The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-04
},ECORs tsF THE NEWS.
Another Great Dam Disaster, but no Loss 9
f&1' Life, 'r. s.a.~s ~

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The dam of the Stafford syille, Conn,
reservoir gave way on the morning Of the
e6th, causing the village fearful damage. The
railroad freight house and all the cars were
swept away, leaving only the passenger depot
The Stafford National Bank, Congregational
church and about fifteen other buildings have
been washed away. The damage to the rail-
road track 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 first estimated at TWO million dollars
but later reports indicate that $3.50, 600 will
cover the loss. The reservoir was about a
mile and one quarter long, and averaged a
quarter of mile in width. The dam was
about thirty feet high, but short, the bed OF
the stream being Narrow for some distance
below. The water is the head OF the
Willamette river. Six years ago a
dam on the tributary stream above here
gave way and caused great damage.
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
reservoir to raise to it's full height. They put
in immense cast iron waste pipes four feet in
diameter to carry off the surplus, and the
filling 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 about 200 acres. At the first
test the dam went to pieces, as had been
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frozen gravel and built too hastily. A leak
was discovered on Monday. Workmen were
busy all day and night filling 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 so
rapidly that in a few minutes the pipe was
shot out of it's place, the
dam opened and the food started
E. C. Pinney, of the Chenille Manufactur-
ing Company, mounted horse and rode at
the head of the flood to warn the inhabitants
In the valley. The water, which grew greater
By absorption of the successive ponds as each
lower dam was carried of, moved at the rate
of five miles an hour, and from the time OF
Pinney's warning up to the arrival OF the
water PEOPLE were busy in moving their pro-
perry. But little was rescued. When the
water burst out of the reservoir it struck and
carried off the side of a building owned by
Converse, the mill and dwelling house of Otis
Holbrook, and two bridges. It LETT Basch's
mill unhurt. Turning with the channel it
destsoyed Amidon's machine shop and sew
eral tenement houses. Then the dams OF the
Phoenix company, Howe company and
the Valley company were torn away, though
the mills were not hurt. Growing
greater, the volume of water reaching
Stafford Hollow, tore away the iron
bridge, grist mill and several old bridges.
Making new channel, it cut through the
highway passage 95 feet deep, spreading
over the meadow below there, but was gather
cred again at halt a mile above the borough OF
Staford's Springs. ,s- Here it. carried off the
Glen company's dams, but the mills and
tenements escaped. From here a mass
about thirty feet high, made up Of debris
as much as OF water came rolling down to
the dam OF the Converseyille company. The
people, who had gathered in very large num-
bers, acted like crazy persons, 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 dam. of the Granite
mills. The accident is a terrible blow upon
the valley. About one Thousand hands are
thrown ont of work, and the industries are sad.
lyorippled.