The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-04-01
AGREAT DISASTER.
rurFi.0OD AT WORCESTER.

s-prr-IoS TO TRnPsRTI-THb HkSlSILAss
yoycs or TIE WATERS. .
Uopcv.1ER, MASS, March 3O.-N was
,,r.d to.das tha the danger from the reser-
cir dam had been sverted, but al this
.nr-,oon the water was seen Duoonpg
.s,oryh the earth OF the dam back ot tue
.ra.,s.cq,e house. The stream when hrst
,.,;c.d gas not larger than 8 mans hnger.
T'',, =. va. at once thought that the dam was
r,,nr 40 alsIm was given. The men
ss,cScrd 10 the side hills. the teams were
I,,sn If 20 pisces of safety, aud messen'
cs,s were sent down through the valley to
warn the people that
THs FLOOD WAS COMING.
roo. ."t5 foot Of embankment gave way
,,,;l !, VA. all gone, and when The earth bad
vi t,nn Its,.d away Il b0le appeared in the
nsr,rs ." Of he wall, sad gradually increased
rr,;i with one grand crash the wall crHm.
bed, l.,irg II f.t
760. 900, 900 GALLONS oP wArsE
stored behind. The water rushed down the
rarre in solid ma.s twenty feet high,
whirling and rushing st the same time, and
the roar was terrible.
rir.r IN the line Of the sweeping food was
IN. s,cpe ws,te.gste house. When the food
s,rnrk his il ,otrered, then the keystone OF
,be arch dropped out "a corner of the build
inp rfyt gave way, followed by the wooden
rosf, which was swept onward until it was
drawn into a " wbrlpool, when 1t was crushed
10 match and thrown into the air. The
pste.bouse wss lifted bodily, and net even a
stone Of it has since been seen.
poxS THRorGHA NARROW RA7INB,
one hundred feet wide and one mile loDg,
the food swept ou. The sides were quilted,
f,irly dug out clean in an instant for 6fty
feet, until the edge of the embankment was
almost perpendicular. Through the pine
woods m one side OF the raylne the waters
tore The largest trees were twisted around
like srsws, pulled up by the roots, and car
rltd on ward down the drain. The flood
tore GU, everything in the rsvine and rushed
onward towards the highway below. A
large barn was taken up bodily and carried
shout fifty feet, when it struck tree and
was broken into pieces. Next was
GsoEGE ". oLN1Y's DWELLING HOUSE,
one Of the finest in the village. The rush.
Ing mass struck this broadside, and COM
pleteiy cleared out the rear and front walls.
The ends stood and supported the roof, un,
der which the water poured in solid stream
twenty ieci high and thirty feet wide.
When the dom first broke the gap was
about thirty feet 10 width. This increased
rapidly after the water had once gained a
passage through it, and continued 10 Increase
until nearly the entire section, which was
eighty feet iu Width, had been destroyed.
ho- hal hs
water back, and the water continued to run
for three hours before the reservoir was ex-
hausted. ard the worst Of the danger at
Cherry Valley, and the first village encoun-
tered. Has ever.
4 small cottage house stood on the op.
posite side of The road from Mr.. Olney's.
This WIS taken up whole, wbirled around
on the surface like top for a while, aud
then 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. 49,.
TREMENDOUS FORCE OF THB FLOOD.
The Ha.ers from the reservoir now reached
hetsbro0k, and the vast amount of water
swept across pond, struck line beyond,
snd was turned dows towards Cherry Val.
ley, GAINESVILLE, Leesvi'le. ShoreVille, and
New Worcester. j. A. Smith & Co.'s wool
ienml stood at the head Of this pond. In
front OF Il vas dam which had withstood
many severe test, but crunbled under the
immense pressure brought upon 1t and gave
Wsy. The waters Of the pond were added
10 the already uncomfortable mass. The mill,
asaostantial brick structure, was next struck,
and crumbled. ..,--....---...
A short distance away was the Bottomly
nl'i, operated by A. E. smith. This was q
WOODEN structure about fifty feet square, and
$1,000 below dam which held the waters of
pono above. When the water struck this
! gave way, and the water of the pond served
70 sllIi further Increase the y2st amount
Which wa alresdy si
sMksrING DESTRUCTION BEFORE IT.
Tue mil was next struck aud lifted bodily
70 'he top Of the ru- hing mass, and on il
was swept at terrific rate, whirling and
.ofh,bg 10 oil directions, until it struck Ash.
% "of'h d Jones's mill. This was the best
w" - on the stream. and one Of the best in
she county. 1t was substantial brick strue-
,uie' acur stories high, With an "L y for q
The Bottsmly mill struck
tn's L with terrific force, Knocking it to
reee'. The BouomlY miG was dspOlished
" 'he shock. The boiler. house OF Ashworsh
" dooc''s Elll was ruined ia an instant. and
sao end OF the main structlre was swept
& &,onn ihe boiler YVES taken sp and carried
Az EXPLOSION WAS HR4Rp
NV, we ''e roar Of the hsod, ard stream Of |
face -, Ns' thrown several feet above the sur.
lHmaa s VI Zoe Current Another exslosion fol.
,,d ~ sna another, uHtii live had occurred, !
TtA .or oolier was blown to pieces.
,;n, e h'1t obstacle encountered WAS the /
u"Is Tanms 10 Hoctedae. Here the food struck
. n."., oflogeJu as man named John Kreat. L
g;,h ;Th' =; o. GAINESVILLE, was crossing. He.
wsr, nis 'esm, was seized by the food and Il
b,... Vah ara. A short turn in the strearpI
&c" rss MI hreel into shallow water. and he'll
# ms 'eesueo by those watching the progressl
h. e y, ho'. His horse was drowned and II
sson broken into pieces. .s.13se.<,, 1,
nm - Bonneville the dam gave Yay. and the
,sll.H VI me dood was through narroW 4
,i! ,is,i! The roar Of the rushing water VISA 7
''Ttuc.iy Tt. hesrd for nearly mile. 80 49,,
be- Ra.,oo aooo next passed over small dam on II
he on J,aol9d a9d Albany railroad, just above !,
.be IesYllie Irsu'. depot, when IT approached I
.siIro,S WIN one tremendous crash. The
no Of Ino neolnosnsnent gave wsy, opening al
zen " TN or 500 feet long and twenty feel j
Dsf GU oast before the water struck the rail-
10 - .toahkment At gainesville a section of
le 'au w. y iofced It's way on to the lire OF !,
eL6t 80, w.. and passing Ga both sides OF the
be y,sd.o Sshso Ten feet high down ihs track. In
sw imn"oein us oeing quite sleep at this pslat q /