The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-10-21
The Minneapolis Disaster.
tFrom the Minneapolis Tribune, sth.

the condition of affairs at the islands
on the st. Anthony side of the river
is most encouraging. No further
break of consequence has occurred at
the lower end of the tunnel on Hen
negin Island since Tuesday, and at the
crevasse along the shore of Nicollet
Island, only about twelve or fifteen
feet of rock bed has caved in since
Wednesday. This looks encouraging,
and would indicate that the worst is
over. The great amount of material
that has been thrown into the open
ing has undoubtedly prevented the
breaking away of the rock as rapidly
as it would have done while at the
lower end Of the tunnel. On Henne-
pin Island, the rock has probably cav
ed in up beyond the point where the
action of the atmosphere has softened
the sand rock; hence fears are not en-
tertained that there will be any more
curious caving in.
On Wednesday night large num-
Der of men worked all night. Colo
mel j. r. Merriam Of st. Paul, one of
the owners of the tunnel, sent up
thirty OF forty, and more were fur
nished from these two cities. Yester-
day again, between two and three
hundred men were at work all day,
and again last night it was the inten-
ton to keep as large force at work
as could be used to good advantage.
The work of filling in the crevasse
is about completed, and with the ex-
ception of small force the men have
mostly abandoned this and gone to
work in building the Golfer dam. Tins
dam is progressing rapidly, and those
in charge hope to have it completed
by tomorrow night. Capt. Stevens,
who has charge of the upper portion
from the shore out into the stream,
had about eighty feet completed last
night. George A. Brackett, who has
charge of the lower portion, had be-
tween forty and fifty feet completed
last night. The outside portion of the
dam, which is under the charge of E.
S. Brown, will not be commenced un-
til the upper and lower portions are
completed. This will be from one
hundred and fifty to two hundred feet
in length, and can be built much more
rapidly than the others. This Golfer
dam is built completely around the
crevasse, and when completed will eff
fectually stop the flow of water, and
unless there should be leaks discov-
cred elsewhere, the full extent of dam
age to the tunnel and the bed rock
can easily be ascertained.
A much better feeling seems to per-
wade the entire community, and the
people generally incline to believe
that the loss will not be near so great
as was at first supposed.
The water continues to pour through
the tunnel with about the same fury
as ever and doubtless will continue
until the dam is completed, But not
withstanding this the fact that no Sc
rious breaks are occurring, or have
occurred for several days, surely is a
most encouraging sign, and by Sun
day morning we hope to chronicle
the complete closing up of the Gre
vase.
Our people have come forward very
promptly in the matter, and done eve
rything within their power to stay its
progress. AT meeting of the manu-
facturers and others interested on
both sides of the river it was decided
to raise $4,000 to be used towards az
resting further disaster. This amount
is to be raised as follows: St. Antho-
ny Falls Water Power Company, 90
per cent; Minneapolis Water Power
Company, 20 per cent. the Tunnel
Company, Is per cent, cities of Min
Deapolis and st. Anthony, 80 per
cent; Farnham s. Co., per cent. ;
Averill, Secomb 81 Co., per cent,
The mayor called a special meeting
of the Minneapolis city council yes
terday morning, and $4,000 was
promptly appropriated as the pro rata
amount to be raised by Minneapolis,
and the CITY council of st. Anthony
was to meet last evening to take ac-
ton in reference to their portion.