservoir. The road dam
Va = raised about twenty feet for dis
faDc Of from thirty TO forty rods. The
80, gave way once, before II was I'm
isLed but since its completion IL hss
Aasn Re. gaIded as safe. For the purpose
4 f1ruis 3 ng additional water Tor large
NV mill now being erected II was
the intent iOn to raise the dam Two
feet during the present season. Inc
reservoir was used for storage water Tor
Church Bros, running two broadcloth
mills f0r William Blusk; Fellal, shell
and stone fsctOry, and FOR the mil
owned hy Oliver Biusk, and formerly
41srd ss A water-mlll, but lately as q
gri-t-mil These were all mills STU
7ted ON the Midilefield branch below
+l,s ressFvOir. Between Middlefield
switch ami Chester there Is on the west
branch OF Westfeld river, into which
fhe MidGlefiald stream enters on Ihe
west \ water-mill formerly used as 3
sboddv-uil. aud IT Chester there Is the
T4au1f1Ieu emery-min From Middle
hung switch the flood poured down to-
ward Chester, where 1t did very serious
damage. The water swept over Iarnsi
Gardens s1d woods, and several houses
were moved some distance. Inc
heaviest loser at Chester Is Dr. hemans
Tusiaus, Who estimates his loss at ten
thousand dollars by the partial sweep
ing away Of his emeTy-mill. The water
,r.Sut through the lower story carrying
of ,b1ut lwenty thousand dollars worm
~ argfrv, The water also did con-
siderable damage 10 the HAnum
doc tool company. The water
,,1Svsr of this company is entire
r. destr9ved. Lucians's farm OF
f tv acreg was badly damaged, also a
-lerSa farm of Newton COwles. Nearly
IIIbe val ey residents in the vicinity
~ Chester have suffered more or less ~
me damage 20 their farms and gardens.
Vradf3rf PalmeT's barn and Samuel
Orfsrs shotshop were moved some dis
tarca. anC Wm. Fay & Sons furniture
warehouse was badly Il Joded. An ont
luildiug was undermined and turned
around, The high water cnnuued al
Chester about one hour. The town OF
Chester suffers heavily in the loss ot
Fridges aud damage to the roads. -Four
I-idEes were carried oil and to replace
flse-s bridges viii cost about ten thou
sard dollars, besides several thousand
.I1Tlarz TO -etgir the roads. The Boston
~ Albany railroad is very badly dam
----sd f,r g. distance az nearly twenty
1Stles Every bridge between Middle
faIa and huntington is wholly OF part
I'd de-troyed. the roadbed b. also washed
IN. iu macy places, aud the travel be-
-. "a tuis city aLd Albany viii be sus-
- Il f1!- sevsral DAYS. The wires are
afil dvwn beyond Chester and no deli
-.ifa info rIuatiJn has been received a. 10
I'D los b. life at Blush Hollow, which
n Is now tuought must have been con-
a sp.e.sI q .'spatch to the Ua5Oa from
Chester glves she following additional
1articuIan OF the flood: About twelve
vaar- ago A 5eoont reservoir was Dullt
es1ut three miles fu-theT Up The stfe&m
by Church Brothers. Ihls was smallei
J6al. the over one ana covered rom
gfty % eighty acres. Ire upper Ies9i-
yoiT broke away first and swept over me
lower reservoir with an imme,'se Noi ,lule W
8f water, making q break Of ABOUT iouI
rods in the highway. The dah ol lle Llle
lower reservoir and upper reservoir wa
built Of earth, and the whole dam SUI
denly gave way. Harry heac1ain va
me razervoir at the time and MADE
u. arsHsIn At
rsVy His warning and the TACT that buJ
.-.-ri ve wsy prevented the loss OF life,
- 81. yerV much leesened the dam
80 done The Boston and Albany rai.-
-.lT eor,nany suffers heavily at
tri9dlefeld switch. The long stone
I-Iegs under which Middleneld brook
md ihe turnpike run, was swept away
,l,o. ! considerable length OF track
=. souutfug la al to about two hundred
& Id ,FiI cost about one hundred
1i.... and dollars to repair thus Dreahi
.-J ~, n require considerable tine. Be
-, \ Evtltleheld switch and chester
49, +hei.a are eight railroad bridges
,i,i. rf yrfi.h are either uuharmed OF
80 .rig79fiv dama,Ted. Two OF these
srs I'd .folia. costing each seVenty-nNe
fbouzaUd dollars. OF three bnoges
winch are 20 badly damaged a. TO need
tote entirely rebuilt, one y stone
,.ridge costing forty thousand dollars,
liFile two others are those next west OF
e6ester. one Of which was 70 have been
ranjaesd his fall by an iron bridge. The
- ou tlese bridges is about fifteen
tboussad dollars each. The bTidge next
es-f of Chester station, which was soon
io be replsesI by an iron structure,
l. damaged by the loss OF one
I'D fts abutment-, Dut u VIII
repaired by noon, 50 that trains can
um between Springfield and Chester.
Me trsez Is washed out in many places
Eest of Chester, but no damage oi any
zmount is reported west OF Midaleneld
sviteh. Work viii be prosecuted on the
hnidges So fast as possible, but the super
i1te6dsuc estimates thst it viii be sew
al das-s before the road VIII be pas
spIe. ii will probably cost one nuhdIed
and nv thousand dollars to rebuild the
6ridges aud repair the road, while me
ioss 6y the interruption Of business VIII
be very heavy, particularly as TINS Is
fhe week Of the college rsces AZ sara
loga. The muls Of Church Brothers are