The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-29
FEARFUL WATERS.
The Bursting of Dam in Massachusetts
Causes the Death of Many Persona.


The Bursting of Dam in Massachusetts
Causes the Death of Many Persona.
PITTsFIELD, Mass, April 2o.-At an
early hour this morning the great dam at
Lee, ten miles below, gave way ard swept
the town out OF existence. The noise
sounded like an explosion, and mes
sengers were sent ahead of the food to
arouse the village people. Sixteen lives
are known to be lost The water is running
rapidly. TIE torrent runs twelve miles IN
hour. The destruction 10 property is i'm
manse. The population of Lee was 5000
Eleven bodies have been recovered.
PITTsyIELD, Mass, April 21.-AnOther
dispatch, giving further particulars Of the
terrible dam burst, says: At six o'clock
yesterday morning the village Of East Lee
was inundated and devastated by the break
ing away of the dam at the Mud pond res
srvoir, Mountain lake, two and one-haIf
niles from the village. The pond covered
many acres of swamp, and vas increased
from its regular, limited size by extensive
dams built By club Of manufacturers as 8
store place for water. The food came
pouring down the streets, the water being
frOm four to six feet deep bringing with
it trees, portions Of houses, barns, fences,
wagons and every form of movable prop
cry. The people fed 10 the slopes or the
valley along which the torrent was pouring.
The hood passed East Lee and went on
down the road, destroying gardens, lawns
and fences and moving the smaller build
ings. 1t had not the power, however, to
q, In
damage done will amount TO many thousands
of dollars.
IS soon as possible tie people went up
the line of the flood. Fortunately. tho
track OF the flood was in sparseiy mhab-
tied country, but what destruction there
was for it TO do in wTecking three or four
houses on its way was thoroughly accom-
piShed. Much stock, besides property, %as
LOST. Explorers found the bodies OF six
persons by ten O'Clock a. H.. and were
searching for others. The scene is enc Of
terrible GeSOlation, and the town of Lee
Was Wild with excitement Up 10 noon
eleven bodies had been found, a:ti
it was then expected that several
more would be discovered. The bOG-
les recovered and identified thus far AFRO
rs follows: Mr.. White, wife and two young
daughters; Mr.. King and wife; young Mr..
King and his wife; three persons who were
living ia the track of the food are still miSS-
Ing. Whites carriage shops were destru5 eli ::
Harrison Garleid's paper mill undermined /;
Deckers paper mills also damaged, and
John NcLauzhlin'S machine Shops totally
wrecked.
As near as can lie aSrertaincd Mud pond
dam gave WAY at 30 O'CLOCK yesterday
morning. Ii had shown signs az weakness
Tor some time, and parties responsible. Tor
and OWING the privileges of its water sup
ply had been notified. but nothing bad been
done. The caiamity is the result OF care
le>SnesS Che channel guilicd By TIE rush
ing water is from - 10 200 feet wide, and
while the evidences of its terrific power are
pidineSt aS the pond is approached, tho
most serious loss Of life and property oc-
Cured three miles from the lake in East
Lee village. The water reaches & stream
on which manufactures are bui!t by
q brook running through the
woods and thinly settled farm land, and
-here was not much Of life or maEy build
ings TO be lost until the village was reached.
There it wrecked a barn, carrying Off a
bridge spanning the brook, whick is but
small as it inns naturally from P sn,l!
pond and then rushed down the channel OF
the stream on which dwellings and manu-
.lsCttl rs S~lt tDtdlttl. Npitu ~ odhGeN =
miliwright shops, John Dowd's manUt&c-
tory of paper machinery. and a. y. Whites
carriage shop were all destroyed.
Whites family, consisting of himself and
wife, aged fOrty-eight and fOrty-five years re-
spectiyely, their daughter and an infant son
were in bed when the flood struck the house
and We're all killed Ivy the building crashing
in. All the bodies except that of the baby
have been rescued Theodore King and
wife and Mrs. Charles King rushed from
their house and were carried OF by the
food and drowned. Lad they remained in
1t they would have been saved, as the
building IVES not destroyed. Simeon
DO~d, aged sixty, is known TO have been
drowned but his body has not yet Deen
found. Further down the stream John Nc
Laughln's machine shops, Harrison Gar
fields mill and Farmer, Decker 4 Sabin's
mills were all ruined. The boilers and all
the basement machinery were taken ont by
the flood and carried away like so much
wood. John EernOn'S paper Mill was also
Quilted. These disasters throw a great
many hands out Of employment and liter
ally paraIyZe all East Lees iaduStry'S. The
loss in property is fully 5000, roo, while the
expense of repairing roads, etc, will reach
$50, 900 more. Charles King. before re-
ported dead, is alive, but badly injured,
and it is thought he will recover.