The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-05-17
TERRIBLE DISASTER.

to hundreds of thousands of dollars, while
it is impossible to estimate accurately the
loss of life. Among those drowned at Will
liamsburg was the wife of H. C. Frost. At
Leeds, Capt. Vaughn and Mrs. H. F. Quig-
ley and daughter were in house which
was swept away and they were drowned.
Reports are coming in of far greater loss
of life at Florence. The Nantucket Silk
Company's works and the Florence Manu-
featuring Company's works are damaged to
the extent Of $4,000.
Conductor E. NJ. Chandler passed over
the road early this morning with MS train
from Williamsburg, for New Haven, just
ahead Of the flood that swept away his
wife and child. Engineer Roberts, who
was to start out on the next
train, lost his wife and child The flood
swept away SINNERS factory, just below
Williamsburg, with several women opera
tives who had just began work.
HAYDENvILLE, MASS, May 16.-Samnel
Miller lost his wife and three children. Hay
den, Gere Il Co.'S factory, including their
office and the Haydenvllle Savings Bank,
with large amount of funds, and also the
Loomis Hotel, were swept away.
At Leeds, Mr.. Warmers button factory
was swept entirely away. Tax ing the canal
railroad brige in its course, it sto pped at the
South street bridge.
The morning train from New Haven is
stopped at East Hampton. The flood is now
subsiding
The Goshen reservoir covered one hun
dred and fifty acres of ground, at an aver
age depth of 30 feet. 1t was drawn upon in
dry times to supply the mills at Williams
burg, Haydensville and Florence
The reservoir was constructed about
twelve years ago, in order to afford relia-
BILE supply of water for the various factories
on Mill River, which is one of the most ic-
kle and uncertain of streams, liable alike to
floods and almost utter drought. 1t (the
reservoir) was built by a company Of capt.
talists, who were interested in the various
manufacturing enterprises on the stream,
and has caused them apprehensons of dis
asters everal times.
Last year, however. it was repaired at a
heavy expense, and since then has been sup
posed to be tolerably secure although known
to be leaky.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass, May 16-The loss of
life by the flood is estimated at sixty
BOsTON, May 16.-Hon. Stephen NJ. Cros-
by, of Williamsburg, now in Boston, fur
nshes the following description of local.
ties and property visited by the overflow.
The villages which are affected by the dis
aster are Williamsburg, Haydenville, Leeds
and Florence, and are situated on Mill
river which is a tributary of the Connecti-
cut river, running into the latter at North
ampton.
In the village of Williamsburg, Mill River
divides into two branches, one of which has
its rise in Goshen, and the other about the
edge of Conway. Two large reservoirs are
situated ON the Goshen branch, and ON the
Conway branch, containing total depth of
not less than six feet.
The reservoir dams were all most sub
stantially constructed, and built by skillful
engineers in the most approved modern
method, and large sums of money have been
expended in the last year in putting them
in what was supposed to be most perfect
condition. One of the reservoirs is at least |
twenty-five years Of age, and is on Goshen |
it was carefully rebuilt within the |
asst two years.
Above this new dam was built last year
)n Conway Branch, and is about six or
seven years old. The mills on the streams,
reckoning from Williamsburg down to
Northampton are as follows: VIM. Thayers |
DOL factory, % men, and two button fac
ories together, employing thirty hands, men
md girls.
The four set wooden mill of Henry James
employs about fifty hands; the large brass
works at Hayden, of Gere & Co., employ |
bout 300 hands and is perhaps the largest
md best appointed factory of the kind in
he United States. 1t was formerly the
The Hayden Manufacturing Company,
900 spndles, employing IS or 80 hands
he Diamond Tobacco Works, employing Is
" 20 hands; the two extensive silk mills,
# the Monotuck Silk Company, employ
ng 80 bands in all; the large brick
nil of the Northampton Brush Com
'any, employing about Is or 20 hands
he cotton mill of the Greenvlle Manu-
actnring Company, 5000 spindles, employ
ng IS or so hands, the Northampton, for
nerly Bay State Cutlery Company Mill,
Employing probably 200 hands the Clement
nd Hawkes. Manufacturing Company Mill,
ands; the International Screw and Nail
Company, employing 20 hands, and the large
asket factory of the Williams Manu-
icturing Company, employing about 100
ands, also the Skinner Silk Mill, employing
or 60 hands.
Besides the foregoing, there are some
alf dozen grist and saw mills, some of
hem Of considerable capacity, which are
,ithin range Of the devastation. The manu-
capital invested along Mill River
nd affected by this disaster, placing it at
s lowest figure must be 5,O00,O 900, and the
population affected thereby is
bout o,OOU.
The population is VIII oily composed of the
classes, who have increased
4 proportion to the demands of industry in
hat locality.
The heaviest loss by the disaster will fall
pom the estate of the late ex-Gov. Hayden,
tho died a few months since.
One of the mills has recently been sold by
he estate. Sunday had been set apart at
Iayd-nville for memorial services in mem
ry Of the late Lieutenant Governor, when
II the members Of the family were expected
D be present.
Reports were in circulation in Boston to
ay that Lieutenant Governor Talbot, and
rife, were in Haydenvi!le at the. time the
isaSter occurred, but they are untrue. Gov
rnor Talbot left here on Thursday for
nrthampton on private business, accom-
aaied by his wife, who has since returned,
nd he is supposed to be in Northampton.