The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-04-05
The -Anti-AGonoPo1iSt.

dollars but later reports indicate that
$3.50, 900 will cover the loss. The re-
servoir was about a mile and one-quar-
ter long, and averaged a quarter of a
mile in width. The dam was about
thirty feet high, but short, the bed of
the stream being narrow for some dis
lance below. The water is the head
of the Willimatic river. Six years ago
a dam on the tributary stream above
here gave way and caused great DAM
age.
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 prophesied
by those who said it was made
of 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 min
utes the pipe was shot out Of its place,
the dam opened and the flood started.
E. C. Pinney, of the Chenille Manu-
featuring Company, mounted a horse
and rode at the head Of the flood to
warn the inhabitants in the valley.
The water, which grew greater by alb
sorption of the successive ponds as
each lower dam was carried
off, 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 NOV.
ing their property. But little was
rescued. When the water burst out OF
the reservoir it struck and carried of
the side Of building owned by Con
verse, the mill and dwelling house OF
Otis Holbrook, and two bridges. II
left Basch's mill unhurt. Turning
with the channel it destroyed Amid
on s machine shop and several tene
ment houses. Then the dams of the
Phoenix company, Howe company and
the Valley company were torn away
though the mills were not hurt. Grow
ing greater, the volume Of water
) reaching Stafford Hollow, tore away
!. the iron bridge, grist mil
J and several old bridges
Making anew channel, it cut through
the highway a passage 25 feet deep
| spreading over the meadow below
there, but was gathered again at hal
mile above the borough of Stafford
Springs. Here it carried off the Gler
company's dams, but the mills ant
| tenements escaped. From here mas
about thirty feet high, made up Of de
bris as much as of water, came rolling
to the dam of the Conversevllle com
t pany. The people, who had gatheret
in large numbers,
ACTED LIKE CRAZY PERSONS,
! and in some cases had to be carried t.
. places Of safety. The Converse mil
. was not destroyed, but the dam wen
. and also the dam of the Granite mills
q The accident is terrible blow upo
= the valley. About one thousan
hands are thrown out of work, an
the industries are sadly crippled.
:. Caesar.