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


At Leesville, In New Worcester, are located
the woolen mills OF Albert Curtis. me % ustl n,, a.
these mills withstood the pressure ot tne ar cur
rent for a considerable time, causing the water
to set back upon the dwelling houses IN tne
Al length the dam suocumbed, and with II
came a loud crash, which Is supposed 10 bnvs
any attempt to reach them was IN vain, owing
to the rapidy-risng waters. Next came the
Boston and Albany railway t,adk % anu onis ,ne arEe
These restrained the water for short time, but
soon the western and centre pliers 81 the bridge
stream TO the large hve-story brick carpet MILL
owned by George Crompton.
The dam at these works had been carried
away by the breaking OF the Praxton reservoir
last Sunday. and the water being afforded free
lie damage to the mill. A small woollen mill
lust below, on the opposite bank OF the river.
was lifted up and shattered into ruins; South
Bridge street, which crosses the river Just be-
low, was submerged. the bridge swept away, and
the road gullled out for a distance Of fifteen
rods.
The next opposition encountered by the food
was the track Of the Providence and Worcester
Railroad, which It last accounts was standing,
but Is now evidently shed away.
At III o'clock the water had set back unon the
low part OF the city known AS the Island" and
the numerous small dwellings occupied princ.
pally nv laDorers and mechanics were rapidly
being filled with water, and the occupants COM
lives.
Al OF tho streets leading TO QuinslHamond
VII age where the extensive wire works OF
Wishburn Noon are located are Hooded. and
all communication with that place Is cut on.
What damage Is done there can only be I'M
ngtncd but the damage thus lar known
cen be but trAing compared with what
must unayoidaby oc ur before the I'M
mensc volume Of wSter can waste It.
self In tie Black stone valley below. Ordina-
fily there would be low LANDS enough To receive
tho water without de-troyine much property
eIcept the carrying away Of dams hut At the
present the whole valley II completely nlled. and
TINS Immense quantity of water h.wins INTO II
IN 4 adj lei kyi1p4urp
to that already done by the recent Hood.
Ample warning had been given In this vicinity
TO avoid any loss Of lfc, but the worst fear. are
that the inh abltants Of the string of mauufac-
turing villages below are not sufficiently aware
of the impending DANGER AMI loss Of life seems
almost inevitable before The current spends IT'S
force
There can be but little doubt that this city Il
Is stated that the firm nf Asnworth & Jones OF
Cnorr' Valley have notified the ciiy authorities
nve times within the pa,t week OF the threat
ened danger. This firm, II Is said. were post
i've YESTERDAY th.t the I'm would give way
water damage for the next three dAvs.
When the terrible volume " water was fully
plunged along down the valley to JAmesNie
pond where portion Of II struck tho track
Of the Boston. and Albany Railroad a.
railroad road bed furnished an outlet
for the resistless mass and down the track 1t
started. The tracks were laid on an embank-
mcnt and filled IN all the way. aud on each sid 0
the torrent swept on, hitting the tracks like dry
tWixS aud TWISTING the steel rails anu wood n
ties into shaneless heaps carving the emba' k.
uent on which they were LAID along with II and
leaving deed ragged gully IN Its wake.
just as IL started down the track fro n James
Vile 1t encountered the stone-arched bridge az
that station, which Is about eighteen feet in
height and securely fastened on each side Of
the road. The bridge disappeared as II by
magic, Offering not tue signtest impedment to
the rushing stream.
The stream, about ten feet deep. continued
down the track, lifting the rails as II went, aud
sweeping away the new bri ge at Leesvlile. ais
air. d nal.
irighlful e1 'syatiOns were made, the N.ter cut
ting in to a depth of forty feet.
On arriving at the point where the road crosses
Curtiss pond, near New Worcester, by a double
arcned stone bri ige, II demolished the latter as
1t mad those at Jamesvillo and Loesyle, ana
poured in body with all It's accumulated rub
bish into toe pond, where 1t was subsequently
Joined by the main stream which found lis way
from Jamesyille I'M roundabout way through
stoneyllle into Curtis's pond.
The New York train, due In Boston about mid
night, still lies on the track west Of Jamesyllle
with AL its passengers, and the 8 o'clock and .
o'eloek Nav YORK trains from Boston are stlll la
It's through pas.engers before Leaving Hoston To
Tue stream, on reaching Curtis's Pond, had
devastated district Of about ten miles. aud en-
| tireiY or nearly enaCed the Boston aud Albany
Railroad tor over h4lt mile. Where the road
! bed lay Is now deep, uneven, and ragged gully,
which II will t4lte a week or more ~ the hardest
scratching by tne company e. repair suihciently
to send passengers over II. The loss to TINS cor
! Dor ton l. placed by competent authority at
! about $4,000.
/ IL Is utterly Impossible TO estimate even ap-
! proN Nna atrly tue damage done to property oy
! the disaster, but shrewd guessers lX 10 all the
! way from half TO million ana half dollars.
IL Will take many daNs To ascertain the uun age.
| and should the hood pursue its devastating way
| through the valley of the Black stone the total
sum IA y loot up two Or turee millions.
After the sad Gcstruc Ion Of the Hood comes
the question of wat Is the city to do for water
| until some permanent supply can be restored.
! There are several solutions 10 the question. all
Of which have their disadvantages. one Is To
connect the Kettle brook with the L,noe brook
toy means Of large pipe, which pl "a
has previously been discussed Another Is
TO pdmp wAtcr from the New Worcester
pom is into the small supplying reservoir there
being large steam pump nov in working order
for this purpose. Either Of these plans would in
yolve great ex acnse. wuicn has Oeen the DupbeA ar
Of the resent city government to such an extent
that tnoy have given no heed to the many warn.
inss Of the danger Of the cata- -trophe wnIch has
/ Just tetallen tnem. In the event of an extern
sve fire at tins iime the city would be ia a
most deplordble cunuition, and some means for
temporary water supply must be speedily de-
| Nised.