Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-25
Details of the Terrible Catastrophe


Details of the Terrible Catastrophe in
Arizona.
PHGNIx "a. T.), February 24th.-The
Walnut Grove storage dam, located seventy
miles north of here, was washed entirely
away at 2 o'clock Saturday morning.
Thirty four lives were lost and fifty people
rendered destitute The dam was $50 feet
long, ITO feet high and 135 feet wide at the
foundation, and it cost $750,000. The
depth of water in the reservoir was 100 feet
The water poured down the narrow canyon
for five miles, where the greatest loss of
life occurred. The loss will reach $500, 600.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
PHGNIx, February 24th-Saturday morn
ing at o'clock the men living near the
main dam of the Walnut Grove Company.
situated in northern Arizona, seventy miles
north of Phoenix, were awakened by a
roar resembling an angry ocean, and Jump
ing out of bed they lwere confronted with
the appalling fact that the large dam was
being lifted from its mooring by the tor
rents that came leaping down from the ad-
jacent mountains, and they fastened to
the rescue of the people in the canyon be-
low.
The men were Mortified to be followed
by the flood which burst through the dam,
and which swept everything in its way.
The main and lesser dams are twenty miles
apart, connected by q deep canyon, and
down this narrow defile the torrents rushed
with lightning speed, carrying workshops,
dwellings and many human beings in its
remorseless grasp.
The loss of life and property is appalling.
Some fifty souls are known to have per-
ished, and of the mum berless Mexican min
ers and ranchero living along the HASA
yampa for thirty miles who have been
drowned no account can be ever obtained
The main dam was the largest piece OF
masonry in the United States, it being 400
feet long on top, ISL on the bottom and 13O
thick at the base, 10 feet on top and ITO
feet high. 1t was of solid masonry at the
front and back and loose stones laid in the
middle for weight.
The dam leaked 5000 miners inches
daily since ita construction. 1t was con-
structed eighteen months ago at cost OF
nearly a million dollars, and was mort
gagged for $3.50, 900 and stocked for $12,-
100000.
1t had one large waste gate and one sur
face waste built around the dam. and both
were insufficient for the terrible rush OF
waters which swept it out of existence.
The dam drains the watershed of four hun
dred square miles. This immense territory
accounts for the more rapid destruction.
About fifty people are known TO have
been drowned, but the following names are
all that can be ascertained: ]. Haines,
wife and four children; II. Boone and
daughter, John Lilly, Mrs. Mccarthy. T.
Mcmillan and George, the scout, at Walnut
Grove.
At Wickenberg, thirty miles west from
the scene of the disaster, the bodies of three
women, four men and one child were dis
covered, but could not be recognized. The
torrent travelled this distance in two hours.
All the houses in that vicinity were de-
stroyed. One or two bodies were found at
Seymour, twelve miles south of Wicken-
berg.
At Smiths mill. five miles south, a
teamster and eight horses were drowned
At the Vulture mine five miles of piping
was destroyed, involving the loss of $40, 900.
The President and Chief Engineer of the
company are in Phoenix, and say that
everything that human skill could devise
to make perfect dam was exhausted by
them in the structure.
There are large number of destitute
people in the neighborhood, and the
weather is extremely cold. Large relief
parties went out from here to-day. Gov
ernor Murphy will issue proclamation to-
morrow calling for aid for the sufferers,
pledging the credit of the Territory there,
for. One thousand dollars was forwarded
from Phoenix tonight.