The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-04-03
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DAM OF STAFFORDvILLE RE.
SERyOIR GIVES WAY.

STAFFORD SONN., maiC'i g. L Hc
dam of the S. aft ,rdville reservoir gave
vav this morning, causing in this vii
age fearful damage The railroad, freight
house and all the cars were washed
away, leaving only the passenger depot.
The Stafford National Bank, the Con-
oregational church and about fifteen
other buildings have been washed away.
The damage to the railroad track is
heavy.
HARTFORD, March q The disaster
at Statfordville is not so bad as first re-
ported Later estimates pnt the loss at
$3.50 900 The recent addition of six
feet to the height of the dam was never
liked by the residents of the valley, and
it is said the owners had doubts Of the
safety of the work. for they have never
since it was finished allowed the reser-
voir to rise to its full height. They put
in an immense cast iron waste pipe four
feet in diameter to carry off the surplus
water, and the falling Of the reservoir
was owing to heavy fall of rain and
not because of any intention OF the
owners to fill the reservoir. The body
of water covered 400 acres. At the
first trial the dam went to pieces, as had
been predicted by those who said 1t was
made of frozen gravel and built too
hastily A leak was discovered on Mon
day, and workmen were busy a. gay
and night filing ".--a.ah~ .olsss 'sse " A..
half past five this morning the work
was abandoned. The water then gained
so fast that in q few minutes the pipe
was shot out Of its place, the dam open.
ed and the q ,od started. E G Pinney,
Of the Glenyille Manufacturing Com
pany, mounted his horse and rode at
the head of the food to warn the inhab-
itants In the valley the water which
grew greater by the absorption of sue;
cessive ponds as each lower dam was
carried off moved at the rate of five
miles an hour, and from the time of
Pinney's warning up to the arrival of
the water, the people we're busy moving
their property, but little was saved
When the water burst out the reservoir,
it struck and carried off the side of the
building by Converse Mill, the house of
Otis Holbrook, and two bridges. 1t
left the mill and Basch's mill unhurt,
turning with the channel it destroyed
Amidoud's machine shop, several tene-
ments and the House of Harley Howe.
Then the dams Of the Phoenix Comps
ny, Home Company and Valley Com
pany tore away, though the mills were
not hurt. The growing greater volume
of water at Stafford Hollow tore away
the iron bridge, grist mill and several
old bridges, making new channel, and
cut through to the highway q passage
thirty-fve feet deep. 1t spread over the
meadow below there, but was greater
again at the gorge half mile above the
borough of Stafford Springs. Here it
carried of the Glenn Company's dam,
but the mills and houses escaped. From
here q mass about thirty feet high made
up Of the debris as much as of water,
came rolling to the dam of the Converse
Mill Company The people who had
gathered in large numbers acted like
crazy people, aud in some cases had to
be carried to places Of safety. The
Converse mill was not destroyed, but
the dam went and also the dam of the
Granite Company.
The accident Is a terrible blow on this
valley About 1000 hands are thrown
out of employment, and all industries
are sadly crippled. The loss down as
far as Stafford Springs is astimated- OF
from 100000 to $1,000. 600, much OF
it in small sums. The damage below
Stafford Springs is not easy TO get. 1t
consists OF injury to bridges and roads,
but no other mills are thought to be de.
stroyed. The superintendent of the
New London and Northern road re.
ports that the track is all gone from the
Stafford passenger depot, and with the
track went several freight cars and the
freight house and two Howe truss
bridges, and two miles south of Talland,
track is washed away, and the South
Wellington bridge is probably under
minded South of that another piece OF
the track is washed out and another
bridge is endangered, Two bridges at
South Coventry are in great danger
The water is now up to the floor and is
reported still rising. No damages re,
ported on the other railroads in the
State