Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-06-20
A VERY DESTRUCTIVE STORM,
Mineral Point Visited by Deluge of
Great Magnitude.
Buffers Dam Bursts and the Flood
Sweeps Everything before it.
THE DAMAGE.

ers of Friday afternoon were fol
lowed by heavy rain in the evening
! which continued with but slight inter
mission, increasing in volume, until
it seemed as though the heavens were
sending down torrents of water The
, atmosphere was heavily charged with
electricity. and the loud bursts OF
; thunder accompanied by vivid light
ming, plainly indicated that storm
of no small magnitude was raging.
The water ran like rivers through
the streets of Mineral Point; but up to
half past nine o'clock the storm had
done but little or no damage
The evening passenger train arrived
about on time, although the precau-
ton was taken of running somewhat
slower, from Calamine up, on account
of the rising flood.
The storm, which was tremendous
everywhere, seemed to have centered
northeast of the city, and after what
many believe was water spout, the
floods came rushing down the stream
upon which Buffers dam is situated,
and down the Mineral Point branch,
along Hoard street.
At about half past nine Buffers
dam burst, with a noise like clap
of thunder; and the flood, with irresist-
ible force, swept everything before it.
Huge boulders, weighing upwards of a
ton, were carried from the walls of the
dam, and scattered along the track of
the water for distance of hundreds
of feet.
Whites large lumber yard was en-
tirely swept away, with the exception
of the contents of two lumber sheds.
The lumber and debris were swept
with such force against box car
loaded with coal, as to move track
and car several feet, tanning the car
against the side of the coal shed.
The first railroad bridge from the
depot was destroyed, and the rails
over i were bent and twisted as
though they were of hoop iron.
The city road leading across from the
zinc works was destroyed, and sec
lions of it washed away.
The platform of the railroad weigh
scales near the zinc works was lifted
from its place and carried thirty or
forty yards down the track. The
water washed into the store rooms and
partially destroyed large quantities of
oxide.
The work of the flood below
the furnace was beyond description.
Bridges, ties and rails were alike
borne off by the current. In many
places sections of the ties and rails,
measuring from SO to rs feet, were
forced from the road bed and carried
over the tops of the fence posts into
the meadow on either side. The track
was total wreck for a distance of
two miles, and badly damaged for
over three and one-half miles.
w. J. Hosken, r. C. Benson and
Bliss Il Reed suffered considerable
loss by the washing away of the fences
around their slaughter pen, on the old
zinc furnace ground. Their total loss
will amount to about $50 or $50.
John James, who is employed at the
zinc works, had horse and COW car
ried off and drowned in the flood.
Considerable damage was done to
property along the Mineral Point
branch. The water extended into the
yard of Gillmann's brewery. Fortu-
nately the brewery dam did not burst,
but the walls were badly damaged,
entailing loss to Mr.. Gilman of
over 800.
The fences of w. G. Kislingb ury,
below Gillmann's dam, were swept
away, as were also some of the fences
around the old slaughter pen.
Losses were also sustained by sew.
eral miners whose ore and wash dirt !"
were carried along by the flood. An
thony Huxtable lost over 800 worth
of stuff, and VIM. Cornelius and James
PoIglayse lost about 500 worth.
The bridge on Copper street, opposite
the Webb residence, was washed away,
abutments and all.
The floor of Wearne's foundry was
submerged in water, and molds, which
had been prepared for castings de
stroyed. The loss to Mr.. Wearne
amounts to from SIS to 800.
NJ. J. Minors brewery dam had a
narrow escape. The dam was nearly
empty at the commencement of the
storm, but it soon filed up, and
washed over, carrying away a large
portion of the lower wall. Mr.. Minors
loss is from 5000 to $500.
Sanger Rockwell & Co.'S lumber
yard was swept over, and lumber
am bunting in value to nearly $500 was
carried off.
Richard Goldsworthy and Alfred
Dobson suffered a loss of about 5000
by ore being swept from their wash
place above Buffers dam, and John
Kendall lost about $50 worth of ore,
which was washed away by the same
stream.
Amos Queer lost a lot of ore from
Phillips meadow His loss amounts
to about $40.
Losses were sustained at other
places near the city. r. H, and W. ].
Goldsworthy lost about 800 worth of