New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-28
BURSTING OF THE RESERVOIR.


BURSTING OF THE RESERVOIR.
THE VALLEY or wIILIMANTIc RIVER SWEPT BY THE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF PROPERTY AT STAT
FORD SPRINGS AND CONGRATULATIONS,
BRIDGES, AND DWELLINGS WASHED AWAY
TWO LIVES LOST.
lBY TELEGRAPH 10 THR rRIBUsE1
NORWICH, Conn.,. March pa disaster, like that
OF Haydenville three years ago in character but
somewhat less fearful in results occurred i'll North
Eastern Connecticut this morning, involving loss
of two lives and of property varously estimated
from 81, 100000 to $3,0OO,O00 The dam of the
immense reservoir at Stafordvle, supplying several
mills in the vicinity, gave way at a. H.. and the con-
tents poured down the valley four miles to Stafford
Springs sweeping other dams, bridges, and some
dwellings in its path, and destroying several large
buildings at the latter place. AT this point the tor
rent entered Wilmantic River. one of three large
streams which, 20 miles to the southwark. near Will
Inantic unite to form Shetuckct River Along VIII
lmantic River much damage was done to highway
bridges railroad bridges, and TO the track OF the
New-London Northern division of the Vermont
Central.
The reservoir at Stoffordville is mile and quar-
fer long and One-quarter wide 1t belongs to the
united manufacturing Companies Em months past
in all other ponds and streams in NewE England. The
occasion was improved to raise the dam by the addi
ton of six feet of masonry which recently
completed The rains of Monday were exceedingly
heavy and the nature of the surrounding country
was such that the water rose very rapidly, and this
morning the pressure the dam with results
as above stated
The village of StafOrdvillc, close at hand, is on
low ground but not in the direct line of the torrent
A number of dwellings and stores were Hooded
and some few were undermined. but no lives
were lost here. The large wooden mills
of j. f. A. Converse and of the Home
COMPANY at this place, Will be compelled to
suspend for some time. The former runs 200
snindles and the latter $500. Below the village
arc the Hone Company's wooden mills the Stafford
vile Manufacturing Companys machine shop, the
Phpnix wooden mills, T. II. Hyde's wooden mill, and
the Glyn Companys cotton warp mills. The last
named is half a mile from Stafford Springs AT all
these mills the dams were swept away and some
small bridges
Just before reaching Stafford Springs the valley
wdens out, and, extending thence to the village Is
flat called the Island At the head of the Island are
the Conyersevle cashmere mills which lost It's dam
and is disabled. On the Island itself stand q. NJ.
Ivess Granite Mills and several tenements, five OF
which latter were swept away. Besides there were
annhilated the two-stOry brick bGldn2 OF the Ma
tiona Bank L. NJ. Cranes store the Congregational
Church a wooden edifcc i'll the basement of which
was Thompson d Whiton's grocery store, sub
stantial brick block of Head d Small, George
Clcvelands grain store Luke GaTrys livery stable,
n hinge stOrchOuse for flock and wooden manufac-
turers' supplies. owned by Wm Smith 81 Co., and
the large freight depot of the New London Northern
Railroad which also ostmany freight ears.
The damage at Stafford Springs alone is by some
estimated az So. 100000, although $35O,OOO Is the
small figure of another excellent authority This is
a Quiet village Of 900 inhabitants, dependent
chiefly on the mills for the means of subsistence. A
general suspension of manufacturing VIII entail
mnch suffering beside that to which has been caused
q few families rendered homeless by tie destruction
of their dwellings. Perhaps 80 such were destroyed
along the valley and at Stafford Springs. and
at the latter place two lives were lost,
one of the victims being Richard Speeding. Be
low the Springs, along Willimantic River, tie
PRINCIPAL sufferer is the railroad company.
One waShout of the track is q quarter of a miie
long; another, 100 rods distant, is nearly nile
long: a third is 100 feet, and fourth is over 400
feet at other points between Stafford Springs and
Wimantc The last two will be repaired by
Wednesday. The others viii require day or two
more.
Much solicitude was felt at Wiimantic lest dams
here should suffer, and also at Messrs' A. " W.
Spragues mill at Baltic. and at other large mills
near Norwich but danger now is completely
passed.