Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-24
Terrible Loss of Life by Flood in Ari-
zona-Details.

Terrible Loss of Life by a Flood in Ari-
zona-Details.
PRESCOTT "a. IT, February 23d.-The
water in the Walnut Grove dam has burst
it walls, and has swept with relentless rage
over the country, and over forty human
being are said to have perished. Down
the course of the river the mass of the rag
ing water has swept its deadly swarth, and
the little town of Wickenburg lies IN its
furious path. Telegraphic communication
has been cut off. and the fate of the little
place is still unknown. Following are
some of those known to have perished: ].
Haines, wife and four children; H. Boone,
Miss Boone, John Silby, Joseph Reynolds,
Mrs. Mccarthy, t. Mcmillan.
The fine large storage dam was built
across the Hassayampa river by the Walnut
Grove Water Storage Company two years
ago, at a cost of $300.000
at o'clock this morning the great pres.
sure of the heavy food forced the walls
and the water swept everything before it.
The service dam of the company is To-
Gated fifteen miles below the reservoirs
and fifteen miles of fume was Just nearing
completion. 1t is estimated that the loss
including the enormous damage to prop
erty, will reach 81 10000 The company
has spent 100000 on the new fume and on
the enterprise of storing water for hydraulic
mining, and machinery had arrived and
they expected to commence operations next
week.
The dam which held the waters back
was Ito feet long at the base and 400 feet
at the top, and was ITO feet thick at the
base and ten feet at top, forming a lake
three miles in length ar three. fourth of a
mile wide and 110 feet deep.
Lieutenant Brode in charge of the
WORKS, was absent al Phe Xix superintend-
ing the shipment Of machinery to the
works, and was saved
The town 10 hight is in state of the
widest excitement Tie terrible donbt
which surrounds ii catastrophe has made
every one nearly mai with anxiety. No
details can be obtained as yet, and it is i'm
possible to give even an estimate ofthe ul-
innate result of the terrible unwarned visi-
tation.
LATER PARTICULARS.
DENVER, February 23d-A Prescott spe-
cial to the Associated Press says A general
feeling of excitement and suspense has pre-
vailed here to-day over the news of the
disaster at Walnut Grove received last
night. The courier who brought the tele-
grams from the owners of the property
notifying them of their great loss arrived
about s o'clock last night. As he left im.
mediately after daylight, he could give but
little particulars further than to report the
number of missing. Five bodies had been
recovered and identified when he left.
The distance 10 the storage dam from
Prescott by the shortest route of travel is
forty miles, while the service dam, where
the employees were located, was fifteen
miles further down the stream.
Immediately on receipt of the news
Adjutant General O'Neill started to the
scene of the disaster with two surgeons TO
assist the wants of the sufferers and super
intend the burial of the dead
A representative of the Journal, min
eral local paper, accompanied the party and
will send a special courier with the partic-
ulars, but it will take twenty-four hours
longer to make the round trio.
Yesterdays courier came from the lower
dam, and as the road does not come by the
upper dam, it can only be surmised that it
had given away on account of the immense
quantity of water
A more hopeful feeling exists this even
ing, on account OF 40 news being received
direct that the upper dam and reservoir is
still intact, and that the flood was caused
by the opening of the gates TO relieve il
from threatening danger.
LATER-Garther Allen, formerly inter-
ested in the enterprise, and John McDon-
aid, an owner in the Blue Dick mine, have
just returned from the Doesoris divide,
fourteen miles south of town, from where
view of the dam could be had, and report
that it has gone without doubt.
The 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 sloped TO the east
ward, leaving the impression that the main
break was OF the east side.
There can be no estimate vet Of the loss
Of life and property, but the latter reaches
into the millions. The loss of life without
doubt will be great, as many families were
living near the stream in the narrow can
yons.
The confirmation Of the news of the loss
by the big dam has heightened the excite
ment. and more definite news is now
anxiously awaited.
NEW WORKERS ANXIOUS.
New YORK, February 23d.-The President
of the Walnut Grove Storage Company is
Martin S. Vanburen of this city. He went
to Prescott in November with his daughter
Nellie and her cousin, Mary Haulon. He
intended to inspect the dam. His friends
could not hear from him by telegraph TO.
day and are an nxious for his safety and that
of the ladies.
The Body Recovered.
lone. February 23d.-The body of D
Donnelly, who fell from The train into
Sutter creek on Thursday. was recovered
this afternoon about a mile below the
bridge. Both coats were off and one leg
and foot broken, and be was somewhat
bruised about the head The body was
rolling when found. An inquest will be
held az soon as the Coroner arrives.
The weather is clear to-day. The wind
is from the north. There was heavy frost
and ice this morning Tie roads are dry
ing rapidly
Runaway Cable Car.
PORTLAND (0s), February 23d.-Yesler-
day there was q formal opening of the
cable cars. This evening car coming
down Portland Heights, a very steep in
cline, escaped from the gripman. Seeing
the danger he jumped. When the car
struck the bottom of the incline it caught,
turning the car over. The car contained
two men and lady. The men were seri-