Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-03-28
ANOTHER DISASTER
A Reservoir Bursts Al
StaffOrdville, Corn.
Loss $2,O0O,OOO--And Two
Lives Loaf.

STAFFORD, Conn.,, March 27.-Tlie
dam of Staffordsvillc reservoir gave
way, this morning, causing in this
village fearful damage.
The railroad freight house and all
the cars were washed away, leaving
only the passenger depot.
The Stafford National Bank, Con-
gregational Church and about Is 9TH
err buildings have been washed away. |
The damage to the railroad track is
heavy.
Tho flood came upon the village
suddenly and its effects have been
very disastrous. Three miles of
railroad track were washed away, al
go two Howe truss bridges. Between
Stafford and Tolland the flood has
caused trouble all along the line of
the railroad. The telegraph was
promptly broughtinto rcquisition and
neighboring towns warned of the
mighty rush of waters that was caus-
ing great destruction to property and
threatening loss of life.
The following is a description of
the dam and surrounding country:
The reservoir belonged to the Res
ervoir Company, who are owners Of
the mills ON the stream below the
dam. The dam was raised 6 ieet the
past winter and the storm, last night,
filled il for the first time. Close by
the reservoir stood the satinct mill Of
e. A. Converse next stood the mill
of Jacob Basch; then the machine
shop of Samuel A. Midon; lower
down was the Phoenix Manufacture
ing Company's cashmere mill, at
Hydeville, and three miles below tho
Glen Mills cotton warp factory stood
at Chenille. Tho Conversevillc Man
ufacturing Company's Cashmere mill
and G. M. Ivcr's Granite mill for
making cotton goods were on the
stream at Stafford Springs, about s
miles from the dam. The reservoir
was about o mile and quarter long
and averaged quarter Of mile in
width. The dam was about 90 feet
high, but short, the stream bed being
narrower for some distance below.
The water is the head of the Will
mantle river. Six years ago dam on
q tributary stream above here gave
way and caused great damage.
The only telegraph wire to Stat.
fordsville is owned by the New Lon.
don and Northern railroad company.
PROVIDENCE, r l., March 27.--A
Hartford dispatch to the Bulletis
says the Staflordsyille reservoir dan
gave way, this morning, sweeping
everything along the valley from
Staffordsville through the Old Fur
mace to Stafford Springs. The
National Bank at Staffordsvillt
Congregational church, l.. w. Gran
ce's store, the freight depot and al
houses on the Island at Stafford
Springs were destroyed All tn,
bridges between the scene of the dis
astcr and Tolland and both on iii,
railroad were washed away. TIL,
probable loss in Stafford alone is two
million dollars. No loss of life We
reported. The loss in Staflordsyill'
is very heavy.
The heavy mills suffering more o.
less damage, andwork will have to b.
suspended in them until the reservoir
can be rebuilt. E. w. Converse l
Co.'S. mills have four sets Of cards an,
; one thousand spindles and employ
large number of hands. The Hon
Company, Home Manufacturing Co
; and the Home Wooden Co., are ais
situated there. The latter runs 3,36
spindlcs. The Staflordsyille Woolcl
Go. has sets of cards. The cxae
loss Of these companies is unknown
In Staffords Springs are The mills q
| e. az 40 80 1n
Converse Il Co., with seven sets 9
cards and 1900 spindles; in ELI
. Converse n Co., the Mineral Spring
mills with 1000 spindles; the. Grant
mills with $500 spindles; the Vale,
Manufacturing Company, PhGni
Wooden mills, and Rossitcr Compan,
each with four sets of cards. TIL,
: Granite mills and tenement house
at Sta6ordsvillc were all swept ava,
and also the stores and store houses
State Senator Julius Convers
telegraphs that all the dams OH tn
stream from Staffordsville to the poir
below the Springs with all tn
bridges arc gone. Probably not les
than 30 houses were destroyed, an
the loss will be very large. The dal
was considered safe and the hcav
rains Of Monday afternoon and eve
ming filed the reservoir to overflow
ing. The breaking away was who'll
unexpected, but the reservoir bcin
set some distance above the villag
the alarm reached the people in tim
for them to escape. 1t is thought tho
! one or two lives were lost. The va
I lev ia made completc wreck.