The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-05-21
nEIUeEIN uAssACnUsErrs.

NORTHAMPTON, Mass, May 10
Not far from eight o'clock this morn
ing, the peaceful residents of Williams
burg were startled by the appearance
of horse dashing madly through tie
streets, while the rider shouted to the
people to escape for their lives, as 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, peo-
pie began to rush from their houses,
while the foam-fecked animal that
had so calamity brought the messen-
ger sank to the ground utterly ex-
hausted.
Up among the hills of Goshen there
was a large reservoir of 104 acres in
extent, where the various mill ope-
rators Of Williamsburg, Skinnersville,
/ Haydensville and Leeds were wont to
store their summer supply OF water.
People in the vicinity say it has been
/ leaking for several weeks, and having
thus gradually undermined the dam,
it suddenly gave way and the immense
body Of water poured out in its
strength. The torrent rushed upon
/ the doomed villages with a loud roar,
apparently a large advancing biuow
of underbrush and debris, rushing
rapidly through the deep gorges to
the height Of forty feet, and again
spreading out in a wide advance OF
seothing angry waves as it reached
more open country.
Reaching the beautiful village Ct
Williamsburg, some - miles distant,
it struck small cotton factory, sweep
ing it ont of existence. Next saw
and grist millwas attacked and melted,
not a vestige remaining. Houses,
barns and shops followed like grass
before a scythe, and men, women and
children were caught and borne away
struggling in vain.
On it swept 10 SkinnCrsville, two
miles distant, silk factory being
hurled down, huge iron boiler being
carried nearly half a mile and landed
high and dr.. In HaydenviIle, about
one mile further on, a bank building,
a three-story brick structure, was
swept away. scarcely one brick being
left upon another, the money iii The
vault sharing the same fate.
The smaller village Of Leeds, be
tween one and two miles distant, wa>
the next place to suffer, and the scene
at Williamsburg and Haydenvillc
were here repeated. A short distance
below Leeds were two bridges, one Of
iron and one of stone, both nearly fifty
feet above the bed Of the stream.
Theywere both swept away, the frrmD
being carried bodily 4 considerable
distance down the stream. Here tho
greatest destruction appears to have
stopped, although all along The river
until it emptied into the Connecticut,
a short distance below Northampton
the banks are covered with ail manner
of debris, timber, trees, pianos, tables,
chairs and other furniture.
Ii is estimated that nearly lee build.
ings were destroyed, and the total loss
Is from 81 100000 to 81, 100000, ii.
though it is impossible to accurately
estimate the damage.
The saddest feature Of the wholl
affair is the great loss Of l;fo. At first
it was thought that not more than
forty or fifty lives were lost; but anorl
careful canvass of the villages visited
gives the total number Of missing per.
/ sons at nearly 800. There have been
between fifty and sixty dead bodies
already recovered, and on Sunday
morning organized searching partie,
are to 90 over the course Of the fooi
in search Of others.