The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-14
ANOTHER DAM DISASTER.
Great Damage Done.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass, July ia bool
holding an immense drive of logs in tn
Connecticut river, at Turner's falls. CAV
way this morning. The Mortified brldg'
is thought to be in great danger. .ooo,a
The details are coming in OF sooo az
food in Hampshire county, caused w Tue
breaking away of the reservoir situated on
Middlefeld brook. emptying INTO the west
branch of the Westfeld river. 1t covered
nearly a hundred acres, and was built sew
oral Years AGO. but was considered safe. Ii
snnnIied large number Of cloth and other
mills and its breaking away will deprive
these of power for long time. The heav-
lest looser by the food is Dr. Herman Lu-
cious, who loses $4,000 by the partial
sweeping away of his emery mill.
The Herman Edge Tool Company's wa
ter power was destroyed, large number
of farms and gardens were inundated and
many valley residents compelled to leave
their homes. Several houses foated oft.
The town of Chester suffers most heayi-
", having lost bridges and suffered from
the washing away OF roads. 10 replace
the bridges will cost about $4,000, be-
sides several thousand dollars to repair the
roads. The Boston Il Albany railroad is
very badly damaged for distance OF TWEEN
ty miles. Every bridge between Middle
field and Huntington is wholly or partly
destroyed The road bed is also washed
out in many places, and travel between
this city and Albany will be suspended
several days. The wires are still down be-
yond Chester, and no definite information
has been received as to the loss of life at
Blush Hollow, which, it is now thought,
must have been considerable.
A Chester special says Of the flood
About twelve years ago the second res
ervoir was built three miles further up
stream by Church Brothers, This was
smaller than the lower one covering from
fifty to eighty acres. The upper reservoir
broke away first aud swept over the lower
reservoir with an immense volume of water
making break of about four rods in the
highway. The dam of the upper reser-
yoir was built Of earth and the whole dam
suddenly gave way. Harry Meacham was
at the reservoir, and speedily alarmed the
people at Blush Hollow. His warning, and
the fact that but part Of the lower reser
voir dam gave way, prevented a loss OF
life, and also very much lesscned the
damage
The Boston 4 Albany railroad suffers
heavily. At Middlefeld switch the long
two arch stone bridge under which is the
Middlefeld and Brooklyn turnpike, was
swept away, and also a considerable length
of track amounting in all to about 200 feet
1t will cost about 100000 to repair the
break, and also a considerable sum to re
pair the damage between Middlelield switch
and Chester depot.
There are eight railroad bridges, five Of
which are but slightly damaged, and tive
of these are of stone, each costing $4,000
the three bridges which are 50 badly dan
aged as to need to be entirely rebuilt arr
those next west of Chester, one Of whicl
is Of stone, costing $4,000. One Of thu
others was to have been replaced by al
iron bridge this fall The loss on thes
bridges is estimated at about $lJ, 900 each
70 rebuild and repair the bridges and roat
will cost some $4,000, and the loss BY
the interruption Of business on the rOaC
will be very heavy The highway between
Blush Hollow and Middleheld Switch wa
entirely obliteratcd, and six barns, two o
them private ones, and four belonging t,
the town, were carried away.
Two unoccupied houses were swept away
at Middlefeld switch. Also several barn
and out buildings. A tenement house oc
cupicd by Leon Janeseaux and family wa
carried off and the inmates barely escaped
The arch bridges above Chester alon,
saved the village from destruction by stay
ing the food The water had nearly spen
its force before reaching Huntington, 81
that little damage was done there Below
that point some low lands were flooded
In Blush Hollow the first house strucl
was occupied by Joseph King. The wa
ter passed through doing great damage t,
the floors aud windows The large houst
of Alfred Q Brien was nearly overwhelmed
Oliver Blush 5 house was badly torn by
the torrent. y large building used for
storing wool was also swept off. The dam
Of Blush three story mill yielded to the
torrent and poured down on the mill, which
disappearen like shell. Blush's carriage,
telloe and shaltmanutactory was split open
at the bottom and the dam by the side Of
it went down. Church's mill, below this
was nearly undermined, but still stands
Several less important structures were
more or less seriously damaged The
roads and bridges Suffered also. The road
bed is now torrent Nobody appears to
be missing at latest accounts. The total
lose to individuals and the town of Chester
is estimated at $2j 900 The total loss at
the latest figures give it as $3jO,OOO.