The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-04-05
The Anti-Mon0P0list.

dollars but laLcT Reports luu1CdU0 CA0U
$3.50. 900 will cover the loss. The re-
servoir was about mile and one-quar-
ter long, and averaged quarter OF 9
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
nv 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 its 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 prophesled
bv 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 hemorning the
work was abandoned. The water Their
, gained so rapidly that in few min
utes the pipe was shot out of its place
the dam opened and the food started.
&C. Pinney, of the Chenille Manu-
. featuring Company, mounted horse
and rode at the head of the HOOD u
warn the inhabitants in the valley
7 The water, which grew greater by ab
sorption of the successive ponds a
. each lower dam was carried
q off. moved at the rate Of fiv
miles an hour, and from the tim
= of Pinney's warning up to the arriva
of the water people were busy in NOV
= ing their property. But little wa
, rescued. When the water burst out
:; the reservoir it struck and carried Of
u the side Of building owned by Cor
u verse, the mill and dwelling house Q
Otis Holbrook, and two bridges.
Il left Basch's mill unhurt. Turnin
r, with the channel it destroyed Annie
pit on's machine shop and several ten'
to ment houses. Then the dams OF tn
at Phoenix company, Howe company an
er the Valley company were torn ava.
though the mills were not hurt. Grow
d, ing greater, the volume OF waite
he reaching Stafford Hollow, tore ava
4 the iron bridge, grlst mi
rs and several old bridge
ey Making new channel, it cut throue
Oh the highway passage 25 feet dee
tn spreading over the meadow belo
there, but was gathered again at ha
x a mile above the borough OF Stafford
on Springs. Here it carried off the I'll
en- company's dams, but the mills al
nd tenements escaped. From here ma
CHI about thirty feet high, made up OF q
a bris as much as Of water, came roll1
to the dam of the Conversevllle col
mt pany. The people, who had gather
ass in large numbers,
=. ACTED LIKE CRAZY PERSONS,
"a and in some cases had to be carried
,da places of safety. The Converse m
1 'se was not destroyed, but the dam We
.le and also the dam of the Granite mil
W. W. The accident is terrible blow uI
o ~ the valley. About one thousa
=! =, hands are thrown out Of work, a
-. the industries are sadly crippled.
CaASar