Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-06
.AFRA|D0F THE DAMS.
The People of HonesdaIe
Threatened by Dangers
FROM MANY GREAT LAKES.
Numerous Mountain Reservoirs. Situated
ut Heights of 400 TO ], 900 Feet Above
the POpnious Lucknwnunu VaIIey-The
Inhabitants of Honesdale Completely at
the Mercy of Walls of Masonry.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE D1srArcH.i

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.i
HoNEsDALE, June 5.-The frightful disaster
caused by the bursting of the uam at the Cone
maugh reservoir at Johnstown, has naturally
turned the thoughts of the inhabitants of this
and other villages in the Lackawanna Valley
to their own peculiar situation as regards pos
sible danger from the giving way OF reservoirs.
The Delaware and Hudson canal has its head
at Honesdale, and is fed by waters of nine
mountain lakes, which have outlets to the
Lackawaxen and Dyberry rivers. Honesdale
lies on a narrow plain between high hills at the
junction of those two rivers.
The Laekawaxen is precipitous stream, flow
ing the greater part of its length through con-
tracted valley, both boundaries of which are
steep and lefty hills. The head of the stream
is 200 feet above Honesdale, 100 miles north
west of the village, and at its source the water
is confined by an immense dam. forming
reservoir of great depth, nearly two miles long
and quarter of mile wide. Half way be-
tween that reservoir and Honesdale, and about
500 feet above the village, is lake whose
natural area has been doubled by the throwing
of dam across its outlet.
Lakes That Cause Uneasiness.
This lake covers an area of more than 600
acres Four miles from Honesdale, at an alti-
tude of at least 800 feet, is a body of water
known as Elk Park, which is also confined by
a dam. This lake covers 800 acres, and in
places is 80 feet deep.
The same distance west from Honesdale. near
the summit of the NIoosic Mountain, nearly LOCO
feet above the village. are two large lakes Stan
tar pond and Keene's pond, both of them
damned reservoirs, although natural lakes.
Cajah pond, a mile from Honesdale and at an
altitude of 100 feet is another large reservoir.
Four miles northwest of Honesdale, and 500
feet above it is White Oak pond, lake cover
ing square mile of surface. In Dyberry Val
ley, which is coursed by wild and PERCEPTIONS
stream, are Upper and Lower Woods ponds,
1000 feet high. and each several hundred acres
in area. The opening in the Lackawaxen Val
ley, on which Honesdale is built is not more
than an eighth of mile wide, the eastern
boundary being perpendicular wall Of rock
300 feet high.
AT the Mercy ofthe Dams.
1t is doubtful if there is another place in the
country that is completely at the mercy walls
of masonry confining such enormous volumes
of water as Honesdale is. After the Mill river
disaster in 1874 the usual sense of security in
Honesdale could not be restored until the Of
ficials of the canal company made thorough
inspection of its reservoirs hereaOouts,
strengthened some of the dams and reported
them as safe against any flood that might
come. Sometime previous to that the village
was thrown into alarm by a mounted courier
who rode into the town from one OF the reser-
voirs and announced that it was giving way.
The people fled to the hills, but the expected
disaster was averted.
The dams have been in existence over so
years without any damage resulting, but the
news of any catastrophe from the bursting of
any reservoir anywhere in the country is al
ways followed by a feeling of great uneasiness
in Honesdale, but it was never so great as it
is now since the terrible disaster at Johnstown.
HOnesdale is one OF the wealthiest and hand
soonest villages in the State. The bursting of
any one Of the dams in the Laekawaxen Valley
or in the Mocsic Mountain would sweep Homes
breaking
Conemaugh reservoir has swept Johnstown and
its sister towns.