New-York tribune., 1874-05-18
latest DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.

NHOlc OI tHlc dppii'lhS
LATEST DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE LoCALTY-THE RESERVOIR
ALWAYS THOUGHT To BE UNsAFE-IHE fIf'si
WARNING OF THE DANGER-ONLY THREE hoUsL'
LEFT STANDING IN LEEDs-THE DAMAGE AND
LOSS OF LIFE IN WILLIAMSBURG, HAYDENvILLE
AND sKINNERsvuLE.
lBY TELEGRAPHsro THE TRlBUNEl
SPRINGFIELD MAY 17-The terrible catastrophe
which has swept away three whole villages In the
Connecticut Valley carrying with them $50 lives
md a million Of property, stands with a single
parallel in the wOrld-the bursting of the
Brentfeld reservoir in Sheffield, England, ten years
ago The flood of saturday, though less disastrous
20 life and property than that, was as unexpected
and as awful in Its consequences. The bursting OF
the undermined wall was unanticipated, and the
first warning that the people had on rising from
their breakfast-tables was the sight of mass OF
drift-wood, as high as the caves of two-story
house roaring down the road and sweeping every
thing before it. The whole country about is
like gutter from which the mighty stream could
find no lateral outlet and il had only to rush on to
the end OF the valley, carrying houses, trees and
human beings like chips upon its breast. Its force
was soon spent, but its track marked by desc
lation There was hardly a living thing left but
on an sides could be seen dead cattle, horses, and
even dogs with here and there corpse. perhaps,
battered and disigured beyond recognition.
THE LOCALITY.
Nil River, the scene of the disaster, is stream
of about the width of the NeDonsct 1t rises In the
town of Williamsburg and runs south-easterly
until it emptles into the Connecticut Just below
Northampton. On its banks are situated the manu-
featuring villages of williamsburg, Skinnersvlle.
Haydenyille Leeds, Florence and Bay State Mills.
The first three i'll the town of Williamsburg, and
the last three in Northampton. The river In the
Summer being subject to severe dTOuths. the volume
of water is kept uniform by two great reservoirs,
one at Goshen and the other at Williamsburg. The
valley of the river is peculiar in its formation, being
very narrow and not over COO feet wide at any place
AT Sinnersyille and Leeds it is extremely narrow.
The river liable sudden fresbets, and, owing to
Its narrow valley, rises TO a great hight.
The williamsburg reservoir has always been con-
rldeTed unsafe, and in times of flood serious appre-
hensions have been felt by the dwelers III the val
ley. young gentleman in Haydenyille told the
WRITER that two years ago, at the time of iheavy
rain his father would permit none of the family to
go to bed, but kept them up with lights
burning al night, great his ap-
prehcnsion concerning the reservoir. The
reservoir is i'll the village of Williamsburg
The two branches of the river meet, the west
branch coming from the Goshen and the east branch
from the Williamsburg reservoir. 1t had area of
lO4 acres. and it was made by damming up valley
between two mountains The dam was about
400 feet long top. and was 10 feet
wide at the bottom. sloping gradually to
the top. Ii consisted Of embankment
Of ordinary gravel III the center of which rose avail
Of masonry of ordinary rubble-stOne laid in water
proof cement This wall was four feet wide at the
base and tapered wcdge-like almost to point at the
top. At the bottom and through the center of the
dam extended 15-inch iron pipe about 80 feet long.
The waste water out of the reservoir at the top
through a sluce-way on the right, close to which
was the gatpkeepers house
The great defect seems TO have been in the wall of
masonry at the dam; also in Its width and material.
This wall, II now appears, laid on the solid rock
bed on the west side, but the east the foundation
several feet higher and appeared to be laid on
nothing but the natural gravel. 1t was here that
the water was first leaking through the bot
tom Here the fatal error of the constructors
Though the dam has generally been considered
unsafe the County Commissioners viewed the work
when completed, six seven years ago, and pro
nounced it safe. The wall was then, however, con.
pealed from vlew that its faults of construction
could not have been noticed.
rHF VILLAGE OF LEEDS
OF the village of Leeds but very little remains
There are but three houses standing on the east side
of the river where formerly was situated the maiI
street and the village green Shortly after z, says
resident of the place, heard an unusual noise, bu
supposed was water rolling over the dam and pait
no particular attention to it. Before ocloci
n Sudden alarm was given, aud within few second
. wall of drftwood as high AS the caves of two
story house was rolling along, carrying every
thing before 1T. The dam supplying the motive
power Of the Nonotuck Silk COmpanys factory wa
Inst attacked, and though this q solid structure
IT bent before 1t and then gave way. The
nain was built about 2j years ago at ;
cost OF 5000 and had a fall of 2G fee
10 the center. The mill was only damaged slightly
Ihe Doafdlng-house opposite the waterfall, owned
by the corporation was swept from It's foundations
saAiied d9"a Iaia-st, over tle little plot Vi