New-York tribune., 1874-05-18

as and otbers who may have been saved, and gener-
ally TO take survey OF the and see what s TO be
done Among those who left this city on the evening
train were Collins Gere OF the firm Of Hayden.
Gcre & Co. Of Beekman-st, whose large brass mill was
swept away; James II. Peck, agent for VIM. Skinner,
proprietor of the UnQuormink Silk Mills at Haydenville
T.. W. Eaton, agent OF the Nonauck Silk Company and
others. Henry James, the owner OF large wooen mill
that was carried away, in this city on Saturday in
tending to sail for Europe. He received telegram
informing him Of his oss and took the evening train
for the East j. =. Snow, business man of this city.
and his brother f. l.. Snow of Brooklyn, also went
10 look after the safety OF some relatives.
Dr. G. Holland was familiar several years ago with
tho section Of country which suffered the nund
ton . but mauy OF the manufacturing interests have
grown and the villages have changed greatly III charac-
ter and size since lie has visited the Mill River Valley
He told TRIBUNE reporter yesterday that the reservoir
at oshen above Williamsburg, was built for the purpose
~ storing the waters early in the for the OF
the mills on the stream below throughout the Summer
whon ,be river was low All the millowners were inter
es,ed in il The first village below the dam Will
amsburg; then came the small village OF sknnersvile,
which had been built up entirely by the silk interest;
| next came Haydenvile. where there was an old
| WOODEN factory which had since been turned
| into n silk factory Next below Leeds. which
had been built up chiefly by the silk interests though
there was also large button factory and flour MILL all
of u bicb mnst have been swept away The next village
| below was Florence, which was established about IS
years ago by community at the head OF which was Ben
SON Lydia Maria Child lived there at that time and there
| was the old water cure establishment OF DR.. Munde
now OF Germany. There were extensive silk manufac-
tories at that point and also the factories OF the Flor
| ence Saving Machine Company. which took its name
from the village Florence the largest OF the viii
| lagos on the MIL River Below Florence was the mill
OF the Massachusetts, Screw Company, and below that
little village surrounding the paperml established by
| Aff of paa
| between that and Northampton. The distance from
the reservoir at Goshen TO Northampton about lC
miles A short distance below Leeds there deep
| gorge but the valley in other parts was not partcu
| larly narrow. The milowners and the most prominent
residents lived the hillsides and the hour at
| which the disaster occurred was so early that
few OF them yet to the factories this accounts
for the fact that few prominent names havo yet been
seen in the lists Of killed. DR.. Holland had personal
friends living In the villages through which the flood
passed; but as he knew their residences were on the
high ground felt uneasiness In reference to them
| JP Snow Of No. 3l7 Broadway, formerly a resident
| OF williamsburg Mass. gave TRIBUNE reporter
Yesterday afternoon the following statement in regard
to the scene this disaster He said that he was at
loss TO understand which of the two reservoirs near
| Williamsburg had given away. They were over four
miles apart at different elevations and were in nowise
connected That both should have broken away at the
| same time would q most remarkable CIR
cumstance yet from the reports OF damage done, 1t
would seem to be the Perhaps that done on tho
East Branch might have been caused by the set Oach
of the waters the Goshen Reservoir bat 1t could
| not have been caused on the West Branch from the
water OF the Williamsburg Reservoir as the high hills
| there would have broken its volume and force
The Williamsburg Reservoir ia situated about p miles
in northeastery direction from tho town on the east,
or Conway branch Of Mill River, and has elevation
OF about $50 feet above the valley at the town.
The banks both sides high and very steep until
the is reached the eastern side OF which is
| large, low piece of country. The Goshen Reservoir
was situated about four aud half miles in
a north.westerly direction from tho town.
| IL was OF much larger and was
80 feet deep at points. This one had an elevation
Of nearly 400 feet above the town. The stream from this
point was very narrow and the banks on either side
were high and steep Those living on the banks OF the
West Branch could easily have escaped to the hills
while those upon the other would have found IL more
difficult matter they would have been obliged to face
the flood in order to the high land, and would
have situation had they sought safety in
the low lands to the The 1.-TWO branches to-
geiher near the OF the village. and the high lands
approached at the point that the full force Of
the flood was felt there. There second dam on the
East Branch, about Quarters OF mile from the
town, connecting by canal with one OF Spemans but
ton cores but this was oflte consequence The river
was crossed by bridge at its junction. connecting the
main street. Below tne tOWH tnert WIS
open space country the steep banks again meeting as
Haydenyile was approached. There open
country beyond Haydenve. At Leeds the river mar
rowed and passed between two hills, and upon the
east side the village proper was lad out the street
running along tho river bank The inhabitants here
with any warning could easily have escaped to the hill
in the rear OF the village. Before Northampton
reached there continued space OF open country,
and the force OF the food would be spent there and
damage be occasioned in that He had many rea
tyes living at Williamsburg, and his mother and sister
siding with H. H. Tllton, whose house was washed
away later dispatch led hun to believe that his rea
tiyes had been saved
Ralph Isham, who was one OF the victims resided
with his parents at No. l57 Hunting gton-st,
Brooklyn until about three months ago, when he
to Florence where he was engaged Dookkeeper by g.
r. Warner & Co., button manufacturers. His parents
received dispatch Saturday from Mr.. Warner stat
ing that Ralph among the missing, and another
was down to search for him. Mr.. Isham received
a telegram from his yesterday, stating that the
body Of his brother Ralph had been found.
Mr.. Isham started for New-Haven last night.
present nerment, which will take place at Col
chester, Conn. The deceased almost 81 years OF
age and was beloved by large circle OF friends lie
had intended to return to NewYork May &c. to meet
his sister on her return from Europe. His parents are
in deep distress the sudden blow which has bereft
them Of their son.
THE RESERVOIR.