The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-03-31
Hasty Moving Of Lares and
Pena tes.
SCRAMBLING FOR THE HILLS
Charry Valley Depopulated
by Terror.
A DAY OF WATCHING.

water TO De seen working through arcn con-
meeting the TWO gatehouses OF the dam. Constant
watching during the hours OF the afternoon seemed
that the leak not increasing but just after
nghifall marked increase in the leak noticed,
and fears of serious results were entertained
WARNING NOTES
Tho warning notice OF the impending danger i'm
mediately sent down the valley through which the
threatening Hood would rush. should there be a sudden
giving away OF any great portion OF the DAM and the
people, mindful OF tho Mill River disaster the
cent Kettle Brook trouble, were quick catch the
alarm and guard themselves in every possible way
against the imminent danger.
HOUSEHOLD REJECTS.
To escape the destruction of life and property
the first thought OF every one, and the removal OF all
portable household effects to points of safety the
hill instantly begun. All the occupants or houses
situated in what would be the path Of tho GOOD cleared
beir dwellings as rapidly possible The owners Of
hi the mills along Cherry Valley also removed as much
possible from their storehouses and manufactures
EXPORTS
also made. Tho gates in all the dam along the
valley opened to allow free flow OF the nocd-
ing possible At the dam Water CommiN-
sioner Hail, with large force OF workmen. early
At the of trouble and every possible cndeavor
was made to make the breaking dam hold together
I'll the pressing water should gradually be drained or
The leak slowly gained ground and when the doors OF
The lower gate were burst IN stream OF water poured
out showing by ITS turbd condition that it work
Ing It's way up under tho arch from point in the dam
near the bottom OF the The gates could not
be opened, the Hood boiling up directly through
the gatehouse and had warped the gates. The Water
Department workmcn found themselves unable to stay
the destructive work OF the angry water md
night the low to be steadily increasing and
fears began be expressed that sudden break might
then sent throughout The Buck-
stone Valley.
WATER
The water when first 1t let OF the gatehousc
by the bursting of the Doors three Deep
but by one O'Clock It's depth fully four feet.
About two O'Clock the authorities ordered that a large
number OF the hydrants throughout the city be opened
and several thousand gallons OF water by this
means drawn IRON the reservoir Still the water
rushed from the dam in increasing volume, ana from
midnight the stream through the valley had been ris-
Ing at the rate of some two feet hour Before three
the drain through the city pipes was stopped, AS the
water no longer flowed into and through them
A noMESrARy cHKcK.
Toward morning the quantities 81 baled hay which
had been thrown into the breach seemed prove in
measure cfncacious and at about six O'Clock there
seemed stay the force and volume OF the flood.
The waters newly damned by these hay bales ploughed
around their edges with fearful power and gradually
and enlarged passages, through which it
again poured in gaining floods. The break gained for
nm hour two and the sudden breaking away of the
structure was once more seriously apprchended
LOCATION
The break the upper side is little the west OF
the upper gatehouse. Below the water shows only at
The gachouse, but it is running through the break
and overlooking at the gatehouse window. It does
como through the gates, which are shut
DAM.
o'clock A. NJ, quartcr-past nine and haIfpast nine
reported no great change tho situation. Al nine
o'clock there quite crowd at the dam and n string
Of teams lined the neighboring fences The top Of the
dam dotted with knots OF spectators, who were
kept away 10 some extent from where the break
by rope guarded by the police. The break, should
be remembered, is underneath the dam, although on
the upper side the dirt has caved so us TO show
plainly the place of the trouble below.
On the lower side OF tho dam the
water burst in two cataracts through the windows
OF the gatehouse, and the muddy torrents poured
swiftly down the valley. considerable number of
city officials OF different ranks were present this morn.
ing, but up O'Clock about all that done was
To roll up bags of hay aud drop them into the hoo
from above. Tho hay bags. which had proved
nearly effective in stopping the leak now, at the most
did no moro than TO keep It from rapidly growing
larger. In fact ofthc bags presently found
below the DAM having passed through.
CHANNEL
There seemed be lack OF leadership but consul
tations of those authority frequent 1t was
proposed the dam at the northwest corner
Ing take the channel of Parsons Brook, thus
heving the weight ON the dam. This scheme met with
objection but about hapas nine O'Clock IT
that something must be done. and gang OF were
Sent around to do H. Another gang set work
the shore trees and throw them into the gap
Il docs not exactly appear why this was not dOno
iooucr The crowd around the dam Increasing,
quite "a number arriving horseback, ready TO try a
with the necessity should arise The Cherry
Valley road still travelled, although good many
preferred the steep but safe back road the hills
via ratnuck. At this time the water running through
was thought by some TO increasing little, but by
Nhcrs to show The water in the reser-
roir was only lowering tho Of about inch
hour The plan OF stopping the leak With sail
Or piece OF sail cloth privately suggested 10 several
Of those Ia authority but nobody seemed TO think u
worth while TO do anything although ii said there
was pcnty OF sacloth tho mills half mile below
This plan OF using "a sail has In practice proved
eCicacious, and notably In tho case OF the
breaking OF the Thames cmbankmcnt, where.
OF course, there was no such thing
drawing on the water The sail was nut down
heavily Weighted with the lower end and tho
water Of course sucked il against the break.
stopping the trouble IN great measure Tor the mo
mcnL Alter that u was easy matter to patch the
break with anything handy. 1t Is the same Ian used
ships when they spring leak any place which
can be reached.
HxAsUREa
Tae Mayor arrived tho grounds ut about nine
O'Clock, aud alter viewisg the situation Of AFFAIRS cx-
pressed The idea that though all the rcser
voir would the efforts the leak would DO
successful At quarterpast nine gang OF began
70 cut down The pine trees below The reservoir and
these hauled large up the steep side
nl " tEo break At hAtpast nine gang OF mon with