The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-17
it is Intended only to tell what other things have

smaller valleys that debouch into II on each side
were in the early days OF their settlement, used
to irruptions more structive, as they were more
frequent. than sudden rush OF water Hatfield
Deerfield and Mortified are names connected with
bloody memories Of King Philips war, In the sew
enteentn century. HadIey Is another name made
memorable in the time OF savage warfare. II was
this place that the Indians attacked one smiling
Sabbath morning in 1876 when the Puritans
were at worship The whites were almost par
alyzed. They saw with dread the yelling savages
applying torches to their houses, and lacked reso-
luton to abandon for a moment their wives and
children to drive them on Suddenly venerable,
white-haired man appeared at the church door,
and, waving sword, lured them out against the
Indians. When the battle was over ana the saw
ages had been driven or the people
looked for the old man who was their
savior. He had gone, however and 1t
was not known for many years that he was Gofre,
the regicide, who .Or years had fed before the
emissaries ofCnares H., and who for several years
had found refuge near Hadley, the town which
he saved from destruction. In this vicinity also
Is Bloody Brook, where, in 1876, the Indians sur.
prsed and massacred ninety OF the valiant young
soldiers Of the sparsely settled valleys. Edward
Everett has embalmed the incidents connected
with that massacre In the most perfect OF oratorca
eloquence. Deerned was in the wars that preceded
the Revolution salient place Of attack Tor both
savages and the French. IL was very easy route
for the latter down Lake Champlain and the val
leys through which run Otter Creek IA tributary OF
the lake, and Deerfeld River to the Connecticut
River. Thus this region, In which are now the
sounds OF waillng, has often been disturbed with
din OF battle and shill yells Of merciless because
despairing foes.
During the Revolution the region in which are
situated the towns that were afiicted yesterday
was not invaded by the actual presence OF war.
Its stalwart men were absent, however, in the
armies Of the patriots, and Of those men who re-
echoed the sonorous shout Of Ethan Allen for the
surrender of Fort Ticonderoga in the name OF the
''Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress-"
many we're from Hampshire and Franklin counties,
Massachusetts.
All such things were before the days OF simple
agriculture, in the period when the tiller OF the
soil was q force in the execution o. the purpose
OF natural selection. As he worked he kept his
rifle by his side to 1t In the udct0us reduction
OF his enemies. Afterward came the bucoic
period OF life in Hampshire county. Manuiactur.
ing was unthOught of and the waters were free to
do they chose. This period continued until about
1880, and in the meantime Hampshire county was
made by man and nature one OF the most beauri-
full regions in country. The stretch OF country
about Northampton-wnich was originally
called Nonotuck-lrom South Hadley Falls
to Hatfield and ten miles west or the
Connecticut River-in all ninety square
miles-was bought from the aborigines for
100 lathoms OF wampum and ten coats. That be.
came the choicest spot in all New England. " was
made into magnificent farms parts of which were
annually enriched BY the overflow Of the Connect
icut River.
Atterward manufacturing was given an impetus,
and II became necessary to make the waters a SER
want and consequently lurking enemy First, sew
eral foundries were established at Williamsburg,
the township in which the greatest harm was
caused by yesterdays food, and then manufac-
tories OF w0olen goods were erected at
that village proper and at points along
the Mill River toward Northampton. About
1880 silk raising and spinning were introduced into
the vicinity. AS the manufactures increased the
necessity for water power as their continual
motive became urgent. Mill River was an undc-
cided, happy-go-lucky kind OF stream, whose
waters sometimes overran its banks, and more
frequently subsidized into mere ril Manufacturers
could not abide by such stream with profit II they
made no EFFORT for It's reformation. So, us their
numbers and capital increased. the owners OF
| mills at the different manufacturing villages
that had sprung up along the rivers, joined
together and damned the upper part OF the stream
SO that its waters should run with regularity and
without waste. This system was continued until
about twelve years ago, when numerous capitalists
formed joint stock company to build the reservoir
whose bursting has now spread so much disaster.
1t was meant to contain the surplus waters OF
the Mill River, to be drawn from In times OF
drought. The manufacturers who built the reser-
voir were interested in the mills at Williamsburg,
Haydensville, and Florence. 1t was known as
the Goshen Reservoir, and its effect for years was
to supply plenty OF water to the workers in the
mills by keeping them In continual operation 1t
cred $50 acres OF ground and had an average depth
OF thirty feet. The force OF such volume OF water
rushing through sudden vent, could have been
stayed by no earthly power. 1t is said that appre-
tensions that 1t was innrm nave been entertained
several times, and IT is certain that the reservoir
was repaired, and, it was thought, strengthened
last year.
No more can be told here that Will not be told
In the dispatches and letters from the stricken
villages. The hamlets OF Williamsburg, haydens-
vile and Leedsville were generated and nOurished
by Mill River Their people imprisoned and tram
melled their benelact0r The boundaries they had
set to its waters lost their strength the river
rushed eagerly over them to its natural chan
nels. and IN It's rapid, vengeful course 1t de-
stroyed many lives and tencments. What it was
that allowed the waters to overthrow the reser-
voir walls it Is impossible to say truly, and 1t
would be ungenerous TO assume cause without
better foundations than is now had for one.
This article was begun with q reference to the
realistic description OF q similar nood written by
Charles Reade. The flood that was meant by the
novelist was the one that occurred at Shcffield,
England, on March II. 1864, when the Bradned
Water Reservoir burst and sent Its waters 10
carry death and disaster throughout the neigh.
hOrhOOd OF the eitv
Shefneld, and the country for fourteen
or fifteen miles about 1t was then
flooded. Hundreds Of buildings and much prop
ersy were destroyed, as well as the lives OF about
$50 persons. The parallel between that disaster
and the present Is exact except in the amount OF
property and the number Of lives destroyed. In
this country. at Denver, Colorado on May 49, 1864,