The Mill River Flood of 1874 is not a well known flood, but that can simply be because it happened so long ago. While all floods are devastating, past and present, this particular flood was the first of three floods that affected the area. It is considered a man made flood because the dam gave in under the strain and the flooding waters destroyed everything in their path.
The article below states that 189 were killed in the flood. Two other online sources says that 145 or 139 were killed due to this flood. The number is not important, other than to say it was a heart wrenching loss of life that could have been avoided.
This newspaper article on the flood, published in 1874, contains a lot of spelling errors in it. I tried to clean up the text to the best of my ability. It was obviously rushed due to the severity of the news.
Terrible Calamity
Haydenville, Mass., May 16.— The Goshen reservoir about four miles north of this place, burst at about 8 o’clock this morning, and the water came rushing down the hills, carrying everything before it. It struck the south-eastern portion of Williamsburg Village, about two miles north of this place, carrying away a large number of dwellings; thence to Skinnersville, where it swept away Mr. Skinner’s large silk mills, and his boarding and dwelling houses. Continuing on, it struck the large brass manufactory of Hayden, Gere, & Co., sweeping it away in an instant.
Large stones and machinery were swept through the main streets at a fearful rate, and well built houses were instantly crushed, not giving the inmates a moment’s warning.
The flood then struck the village of Leeds, where a large number of shops, dwellings, etc., were swept away.
The loss of life was heavy, whole families, in some instances, were either killed or drowned. Twenty three bodies were taken out of the rubbish on the shore.
Whole blocks of tenement houses, filled with women and children, were swept down the stream, and all the inmates, of course, were lost.
At Florence many persons were swept down the stream, but so swift was the current that they could not be recovered.
The damage to property is hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The Nonotuce Silk Company’s Works and the Florence Manufacturing Co.’s Works are damaged to the extent of $25,000.
Just below Williamsburg the flood swept away Skinners factory, with several women operatives, who had just begun work.
At Haydenville, Hayden, Gere & Co’s factory, including their office and the Haydenville Savings Bank, with a large amount of funds, and also Loomis’ Hotel were swept away.
At Leeds, Mr. Warner’s button factory was swept entirely away, taking canal railroad bridge in its course. The morning train from New Haven was stopped at Hampton.
The Goshen Reservoir covered 150 acres of ground at an average depth of 30 feet. It was drawn upon in dry times for the supply of the mills at Williamsburg, Haydenville, and Florence. The reservoir was constructed about twelve years ago, in order to afford a reliable supply of water for the various factories on Mill River and uncertain of stream, liable alike to floods and almost utter drouth. It was built by a company of capitalists who were interested in the various manufacturing enterprises on the stream and has caused them apprehensions of disaster several times.
Last year, however, it was repaired at a heavy expense, and since then has been supposed to be, until now, tolerably secure, although known to be leaky.
Latest figures make loss of life total 189. These figures only represent persons whose loss is positively known though bodies of all are not yet recovered. Bodies constantly are being found, and in some cases those of persons who were not supposed to be lost. It is utterly impossible yet to give a detailed estimate of losses, but the total loss must far exceed one million dollars. [Source]
