The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1890-02-26
FRIGHTFUL FLOOD.
Bursting Of q Dam and Outbreak
Of an Immense Reservoir.
Forty o. More Lives Thought 70 Be Loot
The Disaster Thought to Be
Duo to Criminal Mean

PRESCOTT, A. T., Feb. 2A-The fine
large storage dam built across the
Hasayampa river by the Walnut Grove
Water Storage Company two years ago
at cost of $500. 900 gave way Saturday
morning under the pressure of heavy
Hood and swept every thing before it.
Forty persons are known to have lost
their lives.
As the town of Wickenburg, thirty
miles below the dam. was on the same
stream fears were entertained for the
safety of that town. but as there is no
telegraph communication no certain
news can be obtained at present
The service dam of the company, 10
Gated fifteen miles below tho reservoirs
and fifteen miles of fume, Just ap-
preaching completion were also swept
away, although the company had spent
over $500. 900 on the enterprise Of storing
water. The hydraulic mining machine
had arrived, and they had expected to
commence operations next week.
The dam which held the water back
was ITO feet long at its base and forty
at the top. It was ITO feet thick at the
base and ten feet at the top. forming .
lake three miles in length by three
fourths of a mile wide and 10 feet deep.
Lieutenant Brodie, in charge of the
work, was absent at Phoenix superin-
tending the shipment of machinery to
the works and was saved.
Those known to have been drowned
are j. Haines, wife and four children.
H. Boon and daughters. John Silby.
Joseph Reynolds, Mrs. Mccarthy and NJ.
Hands McMiller.
Arthur Allen, formerly in the enter
prise, and John Mcdonald. owner of the
Blue Lick mine, have just returned
from the Doxoris divide, fourteen miles
south of the town, from where view Of
the dam could be had. The wash of the
water could be plainly seen with their
powerful glasses high up on 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 estimate yet of the
loss of life or property, but the latter
will reach into millions. while the loss
of life will without doubt be great as
many of the families live near the stream
in the narrow canyons.
The confirmation of the news of the
loss of the big dam has heightened the
and more definite news is
awaited, but the wires are
now ell down near Prescott Junction.
The courier who brought telegramsfor
the owners Of the Walnut Grove dam
notifying them of their loss left imme-
diately after daylight yesterday morn
ing. He could give but little particulars
further than to recite the number Of
FIVE bodies having been re-
covered when he left. The distance
to the storage dam from Prescott by the
shortest route is forty miles, while the
service dam, where the employees were
located, is fifteen miles further down
the stream.
Immediately on receipt of the news
here Adjutant-General ONeil started
surgeons to care for the sufferers and su-
perintend the burying of the dead. A
Of the Journal-Miner, a
ocal paper, accompanied the party, and
will send special courier with particu-
ars, but it will take twenty-four hours |
u longer to make the round trip. Satur- |
lays courier came from the lower |
lam, and as the road does not come by |
he upper dam it was only surmised
hat it had given away on account of
The immense quantity of water.
THE BUILDERS TO BLAME.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 24.-Luther
Wagner yesterday gave some details of
he construction Of the great storage |
lam across Hasayampa river which |
how that this disaster, like that at |
was, according to him, due
% carelessness and meanness of the New |
York corporation that built it.
Wagner was called in to report on the |
lam about a year and half ago. 1t |
vas to have been faced with stone four |
cen feet thick at the base and four feet |
It the top and filled with loose rock and
made water tight with wooden sheath |
ng. 1t was about half done when
Wagner inspected it and he found |
hat the stone had been filed in |
and was high in the
enter, making the structure unstable.
The junction of sheathing and bed rock
vas intended to be secured by thick |
ayers of Portland cement, but this |
york was not we'll done because Of the |
,ost of getting cement to the works.
Thus dangerous crevice was formed at |
he base of the dam and the leakage |
vas heavy, being Ia inches with seven
eet of water in the dam. The lumber |
,sed was also full of knotholes.
Wagner ordered the discharge Of the |
and engineers, as he regard
ID them as worthless, but this was not |
lone. The company, however, acting
IN his advice. cut a large wasteway and
the weak places Wagner |
warned them the dam would be unsafe |
lnless some of the work was gone over /
md rectified, but they would not listen
% him.
Mr.. Gladstone's Condition.
LONDON, Feb. 23.-Mr. Gladstone, who !