The First Disaster in Lawrence Lawrence Yesterday and Today 1845-1918  by Maurice B. Dorgan June 1918      The first disaster or accident of unusual seriousness to occur in Lawrence was recorded on October 12,1847.  It was in connection with the building of the Merrimack River dam.  Two men were killed, tow seriously injured and three slightly hurt.       At the time of the accident about 300 feet of the dam on the south side and q00 feet on the north side of the river was completed, the water meanwhile running through the unfinished space of 500 feet.  It became necessary during the progress of the work to shut off the water from this side by a cofferdam.  The timbers were all in position and suppose to be securely boarded, the workmen were engaged in putting down flashboards.  Without warning that portion of the dam upon which they were engaged rose up on the surface of the water and 15 men were carried amid the broken timbers by the rush of flood upon the rocks 25 feet below.       L.M. Wright superintendent of the wood-work, and Captain Charles H. Bigelow, the engineer in charge were in a scow at the time and barely escaped with their lives, the latter being badly injured.       It was intended to raise the water to a level required to supply the Bay State Mills, then nearing completion.      Transcribed on July 10, 2006 by MET