The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-03-28
FLOOD!
Dam of Stafordville Reser-
voir Gives Way.
Great Destruction Of Pro
perty and Loss Of Life.

WnS Vile uioi inipSs >oeoh5 ~ wis 'hioSS
fearful damage. The railroad, freight
house and all the cars were washed away,
leaving only the passenger depot. The
Stafford National Bank, the Congre-
gationsl church and about fifteen other
buildings have been washed away. The
damage TO the railroad track ls heavy
The food came upon the vii.
lage suddenly and its effects
have been very disastrous. Three miles
of railroad track are washed away; also
two Howe truss bridges, between Stafford
and Tollard. The food has caused trouble
all along the line Of the railroad. The
telegraph was brought into requ!sition,
and the neighborging towns warned OF
the mighty rush of water that was caus-
ing great destruction ef property and loss
of life.
HARTFORD, March 27.-The particu.
lars of the breaking of the Stattordville
dam show that everything on the path
of the food has been cleaned out.
Julius Convers telegraphs that all the
dams in the streams from Stattord's to
points below the Springs, with all of the
bridges, are gone. Probably not less than
thirty houses were swept away, and the
loss will be very large. The dam was con-
sidered safe, but the heavy rains Monday
morning and evening, filled the reservoir
to overfowing. The breaking away was
wholly unexpected, but the reservoir be.
ing set some distance above the village,
the alarm reached the people in time tor
them to effect their safety. 1t is thought
one or two lives were lost. The valley Is
made a complete wreck.
HARTFORD, March GA dispatch to
the Coursat from Stattordville says that
all the dams on the stream from Stafford
vile, and all the bridges to below the
Springs are swept away. At this place
the Congregational Church, National
bank, Home insurance building, l.. w
Grams store, VIM. Smith Il Co.'s ware,
house, five dwellings belonging to the
Granite Mill Company, freight depot
and several freight cars and other smaller
buildings were destroyed. The losses by
the Conversville dam are estimated al
from 100000 to 81 100000. One person
Richard Speeding, we'll known
citizen of Stafford Spring, is thought tC
have been drowned. The dam broke al
about six o'clock this morning, after
workmen had been all night trying tc
prevent the disaster. The two mills
nearest the dam are not injured. The
machine shop of Samuel Amidon and
two houses were destroyed The mill oj
the PhUnix Manufacturing Company, 81
Hydeville. was not materially damaged
At Stafford hollow, an Iron bridge, one
tenement house and grlst mill were
washed away. and the roadway cut out fol
35 feet. The dam at Glenville went, but
the mill stood firm. At Stafford Spring:
the dam was carried of and then the
Granite Mill Companys dam was also
carried away. Eight tenement house:
belonging to this mill were swept away
together with l.. w. Cranes store, Home
Mutual Fire Insurance Company build
ing and the Congregational church in
succession. The Granite mills were
damaged by being undermined, but stand
The Stafford National bank, Gerry:
stables, block of Baker & Heald, store
house and granery of j. .. Cleve.
land. warehouses of w. Smith 4
Co., Shadd & Flick, dealers in
lumber, the coal yard of G. J. Holmes,
and the borough hail and engine house
were sll swept away.
Among the losses are the Granite mill
$4,000; town of Stafford, $4,000; ton
dams, about $4,000; Smith & Co., $780,
900 to $4,000: q. o. Cleveland, $4,000;
Thompson & Within, $4,000; l.. w
Crane, $4,000; Congregational church.
So: 900. Most of the others lose from
$4,000 down. The whole region is de-
vsststed. The damage below Stafford
Springs is not included in the estimate
of this dispatch.
HARTFORD, March 27-l P. M.-The
particulars of the disaster by The break
age OF the Stafordsville dam are still
wanting. The only thing certain is that
the dam has gone and the damage is very
great.
The following is description of the
dam aid the surrounding country:
The reservoir belongs to the Reservoir
Company, owners of the mills on the
stream below. The dam was raised SIX
feet during the past winter, and the
storm last night filled 1t for the first
time. Close by the reservoir stood the
Sstinet ,nill OF E. A. Converse, tae West
Shoddv mill of Jacob Bash, and the
machiie shop of Samuel A. Midon
Lower down was the Phenix Manu-
fscturiny Compsny's cssslmeres mill at
H 7devitie, and three miles below Glen
vile the cotton warp factory stood; al
Glenyiile the Convertible Manutactur
ing Compsny's cashmere mill, and G. NJ
Jones granite mill for making cotton
goods, were on the stream. At Stafford
Spring, about five miles from the Dam
the reservoir WAS about II lie and
quarter long, and averaged quarter o
a mile in width. The dam was about
twenty feet high, but short, the stream
being narrow for some distance below
The water is from the head OF the Will
mantle river. Six years sgJ 8 dam II
q tributary stream above here gave way
and caused great damage. The only
wire TO Stsffordville is owned by tn
New London and Northern Railroad
Company
Providence, r. l.. March PA
Hartford dispatch to the Bulletin says
The Stsfordville reservoir dam gave
wav about I o'clock this morning, sweep
ing everything along the valley from
Ststordville through Old Farnsc u
Stafford Springs. The Nstioasl Bani
at Stsffordville, the Congregation
church, L. c. Crances store, the frelgh
depot and all the houses on the Island q
Stafford Springs were destroyed: Al
the bridges between the scene of the
ss.er and Tolland, both on tn
railroad and highway wer
washed away. The proosol
loss in Stafford alone is s2,OOO,Uc
No loss of life is yet reported. The los
in Staffordville is very heavy, the mill
suffering more or less damage, and wor!
will have TO be suspended in them unit
the reservoir can be repaired. Z. "
! Converse & Co.'S mills have four sets Q
cards and one thousand spindles, an