Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-01

Brea king " . Dam at Worcester,
Hass. - Great Destruction sf
Property.

Brea king or . Dam as Worcester,
Mass. Great Destruction Of
Property. -
Worcester, March 30.-At 6 80 this
evening the reservoir dam gave way with
a great crash. The spiling wall crum-
bled, letting of 7sO. 900 900 gallons OF
water stored behind it. he water rushed
down the ravins with terrible roar in
solid mass twenty feet high. First IN the
line Of the sweepin2 Hood was the stone
waste gste-house and when the flood
struck this i.tottered; than the keystone
of the arch dropped ont. A corner OF
the building gave way, followed by the
wooden roof. which was swept onward
until it was drawn into whirlpool,
when it was crushed to match-wood and
thrown into the air. The gate-house was
topped over bodily-not even stone re-
NAMED. Down through the narrow "a
vine. one hundred feet wide and one
nile long, the food swept on. The sides
of the rayine were fairly dug out clean IN
an instant for fifty feet until the edge OF
the embankment was almost perpendi-
cuiar. Through the pine woods on one
side Of the ravipe the waters tore mp the
largest trees, twisted them around Ike
stravs and carried them onward Down
the decline the food tore out everything
in the ravine and rushed toward the high
way below. 4 large harm was taken up
bodily and carried about fifty feet when
it struck tree and was broken in two
pieces Next was 6. w. Olpey's dwell
ing house, one of the finest in the VII
lage. The rushing mass struck this
broadside and completely cleared ont the
rear and front. The wall ends stood and,
strange to say. supported the roof, under
which the water poured in a solid stream
twenty feet high and thirty wide. When
the dam first broke the gap was about
twenty feet in width. This increased
rapidly after the water had once gained
a passage through it and continued to
increase till nearly the entire section,
which was eighty feet wide, had been
destroyed. The ravine being narrow
held the wafer back and the water con-
tinued to run for three hours before the
reservoir was exhausted and the worst of
the danger at Cherry Valley-the first
village encountered-was over. small
cottage house stood opposite the side
road from Olney's. This was taken up,
whirled around on the surface for time
and then down into the water. Three
or four other small dwelling-houses were
taken up and borne along till they crash
ed together and sunk ont of sight. The
waters from the reservoir now reached
Kettle brook and the vast amount OF
water swept across a pond, struck line
beyond and was turned toward Cherry
Valley, GAINESVILLE, Leesville, Stoneville
and New Worcester. j. A. Smith i Co.'s
wooden mills stood at the head of this
pond. In front of them was dam
which had wi,hstood many severe tests.
but it crumbled under the pressure
brough. upon i: and gave way. The
mill, a substantial brick structure ives
next struck. and crumbled till three
quarters of the building were in ruins
and the water was sweeping through
what was left standing. A short dis
lance below was the Boitomly mill,
operated by A. E. Smith. There was q
wooden structure, about fifty feet square.
which stood below the dam which held
the waters OF the pond above. When
the water struck this it gave way and
the waters Of the pond further increased
the vast amount. The mill below was
next struck and lifted bodily to the top
of the rushing waters, and on Ii was
swept at L terrific rate, whirling and
turning IN all directions. till it struck
Ashworth & Jones' mill-the best mill
on the stream and one of the best in the
country. 1t was substantial brick
structure, four stories high. with an ell
for a boiler-house. The Bottomly mill
struck this ell with terrific force, knock
ing it to pieces. The Bottomly mill was
as completely demolished by the shock
as thoug Oh blown up. and nothing more
was seen of it which could be recognized
IS tho mill standing moment before.
The boiler-house of Ashworth & Jones
mill was ruined in an instant and one
end of the main structure was swept
away. The boiler was taken up and
carried along as if it was shingle in
mill-stream. An explosion was heard
above the roar of the flood and column
of steam WAS thrown several feet above
the surface of the current. Another e1-
plosion followed and another until five
had occurred. and the boiler WAS blown
to pieces. Mr.. Jones also lost largo |
barn, which was crushed like an egg-shel1. !
At Stonevii;s the dam gave way and the /,
course of the dood was through the mar
row valley, and the roar of the rushing |
waters was distinctly heard for mile. !
The food next passed. over the small |
dam at the Boston and Albany railroad |
Just above GAINESVILLE depot. The spec
tatcrs who were standing near the depot |
say the water was thirty feet high when !
it approached the track. With one tre-
mendous crash the Railroad embankment
gave way. opening a gap 400 or 500 feet