New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-31
THE FLOOD RETARDED BY A RAvINE.


PEOPLE FLEE To THE HILLS.
gsEsERAL PRESS DIsPATcu.l
WORCESTER, Mass. March 30.-It was hoped to-
day that danger from the reservoir dam had been
averted but at 8 o'clock this afternoon 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 once thought that the dam was going.
An alarm was given. The men escaped to
the side hills, the teams were driven OIL
to places of safety, and messengers sent down
through tho valley to the people that the flood
was coming. While the men had been fleeing to
places of safety the stream had grown. In min
ute's time it was large as O mans leg.
In another minute it was as large as
barrel and 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 the once solid embankment now
thoroughly honeycombed by the action of the water,
began to cave in. Then sections varying
in width from two to five feet began
to drop until the embanhment was gone
away back to the face Of the dam. The cement wall
held for a moment after the earth had all been
washed away, then hole appeared in its center.
Gradually its size increased, until with one grand
crash the wall crumbled, letting off 760,000,0O0
gallons Of water stored behind.
The water rushed down the ravine in body 20
feet high, whirling and rushing at the same time,
and the roar was terrible. First in the line of the
sweeping food was the stone waste-gate house.
When the food struck this it tottered; then
the keystone of the arch dropped out.
A corner Of the building next gave way,
followed by the wooden roof, which was swept on
ward until drawn into whirlpool, when 1T was
crushed to match-wood and thrown into the air.
The gate-house was tipped over bodily, and not even
q stone of it has since been seen. The flood
swept down through q narrow rayine 100 feet
wide and one mile long, The sides were quilted
fairly dug ont clean-in an instant for fifty feet,
until the edge of the embankment almost per-
pendicular The waters tore through the pine woods
on one side of the ravine The largest trees were
twisted around like straws, pulled up by the roots
and carried onward down the decline. The flood
tore out everything in the ravine and pushed toward
tho highway below.
large barn was taken up bodily and carried
about 80 feet, when it struck tree and was broken
into pieces. Next was George +. Olney's dwelling
house, one of the finest in the village The rushing
mass struck this broadsde and completely cleaned
out the rear and front walls. The ends
stood, and, strange to say, supported tho
roof under which tie water poured in o solid
stream, 20 feet high and 80 feet wide.
When the dam broke the gap was about 20
feet in width This increased rapidly after the
water had gained passage through it, and con-
tinued to increase until nearly the entire section,
which was so feet In width, had been destroyed.
The rayine being narrow, however. held the water
back and il continued to for three hours before
the reservoir was exhausted and the worst
Of the danger at Cherry Valley. the first
village encountered, was over. small cot
tage house stood on the opposite side
of the road from Mr.. Olneys. This was taken up
WHOLE whirled around on the surface like top for
time, and then down into the water.
Three OF four other small dwelling-hOuses were
taken up and carried along until they crashed
together and sank out of sight.
The waters from the reservoir now reached Kettle
brook, and the vast amount OF water swept across
q pond, struck line beyond, and was turned down
Cherry Valley GAINESVILLE Leesyille, Stoneville and
New-Worcester. j. A. Smith d Co.'s wooden mill
stood at the head of this pond. In front of it was
dam which had withstOod many severe test, but 1t
crumbled under the immense pressure brought upon
it, and gave way and the waters Of the pond were
added to the already uncomfortable mass. The mill,
q substantial brick structure, was next struck and
crumbled, one brick following another until thee
fourths of the mill was in ruins, and the water
was subsiding through what was left standing.
A short distance below the Bottomly Mill.
operated by A. L. Smith This was wooden struc-
ture, about 90 feet square, and stood below a dam
which held the waters of pond above. When
the water struck this il gave way, and the
waters of the pond served still further to increase
the vast amount which already sweeping de-
struction before it. The mill was next struck and
lifted bodily to the top of the rushing
mass. On it was swept at a terrific rate,
whirling and turning In all directions,
until it struck Ashworth q Joness mill.
This was the best mill on the stream and one of the
best in the country. 1t was substantial brick
structure, four stories high, with an IL" for a
boer-house. The Bottomly mill struck this III
with terrific force knocking it to pieces The Bottomy
was as completely demolished by the shock though
it had been blown up with dualin, and nothing
more seen which could be recognized as the mill
standing but moment before Tho boiler-houso of
Ashworth g. Joness mill was ruined in an instant,
and one end of the main structure was swept away
on tho food. The boiler was taken up and carried
along as if it was only a single in mill-stream.
Soon an explosion was heard above the roar of
the food and a stream of water was thrown several
feet above the surface of the current Another ex-
plosion followed and another until five had &C.
Cured and the boiler was blown to pieces Mr.
Jones also lost q large barn. II was seized and
crushed like an egg-shell. Down through the
pond at Hunts Mills tho water swept but the mills
are situated far from the line of the stream that
they did not receive the full shock, aud the flood,
after taking away the dam, swept into the railroad
There was no means Of communication with James
vile after the dam broke, but it is thought the mill
| 10 uninjured, although the dam is COLE