The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-29
TIE WILLIAMSBURG DELUGE.
Progress of the Investigation by
the COr0ner's Jury.
INSECURITY OF THE DAM.
NORTHAMPTON. Mass. May %. 1874.

l1neSs on the part OF the CONTRACTORS and pro-
prietors All OF the fearful antlcipations OF the
fimsiness OF the structure which has caused such
desolation and sadness in the community are fully
realized and confirmed as the investigation pro-
ceeds. The contractors, according to their own
story, were all the while aware OF the dangerous
character OF the Inflated which they were
constructing, ana If their representations true
they reported their suspicious TO the company;
but the propriet0rs were too economical to author
ize or allow the expenditure OF SUFFICIENT money
to render the dam safe ana secure. On the other
hand the corporation and experts who have been
brought forward insist that tine contractors did
not perform their work according to the contract
and claim that II they had done so the reservoir
would nave been in existence to-day. With
out considering the conflicting statements
OF the several parties who are anxious
to shirk the terrible responsibility, it is
an admitted fact that there was indifference
ana negligence in all quarters. Proprietors, con-
tractors and everybody else who had anything
whatever to do with the work seem to have been
only ambitious to get through with their work
ana get their money as soon as they could. A
striking Illustration of this prevailing spirit is
illustrated in the admission OF one OF the con-
tractors that in doing the work for S23, 900 lie
cleared the extraordinary sum OF between $4,000
THE PUBLIC FEELING
against all who were Identified in the directing
and building OF the reservoir Is very intense. and
there is much popular disappointment to ascer-
tain that there are no laws which authorize the
punishment OF the grasping and penurious men
VINO are responsible Tor all this aesolatlon and
woe. Among those present at the daily sessions
Of the inquest are many OIL the leading manulac.
turers and representative men OF the vicinity, as
well as numerous victims OF the calamity, all OF
whom manifest most painful and earnest In
the investigation is very thorough in all
important as well as minor details, and hence its
full days have been consumed, ana probably all
the testimony Will not be taken before the early
part OF next week, after which the Jury Will retire
to make up their verdict 1t is reasonably antici-
pated that the result OF their deliberations will he
most severe condemnation OF the whole work
and all individuals connected with it. The counte-
the construction OF the dam is developed, indicate
that they share in the common feeling Ot.indlgna-
ton towards the parties who are responsible for
the terrible disaster.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS AT THE INQUEST.
George Raymond, the engineer, who took up his
testimony where It was broken OH by adjourn
ment last night. He first corrected mistake he
found in the dam as being located on the lower
side, one OF them, twelve by three and half incn.
and two others were oil he had discovered in the
masonry. He was then asked to testify as to the
n detail. Respecting the general Character Of the
materials, he had only to say that they were ut
terly unit for such structure. The earth was
were unfit. Boulders with polished surfaces
should not be used IN cement wall Of that nature,
be used in q structure intended TO be permanent.
The mortar speaks for Itself. He would not un-
dertake to explain why IT was OF such character,
nor by what cause, or combination OF causes, 1t
became so. All who use cement know tnat
there is great difference IN casks OF the same
old, and all deteriorates by air-slacking con-
seguent upon age and IT cannot be helped.
Mr.. Emery Wells, OF Northampton, was then
in nj rad
ferred with Mr.. William Clark, Jr in regard to the
contract, and did most Of his business with MIN.
but also had some talk with MesSrs DimOck ana
Clement. He was directed to go forward with his
work by these three gentlemen, and never had
was to clear on the old wood, logs, brush, &C.,
for the required thirty ieet or more upon
ass nser q tne the ws IT D9s wq PENN
whom the ground was staked out on which they
were to work. The width OF the clearing essened
as they went up the banks on either side. On the
east side they found. under the muck, grass, &C.,
a kind OF hard soil that became harder at q little
the valley they went as deep as directed BY Mr..
Fem and to nardpan and in the stream. which is
about ten or twelve feet wide a. foot or more IN
two ana 0ne-half feet higher than the brook Tor
about seventy feet Here they treEched IN the
sulting with the committee were directed not to
go TO hardpan, but to rest on the gravel He was
1 On the onna ne Day and w
done by Mr.. Rush, Mr. Clough and Others by the
day. From the centre OF the Dam to the gravel
S s1sn and rcs0Fqnaf % %s' siasms se
ened until at the end Of the wall i was from ten
to twelve feet. They found no springy or mucky
soil, but alter reaching the gravel found the
haps no more so than ordinary gravel. II q
pail had been fled with It little water
ere sH' springs boaa above and below the wal
The upper, some fifty leet above, made its
appearance while they were digging from the hill,
si0e material for their embankment, and was used
by them, as 1t furnished an ample supply OF good
water. This, he thought, was now covered up,
either by the embankment OF the dam or the
caving In of the earth above IT, About the same
distance below the wall, at the foot OF q steep
declivity was ANOTHER large spring which seemed e
two other places water oozed out little from the
ground at some portion OF the time they were at
any fears for the result, though they watched
them carefully. An oozing OF water was dis
When we got into the gravel, sixty feet from that
point ton the west slde), we called the committee
to see whether we should put the wall on the
sulg with the committee" asked Mr.. Delano, "be-
cause you doubted whether II was safe to put the
added that Something had been said about their
out that gravel and sink the wall than moist stone
forty feet; 1t would have been money in their
pockets Tor them to make the excavation and lay
the wall on hard pan. But the committee said,
mo- lay " Oh Tue 8raVei anu we VIII taAe Vic
risk
julius Fem, civil engineer Of New Britain,
Conn.,, said ne prepared the specifications for the
Williamsburg dam in accordance with the wishes
OF Messrs. Clark, Clement and Dlmock the COM
mittee. Mr.. Clark, who was his personal friend,
asked him II dam with two.foot wall In the
centre and % water slope OF forty-fve degrees
would do. MIR. Fem replied that he would
not advise any su5h dam, and that Two to
one was as little as he could recon-
mend. They insisted. however, on one and one
half to one. Never was on the ground after ne
be laid He did not care to have any responsibility
in connection with such work. His calculations
were Tor thicker dam than was built and after
he found that two to one would not be accepted
he tried to get them to agree to one and three.
quarters TO one. He urged that they should &c
down five feet, but the committee thought three
feet would do. BY firm and hard foundation in
the specifications he meant not gravel, but hard
pan. But the committee aid not accept his adj
vice, and he acted merely as their attorney In
drawing up the specifications. In TACT, Mr.. Fem
was disposed TO shoulder the whole responsibility
upon the committee