Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-06-06
111 sAEsrY OF RissEsIoxRs.
osAsr Flaess nsaseed WisA che Dass
 01 JohnseoWn.

s1 Johaseown.
 Tho extent of the latest disaster will direct public attention to other reservoir that may give way, oausing death and destruction. There are Q great many ol them ID this country, and as a rule. they are not properly inspected. There is reason to fear that some of these are mol strong enough to sustain tho weight oI the water that may be percipitated by q storm against them. If @ dam is safe il Will not give way even though many feel of water may flow over 1t. But there are few such dams in this country.
 It Is possible to construct a dam that will withstand the frosts and freshets o1 century. But this involves such an OK. pense that cheaper methods are gener. ally adopted. This was the cause of the terrible Mill river disaster in MassaohII. setts In 1874, which resulted in the loss of over 200 lives. In that case the jury found that the engineering work was dlscreditable and that the contractors had been delinquent and that even the state legislature was to blame in author izing the construction of the reservoir without taking proper means to secure it's safety.
 INVESTIGATION NEEDED.
 There need be no surprise If something of the kind is found to be the case af
 
 by the state over forty years ago as a feeder to the old Pennsylvania canal. 1t Is not improbable that 1t was a defective structure from the beginning. It was subjected to an extraordinary strain, but propor engineering work would have pro- vided for such an emergency.
 There is dam 1929 feet long built across the Merrimac river in Massachu- setts which has stood the floods for
  stone, or opening a crack, or costing It's owners single dollar for repairs CT pro- lection. It was built of solid masonry in the most painstaking manner, every thing about it being carefully tested. If as much care had been taken at Johns- town we venture to say that the dam would still be intact, although Johns- town might have suffered from the floods that prevailed generally.
 PROGRESS IN ENGINEERING.
 Great strides have been made in the engineering profession in recent years but even now the best engineers differ as to what Is absolutely necessary for the safety of dams. New York has been dis cussing proposed dam for reservoir at Quaker Bridge on the Croton river, and some very marked differences of opinion have been developed. Some of the best engineers expressed directly opposite views on the subject.
 What the public has most to fear in such cases Is defective workmanship by contractors, This was found to be one cause Of tho Mill River disaster. But even in the light of such frightful catas- trophes, both in this country and in Europe, this kind of work continues and even seems to be on the increase The reservoir and tunnel recently constructed under the supervision of tho government engineers at Washington, just as they were about completed, were discovered to be incapable of holding water. As- founding frauds had been committed, and the masonry work in many places was mere shell with no filling back of it. Somewhat similar frauds were un. earthed in the new aqueduct being con structed by the city of New York.
 \ BIG EMPIRE STATE DAM.
 At Cuba, Allegany county, New York, is located one of the greatest reservoira which has long been a menace to the town. Itwas originally feeder to the Genesee Valley canal but when that was abandoned the reservoir became valueless. It is much larger than the one at Johnstown and has at various times shown greater need of repairs. IL Is owned by tho state.