The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-26

| she saw the dam give way. and when it wen
air, and It's appearance resembed q cloud o
! smoke; there was an awful roar. louder than
minutes from 'a the time the rss leaks were seer
the water had run out. She described the leaks
him. that they were mostly near the bottom
olthe dam. When the structure gave way It TOOK
| DAM The elder Mrs. Cheney the mother OF the
gatekeeper was also examined bat her story was
very brieL she said she could not look at 1t be-
cause y made her SICK TO her stomach. She con-
nrmed The statements OF the other witnesses con-
corning the existence OF leaks In the reservoir for
q long time before the calamity
THE BREAK FROM A DISTANCE.
hr. Robert Loud, who lives about mile from the
iatal reservoir, said that he heard loud noise
about seven O'Clock in the morning and looked
over toward the reservoir and saw that it was CIV
ing away at the TOP. He then started for the VII
lage TO give the alarm but the deluge overlook
hun, and he took to high ground to save his own
he, but not until after he had notified several OF
the coming danger Mr. Loud said he had never
examined the reservoir, bat he had always heard
1t spoken OF as a 1imsy structure.
distant from the dam, said that the noise sounded
ike heavy train OF cars but as there was rail-
thought tnat it might be q whiriwind. When he
looked In the direction OF the reservoir he saw
what was the matter and started for the village.
lie had about three-quarters OF mile start of the
hood, but was soon overtaken by it, and was
Obliged to 60 on hill to save himself from drown.
Ing.
j. ID. Gleason, the butcher who was at Spellman's
house when Cheney drove into the yard. said that
when ne arrived he was terribly pale and excited
he Immediately heard the roar OF the coming
hood, and vent up the road tosee II he could see
anything OF IL; he soon met the water, and his
horse became frightened and he tried to get home,
but the water got ahead OF him.
Lewis II. Porter. Williamsburg storekeeper,
breaking away through Mr.. Cheney He started
first for the grist mill to notify the men there but
seemed to him to be two waves Of the o.,
first taking away the mill and the second carrying
or several houses IN the immediate vicinity, in
Guiding those OF Mr.. Warner. and Mrs. Phelps and
Mrs. Parker. He was only four or i've rods from
the grist MIL when Y was !akep away and the
COLLINS GRAVES, THE MILKMAN,
about whose usefulness and heroism on the occa-
sion Of the calamity there Is considerable dispute
Cheney when he drove up to Mr.. Spellman's and
Mr.. Becher's livery stable; he thought that Cheney
horse he thought he would go in and find out
what was the matter; Cheney told him the reser-
the Tiyer win nus team and gave the alarm
to the operatives IN James, woollen mil; then he
run his horse down to Skinnersvllle and gave the
he arrived there. He told them to get out OF the
MILL that the water was right upon them, and I'M
He then went TO Haydensville and notified the peo-
pie the brass factory and other parts OF the viii
iage. soon after the dood came upon him and he
went up on the hills back OF the depot to save him.
sell. Mr. Graves then gave an account Of the
deluce as he viewed u, remarking that the whole
away IN five or SIX minutes.
The efforts which have been made to rob young
Graves of his deserved credit for his promptness
in giving the alarm are all in vain. There is no
doubt but his presence OF mind and rapid move
ments saved hundreds OIL lives, and none who are
familiar WITH the circumstances attempt to deny
this. He is intelligent young man and tells the
story or his movements on the morning OF the
mood in such modest and unpretentlous man ner
as to at once impress one with Its entire truthful
ness. So let the poets and song writer's keep on
with their praises.
SECRETARY sPELLMAN's STORY.
Mr.. Spellman, formerly the secretary and treas
urer oil the Reservoir Corporation, was next
notified OF the break by The gatekeeper, he said
that he directed him to ride on TO Leeds. Cheney
said that his morse could not go, ana then he told
him to 60 to Becher's and get another horse and
go on to Leeds. He don't remember whether he
told him to alarm the people or not, but that was
what he sent him for He then told Mr.. Bodman
to 60 and ring the church BELLS and soon
after the deuge came upon them. During
his testimony Mr.. Spellman produced the
records Of the corporation meetings. but there
was nothing contained IN them to show that any
one connected with the company ever had any
supervision over the work OF constructing the
reservoir. If there was any one who looked after
the matter II was the Board OF Directors, SO TAR
far as Mr.. Spellman knew. The contractors were
Emery Wells, Of Northampton, and Joel Bassett, OF
Easthampton. At no time, mot TO my recoec-
tlon,u said Mr.. Spellman, "was there ever any
complaint about improper work or faulty construc-
ton or the reservoir Pending the testimony OF
Mr.. Spellman, the inquest was adjourned until to-
morrow morning when his examination will be
resumed.