Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-03-03
Shocking Disaster in Arizona.

PRESCOTT, Arlz., FEB. Z5.-Ihe
fine large storage dam built across
Hassayampa River by the Walnut
Grove Water Storage Company two
wears ago, at a cost of $500, 900, gave
way Yesterday morning under great
pressure of the heavy flood, and swept
everything before 1t. Forty persons
are known to have lost their lives.
AS the town of Wickenburg, thirty
miles below the dam, was on the
same stream, great fears are enter
tanned for the safety of that town,
but as there is no telegraphic com
munication no news is obtainable till
tomorrow. The service dam Of the
company is located fifteen miles from
the reservoirs. Not the slightest
doubt had been entertained Of the
safety Of the dam. Numerous houses
had been erected by miners at various
points along the course of the stream.
These were uplifted by the surging
waters as though they had been corks
and tioated down stream and dashed
to pieces. The first intimation of the
disaster was a sound like thunder and
at the same instant a perpendicular
wall of water fifty feet high came
rushing down the narrow valley with
incredible speed. Fortunately there
were comparatively few people living
near the bottom of the hillsides, and
of these q large number were warned
by the noise and escaped. The val
lev widens above Wickenburg, and
most of the town lies on the low lands,
and it is almost certain that the vast
body of water has carried away many
houses in that place. 1t is believed
here that fully as many people were
drowned there as Immediately below.
The ruined dam is cut from the top
almost to the bottom as though a
section were dragged out. Heavy
rains had fallen for several days, and
Friday night it was apparent that the
water in the lake was approaching
the danger line. The rain continued
through the night, and early Satur-
dav morning the water rose to top of
the dam and cut a small passage neal
the center which rapidly widened 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 moi
providing a suffient outlet for the
water in times of danger. This is the
first of the great storage reservoirs
projected in this territory, and this
disaster will discourage the construc
ton of similar dams.
LATER.-Arthur Allen and JOIN
Mcdonald have just returned from
the Dozoris divide, fourteen miles
south of the town, from where vleV
of the dam could be had. With pow
erful glasses the break in the stone
work of the dam could be plalnl..
seen. There can be no estimate
made of the loss of life and property
but the latter will reach into the mil
lions, while the loss of life will b
great as many houses have been swep
away. The confirmation of the new
J of the loss of the big dam has height
: ened the excitement.
| A courier who brought telegram
= for the owners of the Walnut GroV
= dam arrived at o'clock last nigh
| and left this morning. He state
that five bodies had been recoVere
: and identified. The distance of th
' dam from Prescott is forty miles
| while the service dam where the en-
S ployes were located is fifteen mile
f further down the stream. 1t wa
e from the latter place that the couut
q came.