The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-04-05
THE DAM DISASTER.
ONE OR TWO LIVES LOST.
A Large Number Of Hands Thrown
'.o Out Of Employment,

Stafford, Conn, March 27.-Thc dam
of Staffordville reservoir gave way thl:
morning, causing in this village fearful
damage. The railroad freight house
and all cars were washed away leaving
onlythe passenger depot. The Stafford
national bank, congregational church
and about fifteen other buildings have
been washed away and the damage to
the railroad track is heavy.
Hartford, March 27.-The particu.
lars Of the disaster by the breaking OF
the Staffordville dam are still wanting
The only thing certain is that the loss is
very great. The following is a descrip-
ton Of the dam and the surrounding
country:
/ The reservoir belonged to the Reser-
voir Company, owners of the mills on
the stream below. The dam was raised
six feet the past winter, and the storm
last night filled it for the first time.
Close by the reservoir stood the sati-
net mill of E. A. Converse; next, the
shoddy mill of Jacob Basch then the
machine shop Of Samuel A. Midon (;
lower down was the Phoenix manufac-
turing company's cashmere mill, at
Hydeville; and three miles below Glen
mills the cotton warp factory which stood
at Glenville. The Gonverseville manu-
featuring company's cashmere mill and
G M. Ives granite mill for making cot.
ton goods were on the stream at Stafford
springs, about FIVE miles from the dam.
The reservoir was about mile and a
quarter long and averaged quarter of
a mile in width. The dam was about
twenty feet high but short. The stream
bed being narrow for some distance be-
low, the water is at the head Of the
Willimantic river. Six years ago dam
on Tributary stream above here gave
way and caused great damage. The
oniy wire to Stafordville is owned by
the New London Northern Railroad
Company.
Providence, R. l., March ga Hart
ford dispatch to the Bulletin says that
the Stafordville reservoir dam gave way
about 7 o'clock this morning, sweeping
everything along the valley from Staf-
fordville through the old furnace to Staf-
ford's Springs National bank at Stafford
vile, the Congregational church. L. w.
Crances stove freight depot, and all the
houses on the island at Stafford Springs
we're destroyed. All the bridges be-
tween the scene of the disaster and Toll
land, both on the railroad and highway
were washed away.
The probable loss in Stafford is above
two million dollars. No loss of life is
yet reported.
The loss in Stahordville is very heavy.
The heavy mills suffering more or less
damage, and work will have to be sus-
pended in them until the reservoir can
be rebuilt. E. w. Converse & Co.'S
mills have four sets of cards and one
thousand spindles, and employ a large
number of hands.
The Home Company, the Home Man
ufacturing Company and the Home
Wooden Company are also situated there.
The latter runs $500 spindles. The
Stahordville Wollen Company has three
sets of cards. The exact loss of these
companies is not known.
In Stafford Springs are the mills of
Chas. Fox & Co., with six sets of cards
the Converse Company with seven sets
of cards and 300 spindles.
In Ellis are Converse & Co., the Min
eral Springs Manufacturing Company,
six sets Of cards and LAO spindles.
In Stafford are the Valley Company's
mills, Glynn mills, 2. 900 spindles Gran
ite mills, $500 spindles; Valley Manu-
featuring company; Phoenix Woolen
Mills and the Rossiter company, each
with four sets of cards:
The Granite Mills and tenement houses
at Staffordville we're all swept away, and
also stores and storehouses.
State Senator Julius Converse tele-
graphs that all the dams on the stream
from Staffordville to a point below the
spring, with all the bridges, are gone.
not less than thirty houses
were destroyed, and the loss will be
very large. The dam was considered
safe, but the heavy rains Of Monday af-
ternoon and evening filled the reservoir
to overAowing.
The breaking away was wholly unex-
pected, but the reservoir being set some
distance above the village the alarm
reached the people in time for them to
effect their safety.
1t is thought that one or two lives were
lost. The valley is made a complete
wreck,