The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-18
Tnb HAMPSHIRE FLOOD.
The Death-Sweep of the Tor
rent and It's Results.
HORRORS OF THE CALAMITY.
'Sorrowful Search for the Dead
and Missing.
FULLER LISTS OF THE DROWNED
MangIed Corpses Dragged
from the Debris.
ROMANTIC AND PATHETIC INCIDENTS.
at al 20 a#9 aa1 ~ aua
Touching Recognition of Friends
by Survivors.
COLLIN GRAVES, THE HERO.
"Run for Your Lives! It's All
You Can Dol"
a @ ALLANT RID e.
The Impulse Of Grief and Sympathy
In the Churches.
"Run for Your Lives! It's All
You Can DOv'
The Impulse Of Grief and Sympathy
in the Churches.
THE TRACK OF THE FLOOD.

The geography OF the Mill River Valley is the first
step towards understanding the awful calamity
which has befallen the people OF this quiet vale.
IL Ii 30 called from NH River, brook which winds
through IL and enters the Connecticut at this
place. The valley Is an exceedingly narrow
one, and 1t only has pretensions to
being a valley at all because it has q range
Of hills on each side. It's direction from
Northampton is to the northwest, and the part
swept by the hood extends about thirteen miles
from this place.. The brook which passes through
1t is large enough to be called creek, but falls
short Of the dignity Of river have been along
the whole length OF 1t from Northampton to the
reservoir which caused the catastrophe, and the
only Impressions l received from 1t were con-
tempt for the cause Of the disaster and horror at
the death and devastation which sprung from
Che breaking loose OF this tnsignifcant brooks
imprisoned water. ar
TBRRIFIo FORCE OF THE WATER.
Never have seen anything more terrible, and
d IL impossible to conceive the terrific force OF the
Hood except from the effects. Mill River was in
many parts walled stream, but the huge pieces
Of rock which formed its embankment were COM
pletely swept away. In some places the banks
look like rocky shore. the massive stones being
Shrown about SO Unfortunately. In other places
rocks and trees torn from the earth, and debris
rom the mills which were torn down by the food
are all there Ia OF the river side. Even long pieces
OF cloth from the cotton mills are so interviewer
with DEBRIS Of every kind that they seem nat
ural part OF Natures handiwOrk. The roads have
disappeared with the banks, and In many places
to-day vehicles passed where yesterday flowed the
stream, while now the river runs in what was for
merly the road. 1.Hs0
TIE FATAL DAN.
This win give some idea Of the difficulty of
reaching the reservoir, fully one-half the distance
to that point from Northampton being impossible
until this morning; but 1t was point that had to
be reached II the horror and devastation which
followed the breaking away Of the dam were to be
explained. The reservoir, which covers about 1875
acres, was o great basin, surrounded by hills
except at the point in the valley where the dam
was built Here the valley, however, was exceed
ingy narrow, and 1t was easy to build q
dixie from hill to hill to lock up the
waters OF the brooks. There was natural basin
70 hold vast quantity Of water, and the shrewd
Yankee mill owners saw what advantage 1t would
be to have such an excellent reserve for the dry
season. All this was well enough II they had
shown the same foresight IN constructing their
dam. Unfortunately this work was badly done.
s4.I DEATHS TRAP.
A wall, only four feet at the base, tapering to
about foot at the top and not being built on any
solid foundation, was thought sufficient to hold
l25 acres OF water, forty or fifty ieet deep at the
dam. 1t was not to be expected that this wall
would stand many years. and when the
break came 1t was completely swept away, except
two abutments on each side, which remain to bear
witness against the foolhardiness OF its construc-
ton. When saw what this boasted dam really
was could scarcely trust my own eyes in the
revelation OF the cause OF this dreadful calamity
The dam cost but very little money and was q
mere makeshlft, built by the men whose lives and
property were imperilled, and In the day OF dis
aster their wealth went with the rushing food
and more than 100 lives were sacrificed TO an III
placed economy. It is said there was q leak for
three days in the thin wall which was called o
dam, ana that the Waterman stationed at the
reservoir by the company was cognizant Of 1t all
the time. lA sa $3.50 4rsaesu0 ..g e#.a..,
E FACING WITH THE FLOOD -
II was not until he saw the wall actually give
way that he gave the alarm, and then the speed OF
his horse was scarcely suficient to anticipate the
rush OF the waters. The volume OF water thus un-
loosed in an instant was tremendous, and as It
went rolling and roaring down the narrow valley
the sight must have been as grand as the subse-
quent destruction was awful.
BODIES RECOVERED AT WILLIAMSBURG.
1t is about three miles from the reservoir 10 the
nearest village below. the village OF Williamsburg
and the mood was there almost as soon az the
messenger who heraded Its coming. IL was
less destructive in Williamsburg than In Haydens-
vile, the next village on the stream, but
here, as everywhere on Its course, bridges were
swept away, houses overturned ana even utterly
destroyed and many lives lost Thirty-six
bodies were found in this village up to noon to-
day. and 1t Is not believed that all are recovered
yet 1t was here that the Hood came out OF the
narrow gorge which had conveyed it In Its course
rpq nd
m the widest disorder.
ROADS IMMERSED.
For quarter OF mile the highway is among
the waters to-day, the line for carriages being
marked by poles, so as to prevent them from
driving into dangerous places what are now
the banks and along which q roadhed has been
improvised, are almost as dangerous. At
places these roads are SO narrow that only
one carriage can pass at time, and as all day
long two lines OF carriages, one going and the
otner coming, we're kept mp, It was slow az well as
dangerous travelling, The worst part OF the road