Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-14

MASSACHUSETTS.
ANOTHER MILL-DAM DELUGE.
Several Mills and Houses Swept
Away.
Widespread Destruction of Brid-
ges, Roads and Crops.
Heavy Damages to the Albany
f Railroad.
No Lives Known TO be Lost.
No Lives Known to be Lost.
Miraculous Escape of the Town of
Chester.
FIRST nisIateh.

OiAiN0F AEAaS, JtAAs 1os-0Ce<AtAo' DIT
coming to hand ola second flood in Hamp-
shire county, Massachusetts, caused by the
giving way of reservoir at the village OF
Middlefield. 1t covered nearly one hun
dred acres, and was built about thirty
years ago by Uriah Church, father of the
present cwnsTe. The reservoir was made
ly raising the main road from Middlelield
center to North Beckelhills UI either side
of the stream forming the side Of the res
eryoir.
The high water continued at Chester for
about an hour. The town OF Chester suf
fers heavily in the loss of bridges ana dam
age 10 the roads. -Four bridges were car
ried OF The Boston and Albany Railroad
is very badly damaged. For distance of
nearly twenty miles every bridge between
Middleield and Huntingdon is wholly or
partly destroyed. The road bed is also
washed ont in many places.
second Dispatch
a special to the Mon gives additional
particulars. About twelve years ago a
second reservoir was built three miles fur
ther up the stream. This was smaller than
the lower one and covered from fifty to
eighty acres. The upper reservoir broke
away first and swept uyer the lower reser-
yOlr with its immense volume OF water,
making 4 break of about four rods in the
highway dam OF the lower reservoir. The
upper reservoir was built of earth, and the
whole dam suddenly gave way. Harry
Meacham was at the reservoir at the time
and made haste to warn the people at
Blush Hollow: His warning. and the Fact
that bHt part Of the lower reservoir dam
gave way, prevented loss of life. and also
very much lessened the damage done.
The Boston and Albany Railroad Com
pany suffers heavily. The superintendent
estimates twill be several DAYS before the
road will &c uassable. Il will probably
cost (S150,0OJ to rebuild bridges ard re-
pair the road, while the loss by the, inter
ruption of business will &c Very heavy,
PARTICULARLY as this is the week of the Col
lege races at Saratoga.
Third Dispatch.
The following is later and correct
statement Of the dainags at Blush Hollow
or Middlefeld, the factory village Just be-
low the broken. reservoirs. The large
EOuse ovncd By the Churches was the first
one struck, the water passing clear through
the building and tearing out the floors and
wings. The furniture dropped into the
cellar. Nearly opposite the flood struck a
large building on the Corner, cutting Out
the first story from the iiiain house entirely.
while the floor IN the secoud StorT drUpDed
down al one END ana but for pile Of de-
bris which lodged near it the whole struc-
ture undoubtedly would have gone of.
On the east side of the street above, one
house and a building used for storage were
swept away, nothing remaining but
a Few Roarts.
Just below this is what remains of Oliver
Blushs house. One-half Of the large ell
was torn of and destroyed, and the upright
portion of it turned round alta right angle
with the street. A large building used For
storing wool, and containing many hun
dred pounds was swept away; South Of
this stands the remnants OF Oliver Blush's
barn, packed full of hay, the weight of
which served as an anchor to the building,
but did not prevent il from being COM
pletely split up and broken. On the oD-
poSite side of the stream was Oliver BIush's
mill three stories hlEh, when lha Hood
struck tie dam lust north Of it, that gave
way, letting the stream which was rushing
down strike the mill and it
Disappeared Like an Egg Shell,
Opposite. or the LETT OF the street, VIM.
Plr;sh's barn received the fall force Of the
current, but only a large wing, used as a car
riage house and containing several car
riages, was carried off. a few steps fur
Their down the stream was Blush's carriage
and shaft mandatory. The waiers Fairl7
split this mill open al the bottom. the dam
by the side OF it going down in the general
ruin and the ridge of the structure drop
ping at the center. Churchs mill,
some distance below, had a large
portion of its undeT-pinning torn
out aud one of the ebutmenis or
the waef wheel was destroyed, but
the building with It's machinery is
saved. This comprises the damage done
at Blush Hollow except as TO roads and
bridges. The road bed is now a flushing
torrent. The report that the large new
mill OF the Churches was undermined
proves unfounded, as does the rumor that
some persons were missing. The latest
figures indicate that the total loss will
reach SIj0O00.
The Escape Of Chester.
The village of Chester owes its escape
from an almost entire destruction 10 the
fact of there being so many stone arch
bridges above that place, by which the
food was stayed for a while accommodating
IN little ponds TO be let down in INSTALL
ments on the village below. A second
cause was the considerable width of the
valley above the village, where the waters
spread out somewhat.