Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-05-28

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manufacturing villages of Williamsburg,
Vaudeville and Leeds, in Hampshire
County, Mass, few miles north of
Springfield, on Saturday, May 16. The
Goshen reservoir, covering about 125
acres, gave way about Soclock, its waters
sweeping through Williamsburg, Hayden
vile. Leeds, Florence and Northampton.
The two first named are villages IN the
town of Williamsburg, and the three last
named are in the town of Northampton.
All are situated on Mill River, a noun
tain tributary of the Connecticut River,
which flows into the latter south of
Northampton. In the village of Will
iamsburg Mill River divides into two
branches, one of which has its rise in
Goshen and the other at about the edge
of Conway. Two large reservoirs are
situated on the Goshen branch and one
on the Conway branch, containing a
total area of not less than 1000 acres,
with an average depth of not less than six
feet.
Among the Geographic dispatches Civ
ing an account of this fearful calamity
are the following
NORTHAMPTON, Mass, May 16
Not far from eight O'Clock this morning
the peaceful residents of Williamsburg
were startled by the appearance of horse
dashing madly through the streets, while
his rider shouted to the people to escape
for their lives, for the reservoir had given
away, and the waters were coming down
upon them. Scarcely comprehending the
dreadful tidings, but with the instinct of
self-preservation strong within them, the
people began to rush from their homes,
while the foam-fecked animal that had so
calamity brought the messenger sank to
the ground exhausted. Another horse
was quickly secured, and the message was
borne to other villages, but the alarm was
so sudden that all did not hear it, and
scores We're caught by the swittly-rolling
waters, and aged grandams, innocent
children and strong men were alike over
whelmed by the flood or crushed beneath
the falling walls of their houses.
Up among the hills of Goshen there
was a large reservoir of about 104 acres
in extent, where the various mill oper-
ators of Williamsburg, Skinnerville, Hay
denville and Leeds were wont to store
their summer supply of water Peo-
pie living in the vicinity OF the dam
say that it has been leaking more or less
for several weeks, and 1t is believed that,
having thus gradually undermined the
dam, the water acquired a strong head
way, and suddenly the dam gave way and
the immense body of water poured out
in its strength, carrying everything be-
fore it.
The torrent rushed upon the doomed
villages with a loud roar, apparently
large, advancing billow of underbrush and
debris issuing rapidly through the deep
gorge to the height of forty feet, and again
spreading over wide eXpanse of
seething angry waves as it reached
the more open country. Reaching
the beautiful village Of Williams
burg, some two and half miles dis
tant, it struck a small button factory,
sweeping it clear out of existence. Next,
saw and grist mill was attacked and
mlelted-not a yestige remaining. Houses,
barns and shops followed like grass be-
tore scythe, and men, women and chill
dren were caught and borne away strug-
Cling and shrieking in vain. One OF the
waves swept to Skinnerville, two miles
distant, a silk factory being hurled down,
and a huge iron boiler being carried
nearly half mile and landed high and dry.
In Haydenville, about one mile further
on, the bank building, a three-story brick
structure, was swept away, scarcely one
brick being left upon another, the money
in the vault sharing the same fate.
The smaller village of Leeds, between
one and two miles distant, was the next
place to suffer, and the scenes 1t Will
lamsburg and Uaydenyille were here re-
pealed
4 short distance from Leeds were two
bridges, one of iron and one of stone,
both nearl,, fifty feet above the bed Of
the stream. They were both swept away,
the former being carried bodily and
considerable distance down the stream.
Here the greatest destruction appears to
have stopped although along the river,
until it emptied into the Connecticut,
short distance below Northampton, the
banks are covered with all manner OF
oebris-lmher, trees, pianos, tables,
chairs and other furniture, II is estl
mated that nearly 100 buildings were de-
suOyed, and the total loss is from one
million to a million and half of dollars,
although Of course 1t Is impossible to ac-
clrately estimate the damage,
NEW HAVEN, Conn, May Il.
There was an hour and a half of flood
and then ebb, and at noon those who had
escaped came back in crowds to see the
ruin. 1t was an awful sight Houses
were crumpled like twisted paper, trees
stripped of their bark and limbs, even
when their roots chung to the soil.
The beautiful valley is waste OF mud
and muddy water laden with distorted
and strange shapes. Great boilers have
been carried hundreds of yards, and LETT
crushed together and buried
4 man was picked up from a tree upon
which l. .,Il.,. -; ,,,4lar hu