The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-03-28

there. The latter runs $3.50 spindlss
The Stsffordsville Woolen Company hss
three sets of cards. The exact loss of
these companies is not known. In Stafford
| Springs are the mills OF Chas. Fox & Co.,
sets Of cards; Converse Company with
sets of cards and ], 800 spindles; in Ellis
Converse Company the Mineral Springs
Manufacturing Company, 6 cards and
LAO spindles; in Stafford are the Valley
Companys'mill. and Glynn mills, 1000
spindles; Granite mills $500 spindies;
Valley Manufacturing Co, Phoenix
Woolen Mills and Rossiter 20, each
with with sets of cards. The Granite
mills and tenement houses at Stafford
were sll swept away, and also the
stores and store houses.
HARTFORD, March 27.-The disaster
at Stafordville Is not go bad as first re-
ported. Later estimates put the loss at
$350,0Oo. 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 70 rise to its tull height They put
in an immense cast iron waste pipe
four feet in diameter to carry of the sur
plus water, and the filing ofthe reservoir
was owing to heavy tall 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 it was made
of frozen gravel and built too hastily.
A leak was discovered on Monday, and
.workmen were busy all day and night
filling in about the waste pipe, but their
efforts were useless. At 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 opened and the food start
cd. Z g. Pinney, Of the Glenvllle Man
ufacturing Company, mounted his horse
ana rode at the head of the flood 10 warn
the inhabitants. In the valley the water
which grew greater by the absorption OF
successive ponds IS each lower dam was
carried of moved at the rate OF 1--WE
miles an hour, and from the time Of Pin
ney's warning up to the arrival OF the
water, the people were busy moving
their property, but little was saved.
When the water burst out the reservoir,
it struck and carried of 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 tenements and the
house of Harley Howe. Then the dams
of the Phoenix Company, Home Com
pany and Valley Company tore away,
though the mills were not hurt. The
growing greater volume Of water at Stat
ford Hollow tore away the iron bridge,
grist mill and several old bridges, max
ing q new channel, and cut through TO
the highway 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 off the Glenn Compsny's dam,
but the mills and houses escaped. From
here mass about thirty feet high made
up of the debris as much rs of water
came rolling to the dam of the Converse
Mil Company. The people who had
gathered in large numbers acted like
crazy people, and In some cases had to
be carried to places of safety. The Con-
verse 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. Abcu. 1000 hands are thrown
out of employ ynen., and all industries
are sadly crippled, The loss down ss
far as Stafford Springs is estimated at
from 100000 to $l,0O0,0O0 much of 1t
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 destroyed. The su-
perintendeLt of the New London and
Northern road reports that the track is
all gone frcm the Stafford passenger
depot, and with the track went several
freight cars and the freight house and
two Howe truss bridges, and two miles
eou'h OF Talland, the track is washed
away, and the South Wellington
bridge is probably undermined
South of thst 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 report
ed still rising. No damages reported on
the other railroads in the State.
Latest.
HARTFORD, March 27.-The food re-
ports tonight say that two lives were
lost, Richard SPEEDING and William
Burnwell
The Chico Outrages.