Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-07-23
IANoTHERDAM DISASTER
Immense Damage to Farms,
Bridges and Railroad
Tracks.

SPRINGFIELD, MASS, July 13.-
Details are coming to hand of a Sec
ond food in Hampshire county,
Mass, caused by the giving way Of
the factory reservoir of the village
of Middlefield. The Union gives
tho following particulars:
The reservoir was situated on
Middlefield brook, which empties
into the West branch of Middlefield
river at Middlefield switch. 1t COW
ers nearly one hundred acres, and
was built about thirty years ago by
Uriah Church, father of the present
owners The reservoir was made
by raising the main road from Mid
dlefield Center to North. Beckett
hills. On either side of the stream,
forming the sides of the reservoir,
the dam was raised about twenty
feet for a distance of about forty
rods. The dam gave way once be-
fore it was finished, but since the
completion it has been regarded as
safe. For the purpose of furnishing
additional water for a large new
mill now being erected, it was the
intention to raise the dam two feet
the present season. The reservoir
was used for storage of water for
the Church Brothers broad-cloth
mills, for William Blush's felloe,
thrill and stave factory, and for the
mills owned by Oliver Blush, and
formerly used as worsted mill, but
lately as grist mill. These were
all the mills situated on the Middle
field branch. Below the reservoir,
between Middlcfield switch and
Chester, there is, upon the West
branch of the Westfield river, into
which the Middlefield stream enters,
Vests wooden mill, formerly used
as a shoddy mill, and at Chester
there is the Hampden emory mill.
From Middlefield switch the food
poured down toward Chester, where
it did very serious damage. The
waters swept over farms, gardens
and woods, and several houses were
moved some distance. The heaviest
loser at Chester is DR.. Hemans Lu-
cius. who estimates his loss at $lO,-
900 by the partial sweeping away
of his emory mill. The water went
through the lower story, carrying
off about $4,000 worth of emory.
The water also did considerable
damage to the Hanum Edge Tool
company. The water power of this
company is entirely destroyed. The
Lucius farm of fifty acres was badly
damaged. Also the large farm Of
Newton Cowles. Nearly all of the
valley residents in the vicinity of
Chester have suffered more or less
by damages to farms and gardens.
Bradford Palmer's barn and Samuel
Otis's shoe shop were moved some
distance, and William Fay Il Sons
furniture warehouse was badly
flooded out. The building was un-
derminQd and turned partly
around.
, High water continued at Chester
for about an hour. The town of
Chester suffers heavily in loss of
bridges and damage to roads. Four
bridges were carried out and to re-
place these bridges will cost about
$4,000. besides several thousand
dollars to repair roads. The Boston
and Albany road is very badly dam
aged for a distance of nearly twenty
miles. Every bridge between Mid
dlefield and Huntington is wholly
or partially destroyed. The road
bed is also washed out in many pla
ces, and travel between this city and
Albany will be suspended for sever
al days. The wires are still down
beyond Chester and no definite in
formation has been received as to
loss of life at Blush Hollow, which
is now thought must have been con-
siderable.