The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-20

the river edge JUST as party OF men were carrying
| out
/ THE CORPSE OF CHILD.
| Mr.. Harmon was with the legislative party. HI
uncovered the face OF the corpse and recognized
| 1t as the missing one OF his own family. His
wife and four children persisted in the flood; the
others had been recovered. Such an episode did
much to predispOse the committee to realize the
pitifal condition OF the wrecked valley. The
heaps of houses and fragments OF houses at Hay.
densville, and the wreck Of Hay den, Gere Co.'s
BRASS mills, the most extensive IN western Mass
achusetts, deepened the impression. The COM
mlttee was met there by the Selectmen OF
WUuaWspqrg town. They visited the Congre-
gational church, where the newly found bodies
OF Nettie Roberts and two unrecognized infants
were lying. Joel Hayden told the committee that
his father, Governor Hayden, lived In constant
dread OF the bursting Of the nlmsy reservoir dam
He used all his influence with the reservoir com.
mittee to have it strengthened, bnt without avail
Failing In that, he drilled his employees into con-
slant preparation Tor such a catastrophe. Every
person In the shops was instructed to take to the
Ms when they heard the cry, 1.-THE reservoir y,
Wheel tne danger came the watchword was re-
peated through every room OF the factory, and
only one man was too late to get to place OF
safety. ~--~s---.
PLANNING REVENGE.
The Indignation OF the foreign born sufferers at
o. g. Speiimans alleged detention Of Cheney
the gatekeeper, came near resulting in actual
violence yesterday. Late last evening an Irish
man residing in Williamsburg informed Spell
man that the Irish and Canadians down the
river had conspired TO retaliate by destroying
his property and iynching him. About thirty men,
homeless and penniless through some ones cupid
ty or carelessness, spent most OF the day in plan
wooded hills around Williamsburg and there
descend upon Speliman's house, which stands
in the heart OF the village, before the
authorities could interfere His house was
to be riHed and burned, ana he himself hanged
to the most convenient tree. He is a seltreliant
man, bus the story came so straight that he
could neither doubt It's truth nor hope to de-
leat the conspiracy unatded. The Selectmen OF
the village, whom he informed OF the plot,
thought the local constabulary OF dozen
men was inadequate, and Q messenger was sent to
! moved his wife and daughter to the houses OF
neighbors, and he. with half dozen police,
armed with shotguns and revolvers. picketed the
house. F9 4E
THE OUTRAGE PREVENTED 48l
About nine O'Clock IN the evening gangs Of two
and three irishmen began to collect in the
Kept aloof from the villagers and held no con-
verse with any one not OF their party. They
undoubtedly have made an attack, notwithstand-
| ing the guard, had It not been for the timely
| the Second regiment, State military. They were
/ sent from Northampton in response to the
none S ns too 70 er tae a
! outrage Seeing themselves outnumbered and not
armed, the would,oe rioters dispersed and took
| the road down the valley. The dread or q re-
newal OF the attempt has not subsidized YET: not
/ outstanding the presence OF the military. The
| foreigners employed In the mills along the valley
are strong enough in numbers to effect their pur-
pose, and they have leisure enough to cast about
| When the water was seen coming seven persons.
1 employed in II. T. James woollen mill, in Williams
burg. climbed an apple tree for safety. The tree
! was carried away and every one OF the seven were
times from fire and hood. had presentimen It
! he expected to hear Of some fearful disaster. It
! came, IN TACT, Just seven hours before he was to
this morning on his return rom Albany n T.,
4 where he had been TO convey the members of Con-
dnctor Chander's family Mr.. Gleason g residence is
his wife. House. food, clothing and all things are
\ all in common. ana any means sent there viii be
had not only the unusually saa and onerous
duties which fail AL. upon l'ithiul pastor
communi cation with distant bereaved friends
! He has also been diligent In searching Tor the
s n sesp and
Nearly forty Of the dead were from his congrega
OF fourteen members OF his church.
THE CAUSE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DISASTER
There is much keen feeling, violently expressed
concerning the cause and res ons1bility of thi!
terrible disaster, and all opinions agree tina
there is criminal careessness somewhere
The Coroner's investigation will proceed
slowly, and the verdict OF the fury vii
not be rendered until after the fullest pos
slble investigation. Among the practical and
scientific opinions advanced Is one OF Mr. E. c.
! Davis OF the town, thorough engineer and a
man familiar with the building OF the dam. He
says that he knows from personal observation
that the stone work was only six feet thick
at the base and two feet at the top.
| This slender reliance was faced on each
side by sandy EARTH the embankment being nine
teen feet thick on either side at the top; but the
/ grand mistake was this-in filing in the dirt
1t was not properly puddied, dirt being dumped
prOmiscuousy and occasional pals OF water
! thrown upon Il. When the reservoir was dled 1t
completed the pudding on the water side, but the
outside bank was always loose and gravelly. The
gradual settling OF the dirt on the outside OF this
! wall caused q crack between the stOnewOrk and
the dirt. The immense outward pressure from the
water stored there i0osened the wall, and eventu
ally started 1t at the base. Uf course, az
soon as the water had oozed through al
| the base the calamity was trresiatible
! Mr.. DAVIS experience with works OF this Kind
and the fact that he has often visited this reser
v0ir in company with the late Governor Hayder
and had shared the latter's apprehension as tt
its weakness, give his opinion more than usua
weight So it was not only feeble wall but aist
q sham construction that was the cause OF Satur
days appalling disaster.