Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-02-28

In addition to what we puDHsneu yes
terday concerning the bursting of the res
ervoir in Arizona, the following has been
received flom Prescott, Ariz.:
The fine large storage dam built across
Hassavampa river by the Walnut Grove
Water Storage Company two years ago at
a cost of $300,000, gave way yesterday
morning under great pressure OF a heavy
food and swept everything before it.
Forty persons are known 10 have lost
their lives. As the town of Wickenburg,
thirty miles below the dam, was on the
stream, great fears are entertained for the
safety of that town, but as there is no tel
egraphic communication, no news has yet
been obtainable of its fate, The service
dam of the company, fifteen miles below
the reservoirs, and fifteen miles of flume,
just approaching completion, were also
swept away, although the company has
spent over 100000 on the enterprise of
steering the water. The hydraulic mining
machine had arrived and they expected
to commence operations next week.
The dam which held the waters back
was 110 feet long at the base and 400 feet
at the top. 1t was 10 feet thick at the
base and ten feet at the top, forming a
lake three miles in length by three-fourths
ola mile wide, and 110 feet deep. Lieut.
Brodie, in charge of the work, was absent
at Phoenix experimenting the shipment
of I,a l,i In hn
saved. Among those known to have been
drowned are J. Haines, wife and four
children, II. Boone and daughters, John
Silby. Joseph Reynolds, Mrs. Mccarthy,
S. McMiller.
Not the slightest doubt had been enter
tanned of the safety of the dam, and
numerous houses had be-" c,ected by
miners at various places along the course
of the stream. These were uplifted by
the raging waters as though they had
been corks, and floated down stream until
they were dashed to pieces.
The first intimation of the appalling
disaster was sound resembling thunder,
and at the same instant a perpendicular
wall of water fully fifty feet high came rush
ing down the narrow valley with almost
incredible speed. Fortunately there were
but comparatively Few people living near
thebottom of the hillsides, and of these a
large number were warned by the awful
sound and escaped to higher ground.
The valley widens above Wickenburg,
and much of the town lies upon the low
lands close 10 the course of the stream,
and it is almost certain that the vast body
of water which rushed out of the reser-
voir has carried away many houses at
that place. 1t is believed here that fully
as many people were drowned there as
Immediately below the dam. The ruined
dam is cut from the top almost to the bot
tom, as though a section had been dragged
out and the water above is only a few
feet deep.
Heavy rains have fallen for several
days, and on Friday night it was appa-
rent that the water in the lake was ap.
preaching the danger line. The rain
continued throughout the night, and
early yesterday morning the water rose to
the top of the dam and cut small pas
sage near the centre, which rapidly wild
ened and dcepened as the water poured
over it, until in less than twenty minutes
the little stream had become a roaring
cataract.
The storage company is blamed for
not having provided Il sufficient outlet
for the water in time of danger. The
only way of letting off water was through
the fume, and this afforded ano appreci-
able relief This is the first of the great stor-
age reservoirs projected in the territory
and it is believed to-days disaster will
operate to discourage the construction of
similar dams.
No further news has yet reached here
of the loss of life or the damage caused by
the break of the Walnut Grove dam.
Arthur Allen, formerly in the enter
prise, and John Mcdonald, owner of the
BlueDick mine, have just returned from
the Dozoris Divide, fourteen miles south
of the town, from where a view of the
dam could be had. Wash Waterway
could be plainly seen with their powerful
glasses high upon the side of the cliff,
while the break in the stone work of the
dam was also plainly seen.
The break in the dam is sloped to the
eastward, leaving the impression that the
main break was on the east side. There
can be no accurate estimate of the loss of
life yet or of property, but the latter will
reach into the millions, while the loss of
life, will, without doubt, be great, as many
of the families were living near the stream
in the narrow canons. As the wires are
now down near Prescott Junction, II
is hardly probable that any additional in
formation will be received tonight.
SAN Francisco, February 24.-Engi.
neer Luther Wagner to-day gave a re.
porter some details of the construction oi
he dam, which show that this disaster,