The Portland daily press., 1876-03-31

WORCESTER, Mass, March 30-It was hoped
to-day that the danger from the reservoir dam
had been averted, but att O'Clock this alter
noon the water was seen bubbling through the
earth of the dam back of the waste gate house.
The stream when first noticed was not larger
than mans finger. 1t was at Ouce thought
that the dam was going. An alarm was given
and the men escaped to the side hills. the teams
were driven off to places of safety, and messen
gers were sent down through the valley to warn
the people that the flood was coming. While
the men were fleeing to places of safety,in less
than half a minute the stream was as large as
mans wrist. At the end.of minute it was as
large as mans leg. In another minute it
was as large as barrel and was three or four
feet high. Then stones and earth were thrown
up in the stream and gradually the earth began
to cave in. Foot after foot of once solid en-
bankment, now thoroughly honey-combed by
the action of the water, began to cave in. Then
sections varying in width from two to five feet
began to drop till the embankment was gone
way back to the face of the dam. The cement
spiing wall held for a moment after the earth
had all been washed away, then hole appear
ed in the centre of the wall. Gradually its size
increased until with one grand crash the spill
ing wall crumbled letting off 100000, 900 gal
Ions of water stored behind. The water rush
gu GOWN Gno raVln6 III S0NQ mass ~ IeeG n1gn
whIrling and rushing at the same time and the
roar was terrible. First in the line of the
sweeping flood was the stone waste gate house.
When the flood struck this it tottered, then the
keystone of the arch dropped out. corner of
the building next gave way followed by the
wooden roof which was swept onward I'm til
drawn into whirlpool when it was crushed to
match wood and thrown into the air. The
gate house was toppled over bodily and not
even a stone of it has since been seen. Down
throu Uh q Wi nd
mile long the food swept on.
The sides were quilted and fairly dug out
clean in an instant for fifty feet, until the edge
OF the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES salmost perpendicular.
Through the pine woods GU one side of the ra-
vine the waters tore. The largest trees were
twisted around like straws, pulled up by the
roots and cnrried onward down the river. The
flood tore out everything in the ravine and
rushed onward toward the highway below. A
large barn was taken up bodily and carried
about fifty feet when it struck a tree aud was
broken into pieces.
Next was George w. Olney's dwelling house,
one OF the finest in the village. The rushing
mass struck this broadside on and completely
cleared out the rear and front walls. The ends
stood, and strange to say, the water poured in
solid stream twenty feet deep and thirty
wide.
When the dam first broke the gap was about
twenty feet wide. This increased rapidly after
the water had once gained passing through
it, aud continued to increase until nearly the
entire section, which was 80 feet 10 width, had
been destroyed. The ravine being narrow
however, held the water back and il continued
to run ror three hours before the reservoir was
exhausted and the worst of the danger at
Cherry Valley, the first village, encountered,
was over
A small cottage house stood on the opposite
side of the road from Mr.. Olney's. This was
taken up whole, whirled around on the surface
like top for a time, then down into the water.
Three or four other small dwelling houses were
taken up and borne along till they crushed to-
getber and sunk out of sight. The waters
from the reservoir now reached Kettle Brook
and the vast amount of water swept across a
pond, struck line beyond and was turned
down towards Cherry Valley, GAINESVILLE, Lees
willie, Stonevile and New Worcester. j. A.
Smith & Co. wooden mill stood at the head of
this pond. In front of it was a dam which had
stood many severe test, but crushed under
the immense pressure brought upon it and it
gave away and the waters of the pond were
added to the already uncomfortable mess. The
mill, substantial brick structure, was next
struck and crumbled, one brick following an
otner until three-quarters of the mill were in
ruins and the water was sweeping through
what was lest standing.
A short distance below was the Bottomly
Mill, operated by A. E. Smith. This was a
wooden structure about 30 feet square and stood
below dam which held the waters of dam
above When the water struck this it gave
way, and the waters of the pond served to in
Crtdsc Stlll luTlucE luo WASH duOuuG WHICH was
already sweeping destruction before it. The
mill was next struck and lifted bodily to the
top of the rushing mass. On it was swept at
terrific rate, whirliug and turning in all direc
tons till 1t struck Ashworta & Jones mill.
This was the best mill on the stream and one
of the best in the country. 1t was substan-
tial brick structure four stories high, with an
ell for boiler house. The Bottomly Mill
struck this ell with terrific force, knocking it to
pieces. The Bottomly Mill was as completely
chnH I'M fhn CHI trnh ~
had been blown up with dualin, and
nothing more was seen which could be recog
nized as the mill standing but moment be-
fore. Boiler house of Ashworth & Jones' mill
was ruined in an instant, and one end of the
structure was swept away by the flood. The
boiler was taken up and carried along as though
it was single in mill stream.
Soon an explosion was heard above the roar
of the flood, and stream of water was thrown
several feet above the surface OF the current.
Another explosion followed, and another, until
five had occurred, and the boiler was blown to
atoms Mr. Jones also lost large barn, which
was seized and crushed like an egg she'll Down
through the pond at Hunts mill the water
swept, but the mills are situated so tar from the
line of the stream they did not receive the full
force of the shock and the flood, after carrying
away the dam swept on to the railroad. There
was no means of communication with James.
Vile after the dam broke, but it is thought the
mill is uninjured, although the dam is gone, as
the intervening country is low land and the
force OF flood was partially broken by the wa
ter spreading. The next obstacle encountered
was the highway to Rochedale.
AT Stoneville the dam gave way and the
course of the flood was through a narrow val
ley, and the roaring, ruchlDg water was dis
tnctly heard for nearly a mile The mill is
thought to be safe.
The flood next passed over small dam and
the Boston & Albany railroad above the James
vile depot. The water was 30 feet high when
it approached the track. With one tremend-
Gus crash the railroad embankment gave way,
opening gap 400 or 500 feet long and 20 feet
deep
The coal shops were carried away bnt pas
sepgers and freight depot were left standing.
just before the water mountain struck The
Railroad embankment at GAINESVILLE, lection
oftbe steam forced its way on to the line of The
road, and passing on both sides of the depot,
rushed 10 feet high down the track carrying
devastation before it,
The grades being quite steep at this point |
new impetus was given the water and in its |
it lifted the rails and ties bodily from the
road-bed and turned them topsy turvy. For |
more than mile it rushed headlong, and at |
last just before reaching the stone arch bridge |
at CARTS Pond, it bored hole down into the |
road.Dec and made gap about so feet long and |
As or so feet deep.
The water then found it's way into Curtis |
pond. The devastation at this point will be as |
costly as any along the entire route. The two |
long and deep gaps will require much time and |
great expense to repair. A mile of rail. and |
ties are piled up in every conceivable shape and |
the road-bed under the north track is washed |
out in places three and four feet deep. The |
branch railroad track was taken up badly and |
carried over on the main road. Trees, stumps /
and shanties were also thrown down and |
washed awav
This is all received up to 4 o'elock