The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-17
VILLAGES AND HAMLETS CARRIED AWAY
Factories, Mills and DWELL
ings Destroyed.
A TERRIFIC TRAGEDY.
More Than q Hundred
Lives Lost.
LISTS OF TIE DROWNED.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass, May 10, 1874.
Between 100 and 200 lives lost and upwards OF
$1,000, 900 In treasure and property swept away is
the record Of the breaking away OF an insecure
Gam in the town OF Williamsburg, in Hampshire
county, early this morning.
Never before in New England and rarely in this
country has an accident OF a similar nature been
attended with such sad and fatal consequences.
Even the terrible floods In Louisiana and other
public mind seem to sink into insignhcance
compared with the terrible catastrophe,
which in one half hour this morning swept
ont Of existence two or three OF the
most thrifty manufacturing towns in New Eng
land and cast gloom of sadness and sorrow over
the community which it win take years, If not a
generation, to recover from.
RECENT RAINS.
During the past TWO days there have been q few
mild showers all along the Connecticut Valley, but
the aggregate Of rain which fell was not suflcient
to cause any very perceptible rising in the noun
tain streams and, therefore. the terrible disaster
cannot properly be regarded as one OF the con.
sequences OF an unusual hood or freshet.
AN INSECURE RESERVOIR.
On the contrary, and as lamentable as the fact
may be, the calamity is nothing more or less than
the fruit OF an insecure and probably an ill-con-
structed reservoir. 1t was located in the town OF
Williamsburg. about ten miles northwest of North.
ampton and the terminus OF the New Haven
and Northampton Railroad. The surface Of the
reservoir was about 1875 acres, and the average
depth OF water at the time It gave way was not
less than thirty feet 1t was the joint property Of
the various manufacturing establishments in
was used for the treasure OF water during
the spring and wet seasons, to- be
used tor the running OF the mills
auEing the summer ana other periods when the
streams did not AFFORD SUFFICIENT water power.
Tho water thus gathered was from the eastern and
western branches Of what is known as Mill River,
which empties into the Connecticut River a few
miles below Northampton. The dam itself is about
nine years DID, has received but few, II any, re-
pairs since Its construction, and common rumor
Safe as long ago as three years.
sUDDENNEss OF THE BREAK.
The break came very suddenly, almost before
the Inhabitants OF the inundated villages had par
taken OF their morning meal, and In some
instances before they had awakened from the
slumber Of the night before. The morning was
dark and cloudy, as il in keeping with the mean-
choly event, and the operatives in the various
mills along the line OF the stream were generally
vending their way to their daily toll.
WARNING CHoKED BY THE WATERS.
1t was not far from seven O'Clock when the first
symptoms Of the break were discovered by the
Waterman in charge Of the dam. These consisted
ofa small leak through the lower embankment, in
the direction OF Williamsburg At first the watch.
man thought little or nothing of the circumstance,
but q. length the gap began to widen and he
very properly became alarmed and fastened to
notify the inhabitants In the villages below. He
started on run for Williamsburg which was less
than two miles distant, but long before he had
got there the whole embankment gave way and
the stream OF terror, death ana destruction was
there ahead Of him. He had to take refuge upon
neighboring hill to save his own life, and thus
became an agonzed and helpless witness OF q
calamity which he had done all in his humble
power to avert
THE RUSH OF THE WATERS
And the fear and CONSERVATION which ensued
among the terrified citizens was most heartrend.
ing to witness. The hood came without the Slight.
est warning save heavy rumbling not unlike
thunder or the sound OF a heavy train passing
over q covered railroad bridge. Almost in moment
tho torrents swept successfully through the vii
lages OF skinnerville, Williamsburg, Haydenville
and Leeds.