The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-28
BY TELEGRAPH
ANOTHER DAM DISASTER
AT sTAFFoRpVILLE, CONN.
Loss About a Million - Bridges, Mills
and Railroad Swept Away-0ne
Thousand Men Out of Work.

suddenly. Three miles of the railroad was
washed away, also two Howe truss bridges
between Staffordville and POLAND.
THE srArFoRDvrLLR FLOoD-A HUGE ER-
sERvom LET LoosE-MILLs ALL ALONG
THE STREAM.
HARTFORD, Conn, March 27.
Particulars Of the disaster at the Stat
fordville dam are momentarily expected.
The reservoir belonged 10 the reservoir
company composed of owners of mills on
the stream below. The dam was raised
six feet during the past winter, and the
storm last night fllod 1t for the first time.
Close by stood the satinet mill of Converse,
next was the shoddy mill of Jacob
Basch, then the machine shop of Midon.
A mile lower was the Phoenix manufactur-
ing company's cashmere mill at Hydevllle,
and three miles below there the Glen mills
cotton warp factory stood at Glenville
The Convertible manufacturing company's
mill and Ives granite mill for making cot
ton goods were on the stream at Stafford's
Springs, five miles from Jthe dam. The
reservoir was about a mile and a quarter
long, and quarter of mile wide. The
dam was twenty feet high but short, the
stream bed being narrow. The water is
the head of Willimstic river. Six years
ago dam on tributary stream above
gave way and caused great damage. The
only wire 10 Staffordville is owned by the
New London Northern railroad company,
and as their rosd is badly damaged, they
send none but their own dispatches.
MILLIONS OF PROPERTY DESTROYED.
PROVIDENCE, h. L, March 81.
A Hartford dispatch says that the Stat
fordville reservoir dam gave way about 7
O'Clock this morning, sweeping everything
along the valley from Siaffordville through
Old Furnace TO Stafford Springs. The
bank, Congregational church, Cranes
store, freight depot, and all The houses on
the leland at Stafford Springs were &C.
stroyed also, ell bridges between the
scene of the disaster and Toland, and both
on the railroad and highway. The prob
able less in Stafford alone is $1,000, 900.
The loss in Stsffordvlle is very heavy, the
mills suffering more or less damage. Work
will have TO be suspended until the reser-
voir is rebuilt. Converse 81 Co.'S mills
have four sets Of caids and one thousand
spindles.
LATER-NoT 80 DISASTROUS AS REPORTED
HARTFORD, March ~.
The disaster at Staffordvile is not SO
destructive as at first reported. The latest
estimate puts the actual loss at $3.50, 900.
A special to the Courant says 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 i. was finish allowed the
reservoir to rise to its full heigh. They put
in an immense cast iron waste pipe four
feet In diameter to carry off the surplus
and the filling Of the reservoir was owing
to the heavy fall OF rain, and not because
Of any intention of the owners to fill the
reservoir. The body of water covered
200 feet. At the first the dam went to
pieces as had been prophesied by those who
said it was made of frozen gravel and
built too hastily. The 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 this morning work was abandoned.
The water then gained so rapidly that in
few moments the dam opened and the
flood started,
RIDING AHEAD OF TIE FLOOD.
E. G. Pinney, of the Glenville manufac-
turing company, mounted horse and rode
at the head of the flood to warn the inhab-
tants in the valley. The water, which
grew greater by absorption of successive
ponds as each dam was carried off, moved
at the rate of Ave miles an hour. When
the water burst from the dam 1t struck q
dwelling house and bridge. but left the
Converse mill standing. 1t next struck
the Amidon's shop, several tenements and
tho house Of Harley Howe, then the dams
of the Phoenix company, Howe company
and Valley company. Though the mills
were not hurt at Stafford Hollow, 1t tore
away an iron bridge, grist mill and several
old bridges and spread over the meadow be-
low the hollow, but was gathered again at
the gorge and struck the borough below
with great force, taking away the dam of
the Granite mills.
The accident Is terrible blow upon this
valley. About l 900 hands are thrown out
of work and the industries are sadly Grip
pied. The loss down as far as the borough
Stafford Spring, Is estimated at from half
million TO million dollars. Below the
Springs many bridges and roads are dam
aged but no mills arc destroyed. The track
of the New London railroad Is washed
away for half mile below the depot,
and with the track went tho depot,
freight carslsnd the Howe truss bridge.
Two miles south Of Talland the track is
wash away and Wilmington bridge is IN
dermined. South of that another piece Of
track Is washed out and three more bridges
are in gre t Danger The water is report
ed still rising at these bridges.