The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-04-14

The Great Reservoir a. Worcester, Mass,
Gives Way, and the water sweeps Lv-
cay Thing in Its Course Prosperous
Valley Transformed 10 Desoiate

d 80 this evening the reservoir dam
gave way with great crash, letting of
100000, 900 gallons Of water which was
stored behind. The water rushed down
the ravine with a terrible roar in solid
mass twenty feet high.
The first thing in the line Of the sweep
ing flood was the stone waste-gate house.
This was tipped over bodily, and not
even a stone Of it remained. Down
through narrow ravine, 100 feet wide
and one mile long, the flood swept on.
The sides were fairly dug out clean in
an instant for 80 feet until the edge of
the embankment was almost perpen-
dicular Through the pine woods on
one side of the ravine the waters tore,
and the largest trees were
TWISTED AROUND LIKE srRAws,
pulled up by the roots, and carried on
ward down the decline. The flood tore
out every thing in the ravine and rush
ed onward towards the highway below.
A large barn was taken up and carried
about so feet, when IL struck tree and
was broken into pieces. The next was
G. w. Olney's dwelling-house, one Of
the finest in the village. The rushing
mass struck this broadside and com
pletely cleared out the rear and front
walls. The ends stood, and strange to
say, support the roof under which the
water poured in solid stream 20 feet
high and 80 wide.
WHEN THE DAM FIRST BROKE
the gap was about 20 feet in width.
This increased rapidly after the water
had once gained a passage through it.,
and continued TO increase until nearly
the entire section, which was SO feet in
width, had been destroyed. The ravine
being narrow, however, held the water
back, and il continued TO run for three
hours before the reservoir was exhaust
ed, and the worst of the danger at
Cherry Valley (the first village encoun-
tered) was over. A small cottage house
stood on the opposite side of the road
from Mr.. Olney's. This was taken up
whole and whirled around on the sur
face like top for a time, and went
down into the water. Three or four
other small dwelling-houses were taken
up and borne along until they crashed
together and sunk out of sight. The
waters from the reservoir reached ket-
tie Brook and vast amount Of water
swept across a pond, struck line be-
yond, and was turned down towards
Cherry Valley, GAINESVILLE, Leesville,
Stoneville and Worcester.
MILLS SWEET AWAY LIKE EGG-sHELLs.
Smith q Co.'S woolen-mill stood at
the head of this pond. In front of il
was dam which had withstood many
a severe test, but it crumbled under the
immense pressure brought upon it, gave
way, and the waters of the pond were
added to the already uncomfortable
mass. The mill, substantial brick
structure, was next struck and crum-
bled until three-fourths OF the building
was i'm ruins and the water was sweep
ing through what was left standing. A
short distance below was the Bottomly
Mill, operated by A. +. Smith. This
was wooden structure abou. 80 feet
square which stood below dam which
held the waters of pond above. When
the water struck this it gave way and
the water of the pond served to still
! further increase the vast amount which
was already sweeping destruction be-
! fore it. The mill was next struck and
lifted bodily to the top of the rushing
waters. On it was swept at terrific
rate, whirling and twining in all direc-
tions, until il struck Ashworth & jones'
mill. This was the best mill on the
stream and one of the best in the
country. Ii was substantial brick
structure four stories high, with an ell
for boiler-house. The Bottomly Mill
struck this ell with terrific force, knock
ing it TO pieces. The Bottomly was
completely demolished by the shock, a
though it had been blown up with
dualin, and nothing more was seer
which could be recognized as the mil
standing but a moment before. The
boiler-house of Ashworth X Jones's
mill was ruined in an instant, and one
end of the main structure was swept
away. The boiler was taken up anc
carried along rs though it was a shin
gle i'm mill stream. Soon an explo
sion was heard above the roar of til,
flood, and stream of water was thrown
several feet above the surface of the cur
rent. Another explosion followed, anc
another, until five had occurred, anc
the boiler was blown to pieces. Mr.
Jones also lost large barn, which wa
crushed like an egg-shell. At Stone
vile the dam gave way and the ceurs'
of the food was through a narrow val
ley, and the
ROAR or THE RUSHING WATER
was distinctly heard for "a mile. Th'
flood next passed over a small dam an,
the Boston and Albany railroad jus
above the GAINESVILLE depot. Spectator
who were standing near the depot 81,
the water was 80 feet high. When
approached the track with one tremen
dous crash the railroad embankmen
gave away, opening a gap four or fiv
hundred feet long and 20 feet deep
The coal-shcds were carried away, bu