Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-06-03

area OF cOuntry-tnat Is, from the Iatl- 1
tude of Elmira, n. T., on the north, to
that of Petersburg, Va, on the south, and
from the seaboard on the east to the west
ern slope of the central ranges of Penn
sylvania. The central event of most tragic
character was in the vicinity of Johns
town, and the fact was due to the break
ing Of dam that engineering skill had
probably pronounced secure. But the fact
is now for the hundredth time perhaps
established that dams of such magnitude
as that referred to, holding at such an alti-
tude lakes of from one to two miles in
length and breadth, and of depth of
hundred feet, are menacing to all who
dwell below them in the line of their |
natural drainage. 1t is altogether proba-
BILE that the dam in question was not
merely overtopped by sudden rising Of the
water, but that it gave way under pressure |
for which the engineers had calculated
that is, the actual resistant capacity of the
dam if the basin were filled with water to |
the lip of its banks. But either the en-
into account the suddenness of a possible
water-spout, the blow of which might be
double or quadruple that of ordinary
pressure, or the construction of the lofty
embankment was defective Possibly all
these causes combined it is more likely,
however, that the latter was the greater
cause. However that may be, the disaster
will greatly shake the public faith in en-
gineering and constructive ability to pro-
vide dams that may be relied upon as alb
solutely safe. Yet, by the unskilled the
conception is often formed of resistant
structures of that character that would be
as irresistible as the hills themselves
Dams of that order, however, would in
volve an output Of money and labor that
capital rarely consents to.
After all excuses that can possibly be
made, fearful responsibility attaches for
the breaking Of the Johnstown dam. It
was not used for commercial purposes, but
appears to have been maintained to create
a lake for the pleasures Of its owners, who
took their summer outings upon its banks.
The dam was but twenty feet in width on
top, and as it was not used for manufact-
uring purposes, it fell into decay, and was
a leally concern. If there is not in those
mountain regions some official supervision
over such structures, there should be; in
deed men should not be permitted to erect
them without governmental license and
oversight. We are not aware that in our
own State there is any official supervision
Of such restraining works, nor that their
builders are required to obtain official con-
sent to build dams, the very existence of
which, when there are full reservoirs be-
hind them, is a menace to all jewellers be-
low in the line of their drainage. The
widespread devastation of the storm,
which had its center in the Alleghanies, it
will be noted, was due to the rapidity with
which The waters were fed into the rivers.
This will lead to inquiry whether neglect
of forestry, and denudation of the noun
tain slopes had anything to do with it. In
the great floods upon the German rivers,
few years ago, it was admitted that the
damage was due to the stripping of the
mountain slopes of their forest growth.
thus depriving the soil of the protection
that enables it to hold the waters and feed
them slowly to the tributaries of the riv-
ers. Since Prussia, Switzerland and Aus
tria have engaged in forest-culture to re-
clothe the mountain slopes, sudden rises of
the streams and disastrous floods have
| greatly diminished. But there will be
time enough to philosophize npon the in
direct cause of the great destruction of life
and property in Pennsylvania. For the
present we have only tears and sorrow
for the sufierings of our unfortu-
nate fellow-beings. The one relief
to the universal woe over the fearful events
of the flood disaster, is the quick response
of the American people to the cry of dis
tress and the rich outpouring of material
| aid to those rendered homeless by the
| floods.