The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-28
A MILL DAM SWEPT AWAY
FOND OF TWO HUNDRED A CREs OF
WATER LET LOOSE.


WATER LET LOOSE.
The Torrent Sweeping Everything In Its Path
several Factories Desiroyed and One
Thriving Manufacturing village Ruined.
BosroN, March H.-Later advices from
Clinton, Mass, show that the damage occasioned
by the giving way OF the Messy Pond dam YVES
even greater than at nrst estimated, aud that
t200,0O0 will hardly cover 1t. 1t is not known
that any lives were lost, but II is reported that
two men missing who were known to have
been iu ono of the buildings destroyed. The
scene to day for a distance OF two miles, the
track Of the water, recalls the terrible MIL
river disaster, the gorge cut by the flood vary
ing from twenty to sixty feet deep, leaving
huge granite boulders oleanly washed where
mono were to be seen before. The ponds from
which this water came covered space of two
hundred acres to a depth OF from ten to twenty
feet, and were swollen by recent rains to far
greater proportions.
About o'clock on Sunday II became evident
there was danger, and efforts were made to
strengthen the dam with mattresses, bales OF
hay, and small trees, but the efforts were un-
availine. The dyke melted like snow, and at
o'clock the water burst forth with a mighty
rush, sweeping away everything in its path.
Trees were twisted, snapped, and uprooted.
Earth and boulders were torn from between the
hills, leaving rough gorge several rods width.
Actor passing Fullervllle down to the north
branch Of the Nashua river, tho water had
larger scope, aud was carried of without further
obstacle.
The summary Of buildings destroyed includes
the Clinton tannery, the Fulleryille Company's
factory and Tour other buildlngs. Tho princi-
pal losses were at Fulervlle, which Ia nov a
complete ruin, where there was a thriving man
ufacturlng settlement. The COMPANY occupied
iye buildings, hardly a vestlge OF which now re-
mains. The loss Of the Messrs. Boy ce is quite
A Putnam, Conn.,. special giving the partlcu-
lars OF the ireshet in the Quinebaug and French
rivers sunday morning says that the Hood could
have been prevented 10y the exercise of care and
energy, and arose in part from the stoppaHe Vf u
large culyert used as an outlet The ac-
cumulated water rushed through the town,
causing great damage. The coal yard Of
+. ;. Lvon was partially swept :, away;
Manufacturing Company was injured, and the
boiler house and some machinery carried away.
other mills were damaged aud but one or two
to swell the total to large amount. The tracks
OF the Norwich and Worcester and New York
aud New England roads were torn up and travel
was SUSPENDED. The New YORK boat train
5000. Dispatches state that tue dam In Sur
bridge, MasA., sixteen miles above Putnam, was
At raftsvlle nve men were drowned by the
giving way OF dam they were repairing.
the fresnet At Clinton, Mass. places the total
loss at $4,000. Among the PRINCIPAL losers are
marsn mgsns snS soSS wSIKs tSnner oe1i sTVV h
Litchheld, comb makers, about $4,000 IN stock
and machinery; Lowe bros. conb makers. loss
heavy, their factory being swept away. Tue
fullerville mills, owned by BoJce Bros, of Lynn,
makers Of elastic and shoe bndery, were de-
flood carried away the grist mill OF W. J. scriv-
ner and damaged the Mansfield cotton mill.
THE FLOODS ELSEWHERE.
The rain has covered the tracks OF the Union
filll ana West HObOken car lines to the deptJ OF
feet. The rOada have bean iuinasgabla m
since Saturday night. Yesterday the residents
OF Union Hill and the western part OF Jersey city
HEIGHTS were compelled 10 60 by way Of Hud-
son CITY, ten times the distance, to reach their
homes. Houses on the Iioboken meadows are
surrounded by water. In Jefferson street the
water in many cases reached almost to the
second-1oor windows.
at present learned the loss in the town Of Nor
wich by the freshet Is about sll2,OO0, which
damage done. OF this amount about S55.-
coo are in loss on mill property and dan
property, Sj,OO in damages TO streets and city
property, aud s24'@ ~ losses on goods
THIS estimate does, not include the oam-
rGe done at Baltic, In the town
.6 ssSuS nor at M0Fs Varsa. ssen si''ied S 0bos.
$4,000 nor at the QuneoanT mills at Dauies-
vile, where the damage is $s5'o0O. The losses In
SSa%sc Miis'.' sscS; IafiviiIis $500;
stsd ted Company. siOoj Norwich fS Bleaching
Company. 800; mills at Norwich Falls and
Greeneylle, $1,000; Groeneyille Water Power,
5000.
The damage to the Norwich and Worcester
and the New London Northern Railroad Com
panles Is not known at present, but Is heavy.
Probably the total loss la this section Is not far
from $35O,0OO
Boston, March 2T.-Some nve OF six thousand
mill operatives In Lawrence. Mass, are idle to-
day, owing to the stoppage OF many OF the mills
Ia consequence OF the unprecedented high
water. All the mills along Spicket river are
stopped. Serious damage has been done at
several points, but fortunately the rivers are
free from ice. The water In the Merrmack this
morning was Al feet above the dam, and though
the river hsd fallen four inches at noon, still
higher water ie predicted.
Tno freshet at Ashland Mass., is extensive,
and the damage to property, including bridges,
will reach $1,000. Much damage has been done at
Medway.
WORCESTER, March 2T.-Tbe top OF the Paxton
dam, down to the png, gave way this morning
at $50. There WAS probably no serious danger,
but panic tnsued below, manufacturers re-
moving tneir goods along the stream, and In the
narrow gorge Of Cherry Valley, citizens Temoy-
ing their chattels and families to the hills. The
stream runs into the blackstone river through
a series OF reservoirs.
MEMPHIS, alarcn H.-There Is great alarm here
over the anticipated disastrous overflow Of the
river 1t IL now within nine inches Of the danger
line, ana rising RAPIDLY At Devils Elbow, forty
miles above here, II cut through the "neck yes
twenty miles. A STEADY rain Ia falling this morn
Ia NfHl H. NNaaaa