Home >
1874 Mill River flood....
1874 Mill River flood....
Item # 722691
May 20, 1874
THE NEW YORK HERALD, May 20, 1874
* Mill River flood disaster - Northhampton
* Williamsburg & Haydenville, Massachusetts
The top of page 7 has one column headings that include: "MILL RIVER CALAMITY" "Continues Efforts to Recover the Missing Dead" "Funerals At Haydenville" and more. (see images) Text takes up over 2 1/2 columns.
Other news of the day. Complete with 12 pages, nice condition.
AI notes: The 1874 Mill River Flood was a catastrophic disaster in western Massachusetts caused by the failure of an earthen dam owned by the Mill River Flood Company. On May 16, 1874, after several days of heavy rain, the dam, which had been poorly designed and inadequately maintained, gave way, releasing millions of gallons of water into the valley below. A massive wall of water swept through the towns of South Hadley, Williamsburg, and Northampton, destroying homes, mills, bridges, and farmland in its path. The flood killed approximately 139 people, including entire families, and injured many more, leaving survivors shocked and homeless. Investigations revealed that the dam had structural weaknesses and had been constructed without sufficient oversight, sparking public outrage over corporate negligence and leading to stronger regulations and safety standards for dams in Massachusetts. The disaster remains one of the deadliest dam failures in U.S. history and serves as a grim reminder of the consequences of ignoring infrastructure safety.
Category: Post-Civil War
Available Now
$48.00
