New Britain herald., 1922-07-17
Two Dams Burst, and Twenty Million Gallons of ater Sweeps Throughout District
Railroad Tracks Washed Away and Autoists Are Saved Only by Racing Flood to High Ground.
BUSINESS SECTION
 OF TOWN INUNDATED

million gallons or water HoOueu the Willimansett section of this place ear ly today when Langwald's dam and another dam at Robert Pond gave way. Residences and business places along Chicopee street the principal thoroughfare of the town were flood ed above the first floors and occu- pants were forced to flee to the sec ond and third floors for safety. No lives were lost.
 Autoists Race Waters.
 Property damage will run into the thousands, according to an estimate by the police The Boston and Maine railroad tracks on the line between Springfield and White River Jet, and the far north were washed away. Many motorists returning home from beach resorts were caught in the flood waters Quick action on the part of many drivers saved the occupants of their cars from being carried away with the rushing waters. The drivers turned their machines about and speeded to high ground.
 The Langwald's dam Is said to be about one mile wide. Torrent of wa ters swept from this dam for half a mile to Robert Pond where the force of the flood carried away another dam.
 Tracks Washed Away.
 The Boston and Maine tracks were washed out in half a dozen places. Police, American Legion members and volunteers began a search of the Fl m the waters began to recede.
 No Loss of Life.
 Fairly definite assurance had been obtained at g o'clock this morning that no loss of life had resulted from the bursting of the two dams on Willimansett Brook at 1880 o'clock this morning.
 Willimansett Is a large residential and manufacturing district lying along the easterly bank Of the Connecticut between this city and Holyoke and constituting an outlying section of Chicopee.
 Properly loss will be heavy as score or more of dwellings were swept from their foundations and many were carried a considerable distance, while others were tilted askew. Dozens of smaller buildings, many of them con- taining livestock. were swept away and demolished and the occupants drownAd.
 Cause of Disaster.
 The disaster was caused by the giving away of a cement dam at Lang wald's Pond, which is an irregular tody between two and three miles from the center populated district Of Willimansett The crest of the dam remained in place but the lower sec tion was pushed out bodily, and the released body of water rushed down the valley for perhaps half mile, en- tering Roberts Pond,
 Water Seven Feet Deep.
 The rush of water tore out the wooden dam at the lower end of this rond and high wave swept on down the valley, spreading out into resi- dental district and in places reaching a depth of seven feet
 Both ponds are bodies of consider able acreage and were formed for ice cutting purposes by the building of the dams. The dam at Landwald's Fond was about 300 feet long while the wooden structure at Roberts Pond was smaller.
 People Panic Stricken.
 Panic reigned among the residents of the locality affected as they were waters. Many rushed out in an effort awakened by the roar of rushing to escape but were forced to give up the attempt and instead devoted their attention to removing children, elderly | persons and effects to upper stories out of reach of the water.
 Contrary to early reports. summer camp of the Holyoke r. w. c. A. on the bank at Langwald's Pond was not swept away. The camp is some 2S feet above the edge of the water and the 25 girls occupying 1t slept through until o'clock this morning. awaken ing to find their boats stranded on what had been the bank of the pond. Half a dozen or more short streets lying in a locality south of the sweep of the waters received the greater force of the flood and there the heaviest damage was done.
 The tracks of the Connecticut river division of the Boston and Maine rail- road run north and south through paralleling the course of the Connecticut river and the em bankment which lies east of the main part of the village served as barrier ( and to a large extent diverted the , spreading water away from the larg- ,, CT part of the village.
 Streets Unindatetl E Near tho Willimansett river station. I nt the northerly end of the village, f