The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-31
AnOther Account.

WORCESTER, March 800 r. M.-It was
hoped to-day that danger from the reservoir
dam mad been averted, but at 8 o'clock
this afternoon the water WIS seen buO-
bling thrcag the earth OF the dam back OF
the waste gatehouse. Tho stream when FIRST
nouced was not larger than a maDs finger. II
was at once thought that the dam was
going An alarm was given. The men escaped
10 the side hills, the teams were driven OF
10 places of safety, ana messengers were sent
down through the valley TO warn the people
that the food was coming. While the men had
been fleeing to places OF safety the stream had
grown la less than half a minute 1t was as
large as a mans leG. In another minute 1t WAS as
large bar el and three or four feet high. Then
stones and earth we're thrown up 10 the stream,
ana gradually the earth began to cave In. Foot
after foot Of the once sOlin emounkment, now
thoroughly honey-cOmbed by the action OF the
water. began to cave IN. 1hen sections varying
In width from two to i've feet began to drop
until the omOankmcnt was gone. away back to
the face OF the dam. The cement spling
wall held for a moment after the eaTtn
had all been washed away. Then a
Gradually its size increased until, with one
grand crash, the sping wall crumbed, letting
The water rushed down tho ravlne in a body
twenty feet high, whirling and rushing nj the
same time and the roar was terrible. First In
the line OF the sweeping fdod was the stone
waste gatehouse. when the Hood struck this,
II 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 onward until drawn into whirlpool,
when IL WIS crushed to matChwOCd aud thrown
into tue air. The gatehouse was tipped over
bodily, anu not even stone OF II has since been
seen.
Down through narrow ravne 100 feet wide
and one mile long the hood swept on. The sides
were gulhed-fairly dug out clean-in an in-
stant for fifty feet until the edge OF the EN-
bankment was almost perpendicular Through
the pine woods on ono side OF the ravlne the
waters tore. 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 tho ragine and
rushed onward toward the highway below. a
large barn was taken up bodily and carried
about nlty feet, when II struck a tree and was
broken into pieces. Next was Geo. W. kney's
dwelling, one OF the finest In the village. The
rushing mass struck this bToadslde aud com
pletey cleaned out the rear and front walls.
The ends $1,000, and, strange 10 rag. supported
the roof under which the water poured IN "A
solid stream ~ feet high and 30 feet wae.
When the dam broke The gap was ABOUT twenty
feet in width. This Increased rapidly after the
water had once gained "A p ssage through IL, and
continued TO increase until nearly tho entire
section, which was eighty feet In width, had
been destroyed. the ravine heing narrow, how
ever, held the water back, and IL continued to
run for three hours before the reservoir was
exhausted, ana the worst OF the danger al Cherry
Valley, the first village encountered was over.
A small cottage mouse stood on the opposite
side OF the road from Mr.. Olney's This was
taken w whole. wntrlsd around on the surface