, 1874-05-18
EESTERDAY'9 DISPATCHES.
Eprrf1! T};snafrh IN 7rhA fsh5rouo 1Er,tn,.

CERlNNf1lsI.D} AIAds, MAY lh.-Nef0f Qh8 vest
ern Massachusetts experienced anything like tho
stupentlous disaster which laB to-day ln1d waeto
twelve mios Of tho valley Of Mil niyor, in The
woatorn portion OF Hnmpshiro County. Tho
shock fell with the auddenncss Of thaudorbo1t
from cloar sky, leaving It's victims no opportu-
nifty to escape from tilo fearful, all-ongulfing
food. Tho roaorvoir which cauBed this fcar-
fnl loss Of life and property WA not
tho large one III Goshon, US atated
in previous dispatch, but one Of TOO acres OK
tent in the Town Of williamsburg, and about
miles abovo the village. 1t was constructed Bix
years ago
WITH CRIMINAL cHEArNE8B
by tho hill S>:ver A1anufacturors' Association, a.
combination Of capitalists who own tho mills on
tho atroam below. It was iutondcd to supply'
wator in times Of drouth. 'InHtead Of build
ing substantial dam acroaa the llavons, whore
the reservoir has its outlet, thoY merely piled up
an earth emGaukmcnt With q stone overflow. 1t
was known full well that tho soil WIS of
4 cr4aYEY AND TnEACHKnoUs CHARACTER,
en p tho eay asSa 3o Do 5r % e.
stone. The result appeara to-day, in tho loss Of
a hundred lives and q million dollars worth Of
property in . fow brief ho.irs. It was well
known in all tho section, now" tho aeeno o. a.
Hayden from whom tito manufacturing village
of Hnydenville waB named, =
Considered THIS RESERVOIR ExTRE11ELY 1NsE-
CURE,
and had several timeB expraEsed great foara taat
the slender barrier which served as . dam
been for thouBanda Of people to-day II his coun-
sells had honn needed. The most that yyRs done,
however, was to hire n man to witch the reBor-
yoir. 1t has boen known for Home days paBt
has thu water hit waS th heoh'4g fst through " tnf
acom to havo boen given duo Importance.
Last night thoro VAS hoavy rain. filling tho
reservoir to the brlm, and soon nfter o'clock
this morning tho watohman was terrified to find
ITS WEAK SUPPORT GIVING NAY,
and n mighty torrent Of water pouring out.
Hastily mounting horse, 10 drove with tho ut
n.c "s possible speed to williamsburg, shouting
to ovory ono to oe for their lyos, rs tho torront
would soon DO upon Them. His horse
wus 50 urged beyond his atfspgth TINT
Williamsburg. Procuring annthor horse, he
dashed On to Skinnery1lle, a little village next
in tho .peth Of tho flood, spreading diHmay in
oycry direction.
IT WAs A FEARFUL RIDE,
with tho torrent roaring bellind him. race not
for his own lifo but for tho lives OF othors,-and
almost III worthy TO ho iulmorta}izod in verso uB
Sheridan's ride to Winchester. Tearing down to
tho littlo village, 1o slonted tho tidings to
William Skinner, proprietor Of tho uillz-mills,
who instantly
GAVE THE ALARM
" ringing, tho bell Of his factory aa for fire.
His operatives, rushing out, wero told to run for
their lives to tho hills WHICH surround thu vii
lasc:. Ihoy had scarcely time to do 30 before
tho flood lad
swErr AWAY THE s1tM FACTORY,
only n few rni,iB remaining in tho track Of de-
yastation to show where 1t ],ad ntood.
Up to this lime tho flood had swept across one
corner Of williamsburg Village, and had carriod
Of the only factoEy in tho little settlement Of
THE 1rEAyIEsr DLoW,
10 far as the destruction Of property was con-
oeEnod, remained for the thriving village OF Hay
denvil1e, Whero wero located tito principal mnnu-
ia1nsbarg. Hero wcre tho brass factory OF Hny-
don, GeFo d Co., md the large now oillco build
ing adjoining, Ia which VIM the Haydenvillo
Savings Bank Both Of them we're large, sub
nS Saast a 5nns1 agsS hut asy they au sts1a Up
hayo done. They were
SWEET CLEAN AWAY,
and with them the safe OF tile Swings Dnuls, In
which was a95, 600 in money. Nothing has been
soon of the Bato or money aince Tie force Of
tho torrent ut this point may DO Judged from tue
fact that large boiler was carried soyeral rods,
and lloiBtod onto tho yerantlah OF tho Hayden
mansion, whilo another boiler waa churned full
Of mountain trees.
on BwEFr THE CURRENT.
carrying OFT Elan Graves Htoro also Enmes'
atoro, .soyeral 4ouaeB with their occupants, a
part OF Loouis Hoto1 Thomas Hayden L Goa
tobacoo factory, atld two iron bridges.
THERE WAS TEnH1nLE LOSS OF LIFE
at IoodH. the next villago encountered BY tho
flood. The first lntilnation recolyed thoro OF tho
impondiny disaster WIN u terrific roaring aH Of
train Of oars passing over Il bridge. III MI in
stnnt down canle the torront. At IlrBt np water
was visible, but
VAIL or nH1FrwooD, THIRTY FEET HIGH
aud several hundred feet vide waB hoen aWoop-
ing down the valley at tho rato OF twenty miles
MI hour Tho flood first carried or the dam and
q portion OF tho works of tho Montague Silk
Company, hltd then struck the Company'a board
iug-hoaae near tho upper Htoro. Hcre
CAPT. VAUGHN, TILE DEPOT MABTEi1, AND THREE
WOMEN
lost their lives. Tho lust BOON Of Vaughn, lie
jumped from tho + into tho main pnrt Of tho
ground-story Of the building as 1t parted, mud
went down with thu tloud. The water hero was
as high M tho floor of tho upper store. Tho
bridge aud lower dam wont next. and tho food
than struck Alain street. leaving only three
houses standing. Hcro was
THE inKATKsr LoHs OF II FL.
Womon and children EuBhod out Of doors only
to bo swallowed up In tho fearful flood. Only
two minutes nottce was gven to tho hauda III
tho silk-mill, but Aeally all escaped, though
oight or ten mot daath OH tho stroot. Only tile
chimney OF tho mill ra1uaiuA Of tho building.
Tho wooden mill was soen to lit up In tllo conro
lnd
CRUSH TOGETHER L1KE Az Edn-BHELL,
and III q moment the brick wall crlmhlad ~ II
built OF dust. Tile boiler Was cnrylaA nearly