The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-04-05
RECORD OF TIE NEWS,
Another Great Dam Disaster, but no Loss 0
Life

"lCs
The dam Of the Staffordsville, Conn.,,
reservoir gave way On the morning OF the
Goth, causing the village fe.riul damage. The
railroad freight house and all the cars were
swept away, leaving only the passenger depo:
The Stafford National Bank, Congregational
church and about fifteen other buildings have
been washed away. The damage to the rail.
road traor is very heavy. The flood came
upon the village suddenly, and its effects
have been disastrous. Three miles of rail-
road track are washed away. The damage
was at fl.t estimated at TWO million dollars
bat later reports indicate that $3.50, 600 v Ill
cover the loss. The reservoir was about
mile and one quarter long, and averaged q
quarter OF mile in width. The dam was
about thilty feet high, but short, the bed OF
the stream being narrow for some distance
below. The water is the head OF the.
Williamaio river. Six years ago :
dam on the tributary stream above here
gave way and caused great damage.
The recent addition of six feet to the heieht
OF the dam was never liked by the residents
of the valley, and it is said the owners had
doubts OF The s@iety OF the work, for they
have never since it was flushed allowed the
reservoir to raise to its full height. They put
il immense cast iron waste pip,s four feet in
diameter to carry off the surplus, ard the
filing of the reservoir was owing to heavy
'all OF rain; and not because Of any intention
0: the owners to fill the reservoir. The body
Of water covered about 200 acres At the first
test the dam went to pieces, as had ben
prophesied by those who said it was made of
frozen gravel and built too hastily. A leak
was discovered on Monday. Workmen were
busy all day and night filing in about the
waste pipe. Their efforts were useless. At
half past five o'clock in the morning the work
was abandoned. The water then gained 80
rapidly that in few minutes the pipe was
shot out Of its place. the
dam opened and the flood started
4. C. Pinney, of the Glenville Manufacture
ing Company, mounted a horse and rode at
the head ofthe flood to VAIN the inhabitants
In the valley. The water, which grew greater
by absorption OF the success sive ponds as each
lower dam wac carried of, moved at the rate
OF five miles an hour, and from the time OF
Pinney's waning up to the arrival OF the
water cop|e were busy in moving their pro-
ke1Lv. buL lille was feScueQ. when the
wafer burst out OF the reservoir it stl uck and
carried off the side OF building oWred by
Converse, the mill and dwelling house of Otis
Holbrook, and two bridges. It lett Basch's
mill unhurs. Turning With the channel it
destsoyed Amidon's machine shop and sew
elal tenement houseo. Then the dams OF the
Phoenix company, Howe company and
the Valley company wee tom away, though
the mills were not hun Growing
greater, the volume of water re~ching
Stafford Hollow, tore away the iron
bridge, g'ist mill and several old bridges.
Making new chanre', i; cut through the
Highway pass ge % feet deep, spi eldirg
over the meadow below there, bit was gather
cred a.: o:in at halt mile above tie borough of
S:aford's Springs. Here it carried off the
Glen company's dams, but the mills and
tenements escaped. From here mass
about tli ty jeet high, made up of debris
as much as of w~ter came rolling down to
the dam of the Conversevil'e company. The
people, who h:,d gathered in very large num-
ters, ected like crazy per-ons, and in some
cases had TO be carried to places OF safety.
The Converse mill Was not destroyed. but the
dam went, and also the Gam Of the Granite
mills. The accident is terrible blow upon
the valley. About one thousand hands are
thrown out of work, and the industl les are sad
lvcrippled